Taskade Product Updates — Memory That Never Forgets: Projects as Databases

January 20, 2026·7 min read·John Xie·Updates

Hey there 👋

Projects aren't just documents. They're memory that evolves.

For years, productivity tools promised memory. They stored data. They organized files. They tracked tasks. But they never understood. They never learned. They never evolved.

That's not memory. That's a filing cabinet.

🗄️ Projects as Structured Databases

Perfect for: Operators, builders, businesses needing structured data

What Projects Can Be:

Databases — Structured data with custom fields
Tables — Spreadsheet-like views with rows and columns
Knowledge Bases — Structured information for AI agents
Automation Sources — Data sources for workflow triggers and actions

The Living Memory:

Projects in Taskade aren't just documents.

They're structured databases with custom fields, table views, and real-time sync.

But more importantly—
they're living memory that feeds intelligence.

When you create a project with custom fields, you're not just organizing data.
You're building a foundation that agents can understand, automations can process, and apps can use.

That's the difference.

🌟 Example: Create "Customers" project → Add custom fields (Name, Email, Status, Value) → Switch to Table view → See database-like interface → Use in automation → Connect to AI agent → Complete living system.

👉 How to use: Create project → Add custom fields → Switch to Table view → Use as database

📊 Custom Fields: Structure Your Data

Define custom fields to structure your project data like a database.

Field Types:

String — Text fields for names, descriptions, notes
Number — Numeric fields with decimal, currency, or percent formats
DateTime — Date and time fields for scheduling
Select — Dropdown fields with predefined options
Password — Secure fields for credentials and sensitive data

The Pattern:

At Bronx Science, I learned that abstraction is everything.

Find the pattern or drown in chaos.

Projects as databases are that pattern.

Custom fields structure your data.
Table views give you database-like interfaces.
Unique constraints ensure data integrity.
Automation processes your data automatically.
AI agents understand your structure.

Everything connects.

🌟 Example: Create "Products" project → Add fields: Name (string), Price (number, currency), Category (select), Release Date (datetime) → Table view shows structured database → Each row is a product record → Agents understand structure → Automation processes data → Complete system.

👉 How to use: Project settings → Add custom field → Choose type → Configure → Use in Table view

⚡ Projects as Automation Databases

Use projects as data sources and targets for automation workflows.

Automation Actions:

Create Task — Add new records to project database
Update Custom Fields — Update field values automatically
Find Tasks — Query project database
Move Task — Reorganize database records

Automation Triggers:

Task Created — Trigger when new record added
Task Completed — Trigger when record marked complete
Custom Field Updated — Trigger when field value changes
Task Assigned — Trigger when record assigned

The Memory Loop:

Here's what happens when you use projects as databases:

You create structure.
Custom fields define your data types.
Table views show your data clearly.
Unique constraints ensure integrity.

Automation processes it.
Workflows create records.
Workflows update fields.
Workflows sync data.

Agents understand it.
They query your structure.
They retrieve relevant data.
They answer questions accurately.

Apps use it.
Dashboards display your data.
Forms create new records.
Portals show your information.

The loop completes.
Memory feeds intelligence.
Intelligence drives action.
Action creates new memory.

That's living software.

🌟 Example: Form submission → Automation creates task in "Leads" project → Sets custom fields (Name, Email, Source) → Updates "CRM Dashboard" project → Triggers follow-up automation → Complete database workflow → Living system.

👉 How to use: Create project database → Add custom fields → Create automation → Use "Create Task" / "Update Custom Fields" actions → Watch database update automatically

🤖 Projects as AI Agent Knowledge Bases

Connect projects as structured knowledge for AI agents. Agents can retrieve and understand structured project data.

How Agents Access Projects:

Project Connection — Connect project to agent as knowledge
Structured Retrieval — Agent uses retrieveProjectContext tool
Field Access — Agents understand custom fields and structure
Data Querying — Agents can query project data intelligently

The Living Trinity:

At the heart of Genesis lies three interconnected systems:

Memory (Projects) feeds Intelligence (Agents).
Intelligence drives Action (Automations).
Action creates new Memory.

That cycle is what makes Genesis alive.

Your projects aren't just storage.
They're the foundation of a living system.

🌟 Example: Connect "Product Catalog" project to agent → Agent understands product structure → Users ask "What products cost over $100?" → Agent queries project → Retrieves relevant products → Answers based on structured data → Complete intelligent system.

👉 How to use: Create project database → Add custom fields → Connect to agent → Agent understands structure → Users ask questions → Agent retrieves structured data → Answers accurately

🔄 Complete Database Workflow Example

CRM System Using Projects as Database:

Step 1: Create Database Project

Create "Customers" project
Add custom fields: Name (string), Email (string, unique), Status (select), Value (number, currency)
Switch to Table view
See database interface

Step 2: Automation Workflows

Form Submission → Creates customer record → Sets all fields
Status Change → Updates customer status → Triggers follow-up
Value Update → Updates customer value → Updates dashboard
Scheduled Sync → Syncs with external CRM → Updates project

Step 3: AI Agent Knowledge

Connect "Customers" project to support agent
Agent understands customer structure
Users ask "Who are our top customers?"
Agent queries project → Retrieves customers sorted by value → Answers with structured data

Step 4: Genesis App Integration

Build CRM dashboard Genesis app
App reads from "Customers" project
Dashboard displays customer data
Agent embedded in app answers questions

🌟 Result: Project database → Automation workflows → AI agent knowledge → Genesis app → Complete database system → Living memory that evolves.

👉 Complete System: Database → Automation → AI → App → Everything connected

📈 Why This Matters

The Illusion of Storage:

For years, productivity tools promised memory.
They stored data.
They organized files.
They tracked tasks.

But they never understood.

They never learned.
They never evolved.

That's not memory.
That's a filing cabinet.

What We Actually Built:

Projects in Taskade aren't just documents.

They're structured databases with custom fields, table views, and real-time sync.

But more importantly—
they're living memory that feeds intelligence.

When you create a project with custom fields, you're not just organizing data.
You're building a foundation that agents can understand, automations can process, and apps can use.

That's the difference.

🧩 Other Improvements

Database Features:

Custom Fields — String, number, datetime, select, password
Unique Constraints — Ensure data uniqueness
Table View — Database-like interface
Multiple Views — Table, board, list, calendar, gantt
Real-Time Sync — Changes sync instantly

Automation Integration:

Create Task — Add records with custom fields
Update Custom Fields — Update field values
Find Tasks — Query database
Custom Field Triggers — Trigger on field updates

AI Agent Integration:

Project Knowledge — Connect projects as knowledge
Structured Retrieval — Agents query structured data
Field Awareness — Agents understand custom fields
Contextual Answers — Answers include field values
Improved security, stability, and overall speed
Various bug fixes and optimizations

Check all updates on the Changelog Forum.

🚀 Join the Community

Great things are built together. Your ideas, feedback, and creations shape the future of Taskade Genesis. Connect, learn, and build with us:

Memory That Never Forgets

Before: Documents. Static data. Manual updates.

Now: Databases. Structured memory. Automated processing.

Projects remember. Agents understand. Automations act.

Your workspace is alive.

Because memory without intelligence is just data.
And intelligence without memory is just prompts.

Together, they're understanding.

Start building and exploring now

This is the origin of living software 🌱

— John Xie, Co-founder & CEO, Taskade

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