06. Google NotebookLM Data Tables - tips and techniques

The Data Tables feature in Google NotebookLM (released in late 2025) is a game-changer for turning "messy" information—like long transcripts, PDF reports, or web articles—into structured, actionable data. Unlike a standard summary, Data Tables allow you to define specific columns to extract and compare facts side-by-side.

Competitive Market Analysis

The Goal: Upload multiple competitor whitepapers, websites, or product reviews to quickly see how they stack up against each other.

Create a table comparing the pricing tiers, key features, and
target audience for every company mentioned in the sources.

Build a data table showing the 'Pros' and 'Cons' for each
product, citing specific source documents for each point.

Extract a list of all unique selling propositions (USPs) and
group them by competitor name.

Generate a table that analyzes the market strategy of each
brand, including their primary marketing channels and core
messaging.

Create a comparison of the technical specifications (e.g.,
storage, speed, compatibility) for all products listed in my
sources.

Project Management & Action Tracking

The Goal: Ingest messy meeting transcripts or project briefs to extract a clear "Who, What, and When" list.

Generate a table of all action items from the meeting
transcripts, including the owner, the specific task, and any
mentioned deadlines.

Create a project status table that lists every milestone
mentioned across these emails and briefs, categorized by
'Completed', 'In Progress', or 'Pending'.

Extract a list of all risks and blockers mentioned in the
project notes, including the suggested mitigation strategy for
each.

Build a table of all stakeholders mentioned in the documents,
their specific roles, and their key concerns regarding the
project.

Create a 'Resource Allocation' table showing which team
members are assigned to which work streams based on the
project plan.

Travel & Logistics Planning

The Goal: Use blog posts, hotel brochures, and flight itineraries to build a comparative trip itinerary.

 Create a table comparing the different destinations mentioned
in my research, including estimated daily costs, 'must-see'
attractions, and best time to visit. 

 Build a logistics table for my trip that lists flight
numbers, departure times, arrival times, and confirmation
codes found in my emails. 

 Generate a comparison of all the hotels I've saved, focusing
on price per night, amenities (WiFi, Breakfast, Pool), and
distance from the city center. 

 Create a packing list table categorized by 'Essentials',
'Clothing', and 'Electronics' based on the weather reports in
the sources. 

 Make a table of local restaurants mentioned in the travel
guides, including their cuisine type, average price range,
and reservation requirements. 

Financial Analysis & Budgeting

The Goal: Process quarterly reports, bank statements, or invoices to visualize spending and revenue trends.

Create a table summarizing all expenses over $500, including
the vendor, date, category, and a brief description of the
purchase.

Extract the 'Year-over-Year' revenue growth for every
department mentioned in the annual report and present it in a
comparative table.

Build a data table of all subscription services found in my
statements, including the monthly cost, renewal date, and
whether it's for personal or business use.

Generate a table that lists all financial risks mentioned in
the 'Risk Factors' section of the 10-K filing, alongside the
company's mitigation plan.

HR & Talent Acquisition

The Goal: Quickly parse dozens of resumes or performance reviews to find the best fit for a role or a promotion.

Create a candidate comparison table from these 10 resumes,
listing their years of experience, top 3 technical skills, and
highest level of education.

Generate a table of 'Performance Wins' for each employee based
on their self-assessments and manager feedback notes.

Build a table listing the 'Certification Gaps' for the team—list
each employee and any required certifications they are
currently missing.

Extract the 'Salary Expectations' and 'Notice Periods' for all
candidates mentioned in the recruiter screening notes.

Create a 'Cultural Fit' table that summarizes each candidate’s
answers to soft-skill questions during the interview loop.

Interactive Tip: "The Table Refiner"

You don't have to get the prompt right the first time. You can say:

Add a column to the existing table for 'Source Page Number' and
another for 'Confidence Score'.