How to Use NotebookLM, Now Called Gemini Notebook, to Run Your Business Knowledge

Turn your handbook, proposals and research into a private assistant that answers from your own documents and shows its sources.

The short answer: NotebookLM is Google's AI notebook that answers questions using only the documents you give it, with citations back to each source. In July 2026 Google renamed it Gemini Notebook, but it works the same way. Create one notebook per job, add your files, ask questions, then turn the material into briefings or audio summaries. Check the citations before you act on an answer.

If you have been searching for how to use NotebookLM, you are in the right place: same product, new name. This guide shows a business owner how to set it up for real work, like answering staff questions from your handbook or prepping for a client meeting.

1. Find it under its new name

Google announced on July 16, 2026 that NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook. Google calls it the same standalone product, and you can also open and create notebooks inside the Gemini app, with changes syncing between the two.

• Personal Google account: sign in and start with the free standard tier.

• Google Workspace account: your administrator has to turn the app on before you can use it.

2. Make one notebook per job

A notebook is a workspace with its own sources and chats. Keep each one focused so answers stay on topic. Good starter notebooks for a small business:

• Team handbook: policies, SOPs, onboarding docs

• One per big client: proposal, contract, meeting notes, emails pasted as text

• Market research: competitor pages, industry reports, customer survey results

• Product knowledge: manuals, spec sheets, FAQs

Free users can add up to 50 sources to a notebook, according to Google. Google Workspace, Workspace for Education and Google Cloud plans offer higher limits for businesses.

3. Add the right sources

In a notebook, select Add sources on the left. Gemini Notebook accepts a wide mix, according to Google's help center:

• PDFs, Word, text, Markdown, CSV and PowerPoint files

• Google Docs, Slides (up to 100 slides) and Sheets

• Web page links and public YouTube videos with captions

• Audio files, images and pasted text

Each source can hold up to 500,000 words or 200MB. You can also use the Fast Research or Deep Research options in the Sources panel to find new material on the web or in your Drive, then choose what to import.

Tip: quality beats quantity. An outdated price sheet in a notebook will produce outdated answers. Remove old versions when you add new ones.

4. Ask questions and check the citations

This is the core of how to use NotebookLM well. Google says answers come only from your sources, and if the answer is not there, it will not make one up. Each response includes inline citations you can click to see the exact passage.

Try this prompt

Using only these sources, list every policy that applies to an employee who wants to work remotely for two weeks. For each one, quote the relevant line and name the document it comes from. Flag anything that conflicts or is unclear.

Then open two or three citations to confirm. If something important is missing, the fix is usually a missing source, not a better prompt.

5. Turn sources into briefings and Audio Overviews

The Studio panel turns your sources into finished formats. Google's help center lists study guides, briefings, mind maps, reports, slide decks, infographics, flashcards, quizzes, and video and audio overviews.

Audio Overviews are handy for busy owners. They turn your material into a podcast-style summary you can play in the car. Google lists four formats:

• Deep Dive: two hosts discuss your sources (the default)

• The Brief: one speaker, key takeaways in under two minutes

• The Critique: two hosts give feedback on a draft

• The Debate: two hosts argue different sides

You can pick a length, choose from more than 80 languages, and add a prompt to focus on a topic. In English, an interactive mode lets you interrupt with a spoken question. Google warns these overviews can contain inaccuracies, so treat them as a summary, not the final word.

6. Share carefully

Notebooks are private by default. You can share with specific people, and on personal accounts you can make a notebook public with a link. Public sharing is not available for Workspace Enterprise or Education accounts.

On data: for personal accounts, Google says notebook content will not be used to directly train its foundational models unless you submit feedback. Google also says feedback you send may be reviewed by trained teams, so leave confidential details out of it. Keep sensitive customer data out of personal-account notebooks.

Once your research lives in notebooks, you may want a home for everyday notes, too. Our Notion vs. Obsidian comparison covers two popular options, and if your problem is finding time to read it all, see the best AI calendar apps.

Common questions about how to use NotebookLM

Is NotebookLM gone?

No. Google renamed it Gemini Notebook in July 2026 and describes it as the same standalone product. Your notebooks and sources work as before, and you can now also reach them from the Gemini app.

Is it free?

You can start free, with up to 50 sources per notebook. Google says its Workspace, Workspace for Education and Google Cloud plans offer higher limits and more features for businesses.

Can it answer questions my documents do not cover?

No, and that is the point. It is built to answer from your sources. For general research, use its Fast Research or Deep Research tools to import new sources first.

Is it safe for client documents?

Use your business Google Workspace account, with your administrator's approval, for client or employee data, and ask them which data protections your edition includes. Avoid putting confidential material in a personal-account notebook.