# Desk quick actions in the header

> The row of buttons on the right of the header while a desk is open: status, Focus, Chat, Meeting, Tidy, Build, Template, Resume and the load ring.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-quick-actions
Section: Desks and the canvas > Desk tools
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-10

While a desk is open, a row of quick actions for that desk sits in the header, to the right of centre. Each button is a small icon. Rest the pointer on one to see its name.

Everything in the row acts on the desk you have open: its status, a focus session, its chat, a meeting about it, its layout, its template and its handoff note.



## What is in the row

From left to right:

| Button | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| The status button, named **Start**, **Done**, **Reopen** or **Resume** | Moves the desk to its next status. |
| **Focus** (a lightning bolt) | Starts a five-minute focus session on this desk. |
| **Chat** (two speech bubbles) | Puts the desk's own chat on the desk as a Chat widget, or takes you to it. |
| **Meeting** (a video camera) | Starts a meeting about this desk. |
| The time left, in minutes and seconds | Appears only while a desk with a duration is In progress. |
| **Tidy** (four squares) | Arranges the widgets. Point at it for more layouts. |
| **Build with AI** (sparkles) | Asks AI to suggest widgets for what you are trying to do. |
| **Save as template** (a bookmark) | Saves this desk's setup as a template. |
| **Resume handoff document** (a page) | Opens the desk's Resume note. |
| The load ring (a coloured dot and a number) | Shows how busy the desk is, and lets you park widgets. |

The other parts of the header are separate: the desk's name on the left opens [the desk menu](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-menu), and **Add widget** in the centre adds widgets. See [The header bar](https://plexiidesk.com/help/app-header).

## Change the desk's status

1. Rest the pointer on the first button in the row. Its name says what clicking it will do: **Start** for a desk that is To do, **Done** for one that is In progress, **Reopen** for one that is Done, and **Resume** for one that is Parked.
2. Click it. The desk moves to its next status.

If the desk has a duration, a countdown appears in the row while it is In progress. See [Track a desk's status and time](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-status-time).

## Start a focus session on this desk

1. Click **Focus**, the lightning bolt.
2. A five-minute focus session starts for this desk. While it runs, the button shows a filled bolt, and its name reads **Focused**.

You cannot start a second session from the button while one is running on this desk. For what happens during a session, see [Start a focus session](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## Chat about this desk

Every desk can have its own conversation in PlexiiChat. **Chat** brings it onto the desk.

1. Click **Chat**, the two speech bubbles.
2. The first time, PlexiDesk adds a Chat widget for the desk's conversation, named after the desk, beside your other widgets.
3. If that Chat widget is already on the desk, PlexiDesk moves the view to it instead of adding another.

Chat needs you to be signed in. If nothing happens when you click it, check that you are signed in. See [Create an account and sign in](https://plexiidesk.com/help), [Chat about a desk, room or document](https://plexiidesk.com/help) and [Chat widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-chat).

## Start a meeting about this desk

1. Click **Meeting**, the video camera. The **Start a meeting** window opens, showing the desk's name.
2. Optional: under **Invite people (emails, optional)**, type the email addresses of the people to invite, separated by commas.
3. Under **Access for attendees**, choose what the people you invite get to this desk:
   - **Allow view for this meeting**: read-only, and it expires after the meeting.
   - **Always allow view**: read-only access that does not expire.
   - **Invite to collaborate**: you work on it together during the meeting. Then choose under **When the meeting ends** whether to **Make it read-only**, **Keep collaborate access** or **Revoke access**.
4. Click **Start meeting**. The meeting room opens straight away, and invitations go out in the background.

To close the window without starting, click **Cancel**. See [Start a meeting from a desk, document or chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## Tidy the desk

1. Click **Tidy** to arrange the widgets in rows across the canvas.
2. For a different layout, rest the pointer on **Tidy** instead. A strip of layout icons appears below it. Rest the pointer on an icon to see its name, then click it:
   - **Square grid**
   - **Single column (vertical)**
   - **Single row (horizontal)**
   - **Mosaic**
   - **Rows of the canvas (flow)**, the same as clicking **Tidy**

Tidy arranges the widgets and sections that sit loose on the canvas. Pinned widgets stay where they are, and a section moves as one block with its widgets inside it. Widgets that are linked to each other are kept side by side. Tidy can also make a widget a little larger to close a gap, but never smaller. See [Tidy, auto-arrange and Smart Stack](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-tidy).

## Build the desk with AI

1. Click the sparkles, named **Build with AI**. The **Build with AI** window opens.
2. Under **Describe what you want to achieve**, type what you are working on, or click one of the examples.
3. Click **Generate**, or press `⌘` `Enter` on a Mac (`Ctrl` `Enter` on Windows).
4. Untick any suggestions you do not want.
5. Click **Add** and the number of widgets, for example **Add 4 to canvas**. The widgets are placed on the desk.

Build uses AI, so AI needs to be set up. See [Set up a desk with AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-build-with-ai) and [AI credits and where your AI runs](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## Save the desk as a template

1. Click the bookmark, named **Save as template**.
2. The **Save as template** window opens with every widget ticked. Name the template, untick anything you do not want to keep, and click **Save template**.

Your template then appears when you create a new desk and in Settings. See [Desk templates](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-templates).

## Open the desk's Resume note

The Resume note is a short handoff for the desk: where you are and the next few steps, so you can pick the work up again quickly.

1. Click the page icon, named **Resume handoff document**. The Resume window for this desk opens.
2. If the desk has no note yet, click **Generate resume** to have AI write one from the desk as it is now.
3. To bring an existing note up to date, click **Regenerate**.
4. Click **Close** or press `Esc` when you are done.

Generating a note uses AI. See [Resume: a handoff note for a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-resume).

## Check the load ring

The load ring at the end of the row shows how much is on the desk, as a coloured dot and a number. Its name says the level: **Light**, **Comfortable**, **Heavy** or **Overloaded**. If you have parked widgets, a small **+** and their count appear beside it.

1. Click the load ring. The **Cognitive load** panel opens, showing how many widgets are visible.
2. To clear the canvas, click **Park everything except the active widget**. The parked widgets are hidden, not deleted.
3. To bring one back, click it in the **Parked** list.

See [The load ring and parking widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-load-meter).

## Common questions

### I can't see the quick actions

They only appear while a desk is open. On Home and other pages, open a desk first.

### The buttons have no words on them

The row shows icons to save space. Rest the pointer on a button to see its name, or use the table at the top of this page.

### The Focus button can't be clicked

A focus session is already running on this desk, and the button reads **Focused**. It returns to **Focus** when the session ends.

### Where is the countdown?

The time left only appears while the desk is In progress and has a duration. See [Track a desk's status and time](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-status-time).

## Related tasks

- [Track a desk's status and time](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-status-time)
- [Tidy, auto-arrange and Smart Stack](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-tidy)
- [Set up a desk with AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-build-with-ai)
- [Desk templates](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-templates)
- [The tool rail on the right of a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-tool-rail)
- [The desk menu: where you are, who's here, rename, share and move](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-menu)