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Create new widget

Start a blank document, spreadsheet or deck, or set up a new desk, with one click from your Home dashboard.

All plansUpdated

The Create new widget puts four buttons on your Home dashboard: Document, Spreadsheet, Deck and Desk. Use it when you want to start something fresh straight from Home, without opening Office or the side menu first.

Before you start

  • The widget is available on every plan.
  • You can add it to Home, Office Home, People Home or Brain Home. Each dashboard keeps its own layout, so add it to each one where you want it. See Desk, Office, People and Brain: the four areas.
  • Each dashboard can have one Create new widget.
  • Your dashboard layout is saved on this computer.

Add the widget to your dashboard

  1. Open your Home dashboard and click Customize at the top right.
  2. Click Add widget. The widget gallery opens.
  3. Click Actions to narrow the list, or type "create" in Search widgets.
  4. Click Create new. A live preview shows the widget at its first size, Small.
  5. To see it at Medium, click the arrow to the right of the preview or the second dot under it.
  6. Click Add widget. The widget is added at the end of your board and glows for a moment so you can spot it.
  7. Drag it to where you want it, then click Done.

For more on arranging your board, see Customize your Home dashboard.

What each button does

Button What happens
Document Creates a blank document called "Untitled document" and opens it in PlexiiDocs.
Spreadsheet Creates a blank spreadsheet called "Untitled sheet" and opens it in PlexiiSheets.
Deck Creates a blank deck called "Untitled deck" and opens it in PlexiiSlides.
Desk On Home, opens the New Desk window so you can name the desk and set it up. On Office Home, People Home and Brain Home, it creates a desk called "New desk" and opens it straight away.

Start a document, spreadsheet or deck

  1. Click Document, Spreadsheet or Deck.
  2. The new file opens in its editor, ready to type in.
  3. To name it, click the name at the top of the editor and type. It starts as "Untitled document", "Untitled sheet" or "Untitled deck".

For everything else in the editor, see The editor header, saving and the File menu Coming soon.

The file is kept with your other Office files, so you can find it again from Office. See Find, star and pin your Office files Coming soon.

Set up a new desk

On your Home dashboard in the Desk area:

  1. Click Desk. The New Desk window opens, with the current date and time filled in as the name.
  2. Type a name, and choose a template, a room and any other details you want.
  3. Click Create Desk. Your new desk opens.

Everything in the window is explained in Create a desk.

On Office Home, People Home and Brain Home, clicking Desk skips the window. It makes a desk called "New desk" at the top level, outside any room, and opens it. To rename it or move it into a room, see Rename a desk and move it to a room.

Change the size or remove the widget

  1. Click Customize at the top of the dashboard.
  2. To switch between Small and Medium, click the size button at the top-right corner of the widget. It shows the current size.
  3. To take the widget off the board, click the × at its top-right corner.
  4. Click Done.

Medium gives the same four buttons more room.

Good ways to use it

  • Put it on Office Home if you start most of your work as documents, spreadsheets and decks.
  • Keep it on Home if you often start a new desk and want to set its name, room and template as you go.
  • Pair it with the New desk widget when you sometimes want a desk with no questions asked.

Common questions

I clicked Desk but no window appeared

The New Desk window opens from the side menu. If you have minimised the side menu, click Expand menu at the top of the narrow menu and the window appears.

Nothing happens when I click a button in the widget

While you are customising the dashboard, widgets do not respond to clicks, so you can move them safely. Click Done first.

Why can't I add a second Create new widget?

Each dashboard can have one. In the widget gallery it shows Already on your home once it is on the board. You can add another one to a different dashboard, such as Office Home.

Is this the same as Create in Quick actions?

Both make a blank document. Create in the Quick actions widget only makes documents, while Create new also makes spreadsheets, decks and desks.

Still need help? Contact support at [email protected].