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Table columns and field types

Add, rename, retype, reorder, resize and delete table columns, and choose field types such as Number, Date, Single select and Related records.

All plansUpdated

Every column in a table has a name and a field type. The type decides what each cell holds and how you fill it in: a tick box for Checkbox, a date picker for Date, coloured options for Single select, and so on. A new Table widget starts with two columns, Name (Short text) and Done (Checkbox), and you can change both.

Before you start

  • Columns are edited in the Table view, where the header row is. If your table shows another view, click Table in the row of view buttons at the top. See Six views of every table.
  • Column editing works the same on every plan.

Add a column

  1. In the Table view, click the + at the right end of the header row (its tooltip says Add column).
  2. Choose a field type from the list.

The new column appears at the right end of the table, named after its type, such as Date. Click its name to rename it, as described below.

Insert a column in a particular place

  1. Right-click the header of the column you want the new one beside.
  2. Choose Insert column left or Insert column right.
  3. Pick a field type from the list.

To close the menu without adding a column, press Esc or click anywhere else.

Field types

Type What a cell holds How you fill it in
Short text One line of text, such as a name or a title Click and type. Enter saves.
Long text Longer notes Click and type.
Rich text Longer notes; in a table cell you type it as plain text Click and type.
Number A number Click and type a number.
Checkbox Ticked or not Click the box.
Single select One option from a list you set up Click the cell and choose an option, or (none) to clear it.
Multi-select Any number of options from a list you set up Click the cell and tick the options you want.
Date A date Click the cell and pick a date. Clear it to leave the cell empty.
Attachment One or more files Click attach and choose files.
Related records Links to rows in another table Click link and choose rows.
Office file Links to documents in Office Click Office file and choose a document.

The type also decides what the column can do elsewhere. Kanban lanes come from a Single select column, and Calendar and Gantt use Date columns. See Six views of every table.

Edit a column

Click a column's name in the header row. Its tooltip says Click to edit · right-click for more. A small panel opens with:

  • Column name: type a new name. The header changes as you type.
  • Type: choose a different field type.
  • Options: for Single select and Multi-select columns.
  • Linked table, Display column and Allow multiple links: for Related records columns.
  • Delete column.

Click anywhere outside the panel to close it.

Change a column's type

  1. Click the column's name.
  2. Under Type, choose the new field type.

The column keeps its name and width. Existing values carry over where they make sense between Short text, Long text, Number, Date and Checkbox. For example, text that reads as a number becomes that number, and text that reads as a date becomes that date. Changing to or from Rich text, Single select, Multi-select, Attachment, Related records or Office file starts the column empty, so check before you change a column that already has values.

Add and remove options

Single select and Multi-select columns choose from a list of options that you set up.

  1. Click the column's name.
  2. Under Options, type an option in the New option… box.
  3. Press Enter or click add.
  4. Repeat for each option.

Each option gets a colour automatically, in turn. The options keep the order you add them in, and Kanban lanes and groups follow that order.

To remove an option, click the × on its chip. Cells that used it show as empty.

A Related records column links each row to rows in another table, such as linking tasks to the people doing them.

  1. Add a Related records column, or change a column's type to it.
  2. Click the column's name.
  3. Under Linked table, choose the table to link to. The list shows the other tables in your workspace by name, so give your tables clear names.
  4. Optional: under Display column, choose which column of the other table names each linked row. (auto — first text column) uses its first text column. You can pick a Short text, Long text or Number column.
  5. Optional: untick Allow multiple links if each cell should link to only one row. It is ticked to start with.

Then, in any cell of the column:

  1. Click link. A list of the other table's rows opens, headed with that table's name.
  2. Click a row to link it. Linked rows appear in the cell as chips.
  3. To remove a link, click the × on its chip (Unlink).

Until you choose a table, the column's cells say Set target table. If the other table has no rows yet, the list says No rows in target table yet., and once every row is linked it says All rows linked.

Reference Office files

An Office file column links rows to your Office documents, such as a brief or a budget sheet.

  1. In a cell, click Office file. The Reference an office file window opens.
  2. Type in Search office files to narrow the list, then click a document.

The document appears in the cell with its name. Click the name to open the document, or click × to remove it from the cell. To add another document to the same cell, click the + after the last one.

Attach files

  1. In an Attachment cell, click attach.
  2. Choose one or more files and confirm.

Each file appears in the cell as a chip with its name. If a file cannot be attached, the cell says which one.

Reorder and resize columns

  • Reorder: press on the grip of dots at the left of a column's header (Drag to reorder column) and drag sideways. A line shows where the column will land. Let go to drop it.
  • Resize: point at the right edge of a column's header until the pointer changes (Drag to resize column), then drag left or right.

The table keeps the new order and widths. The order also decides which column is a row's title in the other views: it is the first Short text column.

Delete a column

Do one of these:

  • Right-click the column's header and choose Delete column.
  • Click the column's name and click Delete column at the bottom of the panel.

The column and its values disappear from the table. Undo does not bring a deleted column back, so check you have the right one first. In the right-click menu, Delete column is unavailable when it is the table's only column.

Common questions

Why can't I see the column headers?

The header row is in the Table view. Click Table in the row of view buttons at the top of the table.

Why does my Single select column show nothing when I click a cell?

The column has no options yet. Click the column's name and add some under Options.

The column has not been linked to a table yet. Click the column's name and choose a table under Linked table.

Which column is used as the title on cards and in Kanban?

The first Short text column. Drag a column ahead of the others to make it the title.

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