# Table widget

> Keep records on your desk in rows and typed columns, see them six ways, filter and group them, fill them with AI, and feed charts and numbers.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table
Section: Widgets > Numbers and data
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-10

A Table keeps records on your desk: one row for each thing you are tracking, such as an order, a lead, a booking or a task, and one column for each fact about it. Every column has a type, such as Short text, Number, Checkbox, Date or Single select, so the values stay tidy and can be counted, filtered and charted.

You can see the same rows as a grid, a list, cards, a Kanban board, a calendar or a Gantt chart, filter and group them, fill them with AI, and import them from a file. Charts, Metrics and Stat cards read their numbers from tables, so a table is where a dashboard starts.

More about this widget

## Before you start

- The Table widget is on every plan.
- You need a desk open to add one.
- The table's assistant, which proposes columns and rows, uses AI: PlexiDesk credits while you are signed in, or your own Anthropic key. See [AI credits and where your AI runs](https://plexiidesk.com/help). Everything else works without AI.

## Add a table

1. Open the desk you want it on.
2. Click **Add widget** in the centre of the header.
3. Click **Table**.

The **Add widget** menu groups widgets into columns by what they are for. **Table** is in the **Numbers & data** column. You can also type table in the search box at the top of the menu and press `Enter`.

### Faster ways to add one

- **Press `T`.** On an open desk, click an empty part of the desk so that nothing is selected and you are not typing, then press `T`. The **Add widget** menu shows this key in grey beside **Table**. See [Add widgets with a single key](https://plexiidesk.com/help/quick-add-keys).
- **Use the command palette.** Press `⌘` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows, type table and choose **Add Table**.
- **Use the tool rail.** In the tool rail's **Add widget** picker, **Table** is under **Tools**.

A new table opens at 680 × 440, named **Untitled table**. It has two columns, **Name** (Short text) and **Done** (Checkbox), and no rows yet. Until you add some, it says **No rows yet** and points you to **Add row** and the **AI** button.

## Name your table

Rename the widget and the table takes the same name: double-click the name on the title bar, or click the pencil, type the new name and press `Enter`.

> **Tip:**
> Give each table a clear name, such as "Orders" or "Q4 leads". It is the name you search for when you connect a chart, a Metrics number or a Stat card to the table.

## The parts of a table



From top to bottom:

- **The view switcher.** **Table**, **List**, **Cards**, **Kanban**, **Calendar** and **Gantt**. Click one to see the same rows a different way; switching never changes the data. See [Six views of every table](https://plexiidesk.com/help/table-views).
- **The Filter and Group bar.** **Filter** shows only the rows you want, in every view. **Group** gathers rows under headings by a column's values in the Table view. At the right end, the bar shows how many rows there are, or how many match out of the total, such as **12 of 40 rows**, while a filter is on. See [Filter and group table rows](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-filter-group).
- **The column headers.** Each header shows the column's type icon and name. Click a header to rename the column, change its type, edit a select column's options or delete the column. Drag the grip at its left to move the column, and drag its right edge to resize it. Right-click a header to insert a column to the left or right. The **+** at the end of the header row adds a column. See [Table columns and field types](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-columns).
- **The rows.** Click a cell to type in it. At the start of each row is a bin button to delete the row, and, when no filter or grouping is on, a grip you can drag to move the row.
- **Add row** at the bottom adds an empty row.

The table has two **AI** buttons where you are working: a sparkle beside the **+** at the end of the header row (its tooltip says **Ask AI for columns**), and an **AI** button beside **Add row** (its tooltip says **Generate rows with AI**). Both open the table's assistant for columns and rows.

## Column types

When you add a column, you pick its type. You can change it later.

| Type | Holds |
| --- | --- |
| **Short text** | A word or a line, such as a name. |
| **Long text** | Several lines, such as notes. |
| **Rich text** | Formatted text. |
| **Number** | A number you can add up, average and chart. |
| **Checkbox** | Ticked or not ticked. |
| **Single select** | One choice from a list of coloured options. |
| **Multi-select** | Several choices from a list of coloured options. |
| **Date** | A date. |
| **Attachment** | Files. |
| **Button** | A button in each row. |
| **Related records** | Links to rows in another table. |
| **Office file** | Links to PlexiiOffice documents. You can drag a document from the Documents page onto a cell in this column. |

See [Table columns and field types](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-columns) for how to set each one up.

## Add and change rows

1. Click **Add row** at the bottom of the table. An empty row appears at the end.
2. Click a cell and type, tick, or pick a value, depending on the column's type.
3. Move to the next cell with `Tab`, or click it.

To delete a row, click the bin at its start. A message at the bottom of the window offers **Undo** for a few seconds; after that, press `⌘` `Z` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `Z` on Windows. See [Undo and redo](https://plexiidesk.com/help/undo-redo).

In the Table view you can also move around with the arrow keys, select a block of cells, and copy and paste between the table and a spreadsheet. See [Move around a table and copy cells](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-keyboard).

## Fill a table with AI

The table's assistant proposes columns, then rows, from a description, and nothing is added until you approve it.

1. Open the assistant: right-click the table's title bar and choose **Generate columns and rows with AI…**.
2. Describe what you need, for example "10 venues for a team offsite in Melbourne, with capacity and price per head". You can mention desks and widgets with @.
3. Choose how many rows: a number from 1 to 20, or tick **As many as needed**.
4. Click **Draft**, or press `⌘` `Enter` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `Enter` on Windows.
5. If the assistant proposes new columns, approve them with **Add** and the number of columns, or click **Skip**.
6. Review the rows it drafted, then click **Add** and the number of rows, **Regenerate** for another draft, or **Discard**.

The **AI** button (the sparkle) at the start of the table's title bar opens the same assistant.

See [Build a table with AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-ai) for every option.

## Import from a file

To bring rows in from a CSV, JSON or Excel file:

1. Right-click the table's title bar and choose **Import CSV, JSON or Excel…**.
2. Choose a .csv, .json, .xls or .xlsx file.
3. In **Import into table**, choose where each column in the file goes: an existing column, **Create new column**, or **Skip this column**.
4. Choose whether to **Match rows on** a column, so matching rows are updated, or **Append all as new rows**.
5. Click **Import** and the number of rows.

See [Import CSV, JSON or Excel into a table](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-import).

## Right-click menus

**On the title bar**, a table adds these to the menu every widget has:

- **Import CSV, JSON or Excel…**
- **Generate columns and rows with AI…** While the assistant is open, this reads **Hide the AI assistant**.
- **Add row**

**On a cell**, you get **Add row**, and under **More actions**, **Duplicate row** and **Delete row** for the row you clicked. **AI Assist** and **Create & link** start from the text in that cell: for example, you can make a new sticky note from it, linked to the table.

See [Right-click menus](https://plexiidesk.com/help/right-click-menus), [AI Assist: rewrite, summarise and translate text](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-ai-assist) and [Link widgets and set up wires](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-link-widgets).

## Use a table's numbers elsewhere

A table's rows can feed other widgets on any desk in your workspace:

- A [Chart](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-chart) draws them as bars, lines, areas, a pie or a KPI.
- A [Metrics widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-metrics) shows a few headline numbers from them.
- A [Stat card](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-stat-card) shows one number, its change and its trend line.

These update when the table's rows change. See [Connect a number to a table](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-number-from-table) and [Build a dashboard on a desk from a table](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widgets-dashboard).

## Take data out

To use a table's data somewhere else, copy it:

1. In the Table view, click the first cell you want.
2. Hold `Shift` and click the last cell, or drag across the cells.
3. Press `⌘` `C` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `C` on Windows.

The cells are copied as tab-separated text, which pastes neatly into a spreadsheet, including a [Spreadsheet widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-spreadsheet). See [Move around a table and copy cells](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-keyboard).

## Sharing

- **Share the table.** Right-click the title bar and choose **Share...** to make a link to the table. The link carries the table's columns and its first 200 rows. See [Share a widget, document or file](https://plexiidesk.com/help).
- **Live view.** When you publish a live view of a desk, a table shows as a table of up to 500 rows. See [Publish a live view of a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/share-live-web-view).

## Table or Spreadsheet?

Use a **Table** when each row is one thing with the same set of facts, and you want views, filters, grouping, AI-filled rows, or charts and numbers that read it. Use a **Spreadsheet** when you need cells and formulas, such as a budget or a forecast. See [Spreadsheet widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-spreadsheet) and [Numbers and data widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widgets-numbers-and-data).

## Good uses

- **A sales tracker.** Deal name, value (Number), stage (Single select), close date (Date) and won (Checkbox). Use the Kanban view by stage, and a Chart and a Stat card beside it.
- **Event planning.** Venues, suppliers or guests, with a Date column for the Calendar view.
- **A content calendar.** Title, owner, status and publish date, seen as a calendar.
- **A project plan.** Tasks with start and end dates, seen in the Gantt view.
- **Research.** Ask the assistant for a starting list of options with the facts you need, then check and edit them.

## Common questions

**How do I rename a table?** Rename the widget: double-click its name on the title bar. The table takes the new name.

**I pressed T and nothing happened.** The key works only on an open desk when you are not typing and no widget is selected. Click an empty part of the desk and press `T` again. If you changed the key or turned it off, check **Keyboard shortcuts** (`⌘` `/` on a Mac, `Ctrl` `/` on Windows). See [Add widgets with a single key](https://plexiidesk.com/help/quick-add-keys).

**I cannot drag a row to move it.** Rows can be moved by dragging only in the Table view with no filter and no grouping on. Turn off the filter and grouping first.

**A view says it needs a column.** Kanban needs a Single select column, whose options become its lanes. Calendar needs a Date column. Gantt needs two Date columns, such as Start and End. Add the column, then switch views again. See [Six views of every table](https://plexiidesk.com/help/table-views).

**Why do I see "No rows match the current filter"?** A filter is hiding every row. Click **Filter** and change or remove the filter. See [Filter and group table rows](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-filter-group).

**Can a chart read a spreadsheet instead?** No. Charts, Metrics and Stat cards read tables. Import the data into a table first.

## Related tasks

- [Six views of every table](https://plexiidesk.com/help/table-views)
- [Table columns and field types](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-columns)
- [Filter and group table rows](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-filter-group)
- [Build a table with AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-ai)
- [Import CSV, JSON or Excel into a table](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-import)
- [Move around a table and copy cells](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-keyboard)
- [Connect a number to a table](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-number-from-table)
- [Chart widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-chart)