Column Settings and Management
Overview
Columns are essential elements that define the structure of a table. Properly configured columns make data entry more efficient and management easier.
Column Components
Each column consists of the following elements:
1. Column Name
Description: The name of the column
Recommendations:
- Use clear and concise names
- Use your preferred language consistently
- Avoid duplicate names
Examples:
Good examples:
- Task Name
- Due Date
- Assignee
Bad examples:
- a, b, c (meaningless)
- The Title of the Task (too verbose)
- Name1, Name2 (ambiguous)
2. Data Type
Description: The kind of data stored in the column
Options: Choose from 30 data types
For details, see Data Types.
3. Required / Optional
Description: Whether input is mandatory for this column
Settings:
- Required: Data must be entered
- Optional: Data entry is not mandatory
Recommendations:
- Set important columns as "Required"
- Set supplementary information as "Optional"
Examples:
Columns that should be required:
- Task Name (required)
- Assignee (required)
- Due Date (required)
Columns that should be optional:
- Notes (optional)
- Tags (optional)
- Reference URL (optional)
4. Default Values
Description: The initial value when a new row is added
Use cases:
- Set a fixed initial value
- Set a commonly used value
Examples:
Status: Default value = "Not Started"
Priority: Default value = "Medium"
Done: Default value = false (unchecked)
5. Type-Specific Options
Additional settings are available depending on the data type.
select / multi_select / radio types
Option configuration:
Status (select):
Options:
- Not Started (color: gray)
- In Progress (color: blue)
- Done (color: green)
- On Hold (color: yellow)
rating type
Maximum star count:
Rating (rating):
Max stars: 5
number type
Decimal places:
Amount (number):
Decimals: 0 (integers only)
Score (number):
Decimals: 1 (e.g., 75.5)
formula type
Formula expression:
Total Amount (formula):
Formula: unit_price * quantity
Result display format: Besides number, text, date, and yes/no, you can also display the result as a sparkline chart (line, bar, or area).
rollup type
Aggregation settings:
Task Count (rollup):
Child table: Task List
Link column: Project
Field to aggregate: Effort
Aggregation method: Sum
Aggregation methods include sum, average, count, minimum, and maximum.
auto_number type
Numbering settings:
Reference Number (auto_number):
Format: INV-{year}{month}-{6-digit sequence}
Reset: Monthly
Starting number: 1
Reset options include none, daily, monthly, and yearly.
Adding Columns
Steps
- Open the table editing screen (click "Edit" in the top-right)
- Click the "+ Add Column" button
- Enter column information:
- Column name
- Data type
- Required/Optional
- Default value (optional)
- Options (varies by data type)
- Click "Save"
Example: Adding a "Notes" Column
Column name: Notes
Data type: rich_text
Required/Optional: Optional
Default value: (none)
Editing Columns
Steps
- Open the table editing screen
- Click the pencil icon to the right of the column you want to edit
- Edit the column information
- Click "Save"
Editable Items
- Column name: Can be changed anytime
- Data type: Can be changed (may cause data loss)
- Required/Optional: Can be changed anytime
- Default value: Can be changed anytime
- Options: Can be changed anytime
Important Notes
When changing data types:
Changing the data type may cause existing data to be lost.
Data loss examples:
string -> number: "abc" -> Error (cannot convert to number)
date -> string: 2025-11-14 -> "2025-11-14" (becomes plain text)
Data preserved examples:
string -> rich_text: "text" -> "text"
number -> progress: 50 -> 50%
Deleting Columns
Steps
- Open the table editing screen
- Click the trash icon to the right of the column you want to delete
- Click "Delete" in the confirmation dialog
Important Notes
Deleting a column permanently removes all data in that column.
Before deleting, make sure to check:
- Is this column truly no longer needed?
- Do you need to back up the data?
- Is this column referenced by other columns (formula, rollup, etc.)?
Reordering Columns
Steps (Drag & Drop)
- Open the table editing screen
- Drag columns to rearrange them
- Click "Save"
Recommended Column Order
1. ID (auto_number): First
2. Name/Title (string): Near the beginning
3. Status (select): In a visible position
4. Dates (date): Grouped together
5. Notes (rich_text): Last
Showing and Hiding Columns
You can set whether each column is shown or hidden, separately for each screen.
Steps
- Open the table editing screen (click "Edit" in the top-right)
- Open the "Order" tab
- For each column, click the eye icon to toggle it shown or hidden
Set independently for each screen
The Order tab lists five screens, and you can show or hide columns independently for each one:
- Grid (the spreadsheet-style list view)
- Row Edit (the screen shown when you open a row)
- Filter (the candidates shown for narrowing down data)
- Related Tables (how the column appears when referenced from another table)
- History (the change history view)
For example, you could hide the "Notes" column in the grid while still showing it in the row edit screen.
Note: Hiding is a display-only setting -- your data is not deleted.
Practical Examples
Example 1: Task Management Table Column Design
Column structure:
1. ID (auto_number, required)
- Default value: Auto-assigned
2. Task Name (string, required)
- Default value: None
3. Description (rich_text, optional)
- Default value: None
4. Status (select, required)
- Options: [Not Started (gray), In Progress (blue), Done (green), On Hold (yellow)]
- Default value: Not Started
5. Priority (select, required)
- Options: [High (red), Medium (yellow), Low (green)]
- Default value: Medium
6. Assignee (user_select, required)
- Default value: Logged-in user
7. Due Date (date, required)
- Default value: None
8. Completion Date (date, optional)
- Default value: None
9. Progress (progress, optional)
- Decimals: 0
- Default value: 0%
10. Tags (multi_select, optional)
- Options: [Important, Urgent, Needs Review, Bug, Improvement]
- Default value: None
Tips and Tricks
1. Keep Required Columns to a Minimum
Too many required columns make data entry tedious.
Good example:
Required: Task Name, Assignee, Due Date
Optional: Description, Tags, Notes
Bad example:
Making every column required
2. Make Good Use of Default Values
Set default values for commonly used options.
Status: Default value = "Not Started"
Priority: Default value = "Medium"
Assignee: Default value = Logged-in user
3. Use Consistent Naming
Good example:
Start Date, End Date, Due Date (consistent style)
Bad example:
Start Date, ending day, Deadline (inconsistent)
4. Start Small, Add as Needed
Begin with only the essential columns and add more as your needs grow.
FAQ
Q1: What is the maximum number of columns?
A: It depends on your plan.
- Free: 30 columns
- Light: 100 columns
- Standard: 300 columns
- Business: 1,000 columns
Q2: Can I change the column order?
A: Yes, you can reorder columns by dragging and dropping in the table editing screen.
Q3: Can I restore a deleted column?
A: No, deleted columns cannot be restored. Always verify before deleting.
Q4: What happens to my data when I change a data type?
A: Depending on the type change, existing data may be lost. We recommend backing up your data before making changes.
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