Property Types
Properties (columns) define what type of data a database column holds. Choosing the right type ensures your data stays organized, filterable, and formula-ready.
Quick Reference
| Property | Use for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Names, descriptions, free-form notes | Searchable, formula-compatible |
| Number | Quantities, prices, scores | Supports currency, %, decimal formatting |
| Auto ID | Unique record identifiers | Read-only, never reused |
| Select | Single-choice status or category | Colour-coded options |
| Multi-select | Tags, platforms, multiple categories | Multiple values per cell |
| Status | Workflow stage tracking | Grouped: Not Started / In Progress / Complete |
| Priority | Task importance | Urgent / High / Medium / Low |
| Effort | Task sizing (story points) | Fibonacci scale: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 |
| Date | Deadlines, events, milestones | Supports time, ranges, reminders |
| Created Time | When a row was created | Read-only, auto-set |
| Last Edited Time | When a row was last modified | Read-only, auto-updated |
| Person | Team member assignment | Shows profile pictures |
| Created By | Who created the row | Read-only, auto-set |
| Last Edited By | Who last modified the row | Read-only, auto-updated |
| Files & Media | Attachments, images, documents | Drag-and-drop upload |
| URL | Clickable web links | Opens in new tab |
| Email addresses | Click-to-compose | |
| Phone | Phone numbers | Click-to-call on mobile |
| Checkbox | Yes/No, done/not done | Binary toggle |
| Formula | Calculated values | References other properties |
| Relation | Link to another database | Two-way relationship |
| Rollup | Aggregate data from relations | Sum, count, average, min, max |
Basic Properties
Text
Plain text of any length — great for names, descriptions, and free-form notes.
- Enable Wrap Content to show multiple lines in the cell
- Searchable and formula-compatible
Example uses: Product names, task descriptions, meeting notes
Number
Numeric values (integers and decimals).
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Format | Number, Currency, Percentage |
| Decimal places | 0–10 |
| Prefix / Suffix | Add symbols like $ or % |
Example uses: Prices, quantities, scores, ratings
Auto ID
Automatically increments for each new row starting from 1.
INFO
Auto ID is read-only — it never reuses a number, even if rows are deleted. Perfect for invoice numbers, ticket IDs, and order numbers.
Select
Choose one option from a predefined list.
- Create options with custom colours
- Type to search existing options
- Create new options on the fly
- Options are shared across all rows
Example uses: Status (To Do / In Progress / Done), Priority, Category
To configure: Click the property header → Edit Property → add options with + → assign colours → drag to reorder.
Multi-select
Choose multiple options from a predefined list — same as Select but allows multiple values per cell. Values display as coloured tags.
Example uses: Tags, platforms (Web / Mobile / Desktop), skills
Status
A specialised Select designed for workflow tracking, with three built-in groups:
| Group | Default options | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Not Started | Not Started | Gray |
| In Progress | In Progress | Blue |
| Complete | Done | Green |
Optimised for Kanban boards with group-by support. Names and colours are customisable.
Example uses: Task status, deal stage, application status
Priority
A specialised Select for ranking importance:
| Level | Colour |
|---|---|
| Urgent | Red |
| High | Orange |
| Medium | Yellow |
| Low | Gray |
Drives focus in Focus Board cycles. Labels and colours are customisable.
Effort
A special select using a Fibonacci-inspired scale to estimate task complexity.
| Value | Meaning | Rough time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trivial | Under 30 min |
| 2 | Small | ~1 hour |
| 3 | Medium | A few hours |
| 5 | Solid | Half a day |
| 8 | Large | Full day |
| 13 | Very large | Multiple days |
| 21 | Epic-sized | Consider breaking down |
Why Fibonacci?
The growing gaps reflect how uncertainty increases with bigger tasks — a "5" isn't five times a "1", it means noticeably harder. This makes estimation faster and more honest than guessing exact hours.
Effort values are summed in the Focus Board header to track cycle capacity. To enable: add an Effort property → in Focus Board settings, select it under Effort Property.
Date & Time Properties
Date
Date values with optional time and end date.
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Include time | Shows a time picker |
| Date range | Allow start and end dates |
| Format | Full, short, relative, with time |
| Relative filters | Today, This week, Next 7 days, etc. |
Example uses: Due dates, event dates, milestones, birthdays
Created Time / Last Edited Time
Both are read-only and automatically managed:
| Property | Captures |
|---|---|
| Created Time | Timestamp when the row was first created |
| Last Edited Time | Timestamp of the most recent edit to any cell |
Person Properties
Person
Assign one or more team members to a row. Displays profile pictures, supports multi-assign, and can be used in filters.
Example uses: Task assignee, project owner, reviewer
Created By / Last Edited By
Both are read-only and automatically managed:
| Property | Records |
|---|---|
| Created By | The team member who created the row |
| Last Edited By | The team member who last edited any cell |
Media & Links Properties
| Property | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Files & Media | Drag-and-drop upload. Multiple files per cell. Image thumbnails and previews. |
| URL | Clickable link that opens in a new tab. Validates URL format. |
| Click-to-compose. Validates email format. | |
| Phone | Click-to-call on mobile. Supports international formats. |
Advanced Properties
Checkbox
A simple on/off toggle. Filterable by checked/unchecked state. Useful in formula conditions.
Example uses: Completed tasks, feature flags, archived items
Formula
Calculate values automatically based on other properties.
# Common examples
prop("First Name") + " " + prop("Last Name") → Full name
prop("Quantity") * prop("Price") → Line total
dateBetween(prop("Due Date"), now(), "days") → Days remaining
if(prop("Status") == "Done", "✓", "○") → Conditional labelINFO
Formulas are read-only and recalculate automatically when any referenced property changes.
Relation
Link rows to records in another database.
- Can link one or multiple records per cell
- Creates a two-way relationship (visible in both databases)
- Use with Rollup to aggregate linked data
To set up: Create a Relation property → select the target database → click a cell to link records.
Rollup
Aggregate values from related records (requires a Relation property first).
| Calculation | What it returns |
|---|---|
| Count | Number of linked records |
| Sum | Total of a numeric property |
| Average | Average of a numeric property |
| Min / Max | Earliest or highest value |
| Unique | Count of distinct values |
Example uses: Total order value, number of tasks per project, average rating
Configuring Properties
Actions
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Add | Click + at the right of the header row → name → select type |
| Edit | Click header → Edit Property → change name, type, or settings |
| Delete | Click header → Delete Property → confirm |
| Reorder | Click and drag a column header left or right |
| Hide | Click header → Hide Property, or use the Properties panel |
WARNING
Deleting a property permanently removes all data in that column.
Best Practices
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Use Number for anything you'll calculate | Using Text for numeric data |
| Use Select for predefined choices | Creating too many properties |
| Use Status for workflow tracking | Using Text for dates you'll filter |
| Use Effort for Focus Board sizing | Excessive formulas (slows recalculation) |
| Group related properties together | Sparse use of Rollup on large relations |
| Hide rarely-used properties | — |
Related
- Working with Rows — Adding and editing data
- Views & Filters — Filtering by property values
- Advanced Features — Formulas and relations in depth