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Grid Mode

Grid mode presents a section's fields as columns in a spreadsheet-style grid — each row of data is a row in the grid. It is best suited to tabular data with many rows, bulk entry, and fast sequential input.

The section display mode (form or grid) is configured in the blueprint. Sections with display_mode: grid always render in grid mode.

Grid anatomy​

ElementDescription
Column headersEach field in the section is a column. Column widths are resizable and persist per user.
RowsEach row is one data entry (for repeating sections). Single-entry sections show one fixed row.
Row numbersRow index shown on the far left.
Dirty indicatorUnsaved cells have a subtle highlight.
Comment indicatorsA small icon in the cell corner indicates a reviewer comment.
Validation errorsA red indicator in the cell corner indicates a validation error. Hover to see the message.
Add Row buttonAppears at the bottom of the grid — click to append a new empty row.
Row toolbarShown on hover — contains delete and reorder controls per row.

Cell editors by field type​

Each cell opens a type-specific editor when clicked:

Field typeGrid cell behaviour
Text / Textarea / Email / URLInline text input
Rich TextOpens a full editor overlay
Number / Currency / PercentNumeric input with format applied on save
Date / DatetimeDate picker calendar overlay
SelectDropdown overlay with search
Multi-selectMulti-select dropdown overlay with tags
Toggle / CheckboxDirect click to toggle
RAG StatusDropdown: Red / Amber / Green
RatingStar picker overlay
ImageUpload control in a cell overlay; thumbnail shown in cell
FileUpload control in a cell overlay; file name shown in cell
ComputedRead-only — shows calculated value
LookupDropdown pulling values from another section

Adding rows​

Click + Add Row below the grid to append a new empty row. You can also press Enter in the last cell of the last row to create a new row.

Deleting rows​

Hover over any row to reveal the delete icon (trash) on the row toolbar. Click it and confirm to delete the row.

caution

Deleting a row permanently removes all field values in that row. This action cannot be undone via the undo stack.

Reordering rows​

Hover over any row to reveal the drag handle on the row toolbar. Drag it up or down to reorder the row.

Resizing columns​

Drag the right edge of any column header to resize it. Column widths are saved per user and persist across sessions.

Bulk paste from Excel or CSV​

You can paste multiple rows of data directly from Excel or another spreadsheet:

  1. Copy the rows in Excel (Ctrl+C).
  2. Click the target cell in the grid (where the paste should start — top-left of the destination).
  3. Press Ctrl+V / Cmd+V.

Column matching rules:

  • The paste matches columns by position (not by column header name).
  • The pasted column order must match the grid's column order.
  • If the pasted data has more rows than existing empty rows, new rows are created automatically.
  • If the pasted data has more columns than the grid, extra columns are ignored.
tip

Reorder your Excel columns to match the blueprint field order before pasting. Check the grid column order in the section's field list in the blueprint.

Filtering and sorting​

The grid toolbar (above the grid) provides:

  • Filter — Filter rows by any field's value. Multiple filters use AND logic.
  • Sort — Sort rows by any column (ascending or descending). Multi-level sort is supported.

Filters and sorts are temporary — they do not affect the stored data order and reset when you navigate away.

Review comments in grid​

When a reviewer has left a comment on a specific cell, a small comment indicator appears in the cell corner. Click the cell to see the comment text in a tooltip, or open the Review panel to see all comments.

Cells with unresolved comments are highlighted with a blue indicator.

Validation errors in grid​

When a cell fails validation (e.g. a required field is empty, a number is out of range), a red indicator appears in the cell corner. Hover to see the error message.

The validation panel (accessible from the section toolbar) lists all rows with errors for quick navigation.

Saving​

Grid changes are tracked automatically. The Save button shows the count of unsaved cells (e.g. "Save (7)"). Press Ctrl+S / Cmd+S or click Save to persist all dirty cells.