Overview
Board View displays your database as a kanban board, organizing rows into columns based on a grouping field. It’s perfect for managing tasks, tracking project stages, and visualizing workflows.Visual Workflow
See work progress at a glance with columnar organization
Drag & Drop
Move cards between columns to update status
Customizable Groups
Group by any Single Select or Checkbox field
Card Layouts
Show relevant fields as card properties
Creating a Board View
1
Create new board
Type
/board in a document, or click + in sidebar and select Board2
Or add to existing database
Open a database, click the view name, and select + Add View → Board
3
Configure grouping
Choose which Single Select field to group by (defaults to “Status”)
Board views require a Single Select or Checkbox field for grouping. If your database doesn’t have one, AppFlowy creates a default “Status” field.
Understanding Board Structure
Columns (Groups)
Each column represents one option from your grouping field:- To Do (Purple)
- In Progress (Orange)
- Done (Green)
Cards (Rows)
Each card is a database row showing:- Card title (primary field)
- Field properties you choose to display
- Cover image (optional)
- Badges for checklists, comments, attachments
Working with Cards
Creating Cards
1
Add to column
Click + New at the bottom of any column
2
Quick add
Type a card name and press
Enter to create another3
Set properties
Click the card to open details and fill in other fields
Moving Cards
Drag and drop: Click and hold a card, then drag it to another column Keyboard: Select a card and use arrow keys to move between columns Details view: Open the card and change the grouping field valueMoving a card to a different column automatically updates its grouping field value.
Card Actions
Hover over a card for quick actions:- Click: Open card details
- Drag handle: Reorder within column
- ⋯ Menu: Duplicate, delete, or open in new tab
Managing Columns
Adding Columns
1
Add option
Columns are created by adding options to your grouping field
2
Edit field
Click the field header, then Edit property
3
Create option
Click + Add option, name it, and choose a color
Column Operations
Click the ⋯ menu on any column header:- Hide group: Hide the column (cards remain in database)
- Delete group: Remove the option and move cards to “No Status”
- Edit option: Change name or color
- Duplicate: Copy all cards in the column
Reordering Columns
1
Edit grouping field
Click the grouping field header → Edit property
2
Drag options
Drag options up or down to reorder columns
Customizing Card Appearance
Control what information appears on each card:1
Open settings
Click the ⚙️ icon in the toolbar → Card Layout
2
Toggle fields
Check/uncheck fields to show or hide them on cards
3
Reorder properties
Drag fields to change their order on cards
Card Display Options
- Card size: Compact or comfortable spacing
- Cover images: Show/hide cover images on cards
- Field visibility: Choose which properties appear
- Field order: Arrange properties in the order that makes sense
Grouping Options
Change how your board is organized:Changing the Grouping Field
1
Open settings
Click ⚙️ → Group by
2
Select field
Choose a different Single Select or Checkbox field
3
Board reorganizes
Columns update automatically based on the new field
Checkbox Grouping
When grouping by a Checkbox field, you get two columns:- Checked: Cards with checkbox enabled
- Unchecked: Cards with checkbox disabled
- Done / Not Done
- Published / Draft
- Approved / Pending
Filtering and Sorting
Refine what cards appear on your board:Filters
1
Add filter
Click Filter in toolbar → + Add filter
2
Set conditions
Choose field, operator, and value (e.g., “Priority is High”)
3
Combine filters
Add multiple filters with AND logic
- Show only cards assigned to you
- Hide completed tasks
- Display only high-priority items
Sorting
1
Add sort
Click Sort in toolbar → + Add sort
2
Choose field
Select which field to sort by
3
Set direction
Choose ascending or descending order
Sorting determines card order within each column, not column order.
Hidden Groups
Manage columns you want to hide temporarily:1
Hide a group
Click ⋯ on column header → Hide group
2
Access hidden groups
Click Hidden groups at the right edge of the board
3
Restore group
Click Show on any hidden group to restore it
Board View Settings
Access all board customization options: Click ⚙️ in the toolbar to configure:- Properties: Choose visible fields
- Card layout: Adjust card size and appearance
- Group by: Change the grouping field
- Field settings: Manage field visibility and order
- View options: Show/hide calculation rows
Common Use Cases
Task Management
Track tasks through stages: To Do → In Progress → Done
Project Pipeline
Manage projects: Ideas → Planning → In Progress → Completed
Content Calendar
Move content: Draft → Review → Scheduled → Published
Sales Pipeline
Track deals: Lead → Qualified → Proposal → Closed
Bug Tracking
Manage issues: Reported → Triaged → In Progress → Fixed
Hiring Pipeline
Track candidates: Applied → Phone Screen → Interview → Offer
Keyboard Shortcuts
Tips and Best Practices
Limit columns
Keep 3-6 columns for clarity. More columns = harder to see workflow
Use colors
Assign meaningful colors to status options for visual clarity
Hide done work
Hide completed columns or filter them out to focus on active work
Set WIP limits
Mentally track work-in-progress limits per column for better flow
Next Steps
Grid View
View the same data in spreadsheet format
Calendar View
Switch to calendar for date-based planning
Databases
Learn more about database fundamentals
Templates
Save your board as a reusable template