Column Types — Reference
Every field in a Grid has a column type. It determines the allowed values, the display, the available filter conditions, and how the field behaves in forms.
Overview
| Column Type | Short Description | In Forms | Summable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text | Single-line text | ✓ | – |
| Rich Text | Text with formatting | – | – |
| Number | Whole number | ✓ | ✓ |
| Decimal | Number with decimal places | ✓ | ✓ |
| Currency | Monetary amount with currency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Date | Date without time | ✓ | – |
| Date and time | A point in time | ✓ | – |
| Checkmark | Yes/No | ✓ | – |
| Single Select | One option from a list | ✓ | – |
| Multiple Select | Several options | ✓ | – |
| Link record | Reference to one entry | ✓ | – |
| Link multiple records | References to several entries | ✓ | – |
| Files | File and image attachments | ✓ | – |
| Address | Postal address | ✓ | – |
| Geolocation | Coordinates | ✓ | – |
| E-mail address | ✓ | – | |
| Phone Number | Telephone number | ✓ | – |
| Weblink | Web address | ✓ | – |
| Signature | Handwritten signature | ✓ | – |
| User | Reference to a person | ✓ | – |
| Created by | Who created the entry | read-only | – |
| Created at | When the entry was created | read-only | – |
| Use linked value | Value from a linked entry | read-only | – |
| Calculate sum | Sum over linked entries | read-only | – |
| Formula | Calculated value | read-only | – |
| Internal Link | Reference to a Grid, Form, Page, or Link | ✓ | – |
Text-like types
Text
Single-line text for names, subject lines, short notes.
- Settings: none
- In the form: single-line text field; can be switched to multiple lines via the Multi-line field setting
- Filter: equals, does not equal, contains, does not contain, is empty, is not empty
Rich Text
Text with formatting such as bold, lists, and headings.
- Settings: none
Not available in forms
No form field exists for this type. If users need to enter longer text, use Text with the Multi-line field setting instead.
Numbers
Number
Whole numbers for quantities, counts, positions.
- Settings: none
- In the form: text field with number validation
- Filter: equals, does not equal, is less than, is greater than, is empty, is not empty
- Summable in groupings and in the summary row
- Error message: Only numbers (0-9) are allowed
Decimal
Numbers with decimal places.
- Settings: none
- Filter: same as Number
- Summable
- Error message: Only floating point numbers are allowed
Currency
Monetary amounts with a currency and defined precision.
- Settings:
- Currency — required, chosen from a list
- Decimal places — default 2
- Display: according to the language setting, so
1,234.56 €— or1.234,56 €in German - Filter: same as Number
- Summable
Decimal places is not its own column type
Decimal places shows up in the interface as its own term. It's a setting of this type, not a separate column type.
Date and time
Date
A date without a time.
- Settings: none
- Filter: equals, does not equal, is before, is after, is empty, is not empty
- Relative options in the filter: today, tomorrow, yesterday, X days ago, in X days, exact date
Date and time
An exact point in time.
- Settings: none
- Filter: same as Date
- Error message: Unrecognized date format: {date}
Selection
Single Select
Exactly one option from a predefined list.
- Settings:
- Option list — at least one option required
- Allow other input — also permits free text
- In the form: component type Dropdown or List
- Filter: equals, does not equal, is empty, is not empty
- Error messages: The option must not be empty, The option must not be a duplicate
This type is a prerequisite for the donut chart block and the usual basis for Kanban columns.
Multiple Select
Any number of options from a list.
- Settings: same as Single Select
- In the form: component type Dropdown or List, with multiple selection
- Filter: additionally includes any of, includes none of, includes all of
Links
Link record
A reference to exactly one entry in another Grid.
- Settings: choose the target view (Select a Grid View that entries are linked from)
- In the form: selection dialog over the entries of the target Grid
- Filter: is empty, is not empty
Nested links
ApptiveGrid reports Links to Grids that are already linked elsewhere are not yet possible. This means you cannot stack links arbitrarily deep. Plan your data model to stay flat.
Link multiple records
References to any number of entries in another Grid.
- Settings: same as above
- Prerequisite for: Calculate sum
Internal Link
A reference to an object within ApptiveGrid.
- Settings: allowed target types — Grid, Form, Page, Link. By default all four are allowed.
- In the form: selection field for resources
- Filter: is empty, is not empty
Useful for linking directly from an entry to a form or a portal.
Target type "Link" — shown as a button, tied to the entry
If the field points to a Link (the sharing link of a form or the start link of a Flow), ApptiveGrid displays the value as a button instead of text. Clicking it opens the target in an overlay and passes along the URI and the ID of the entry as URL parameters — so the target knows which row the click came from.
This lets you trigger Flows from an entry that are meant to act on exactly that entry — for example, an approval process or an action that updates the record.
Calculated fields
All three types are read-only and are not available in forms.
Use linked value
Pulls a value from a linked entry into the current Grid.
- Settings:
- Link field — which link column is used
- Target field — which field is retrieved from the linked entry
- Prerequisite: a column of type Link record
Cannot be used as a Flow condition
This type cannot be selected as the triggering field in the Entry changed Flow trigger.
Calculate sum
Sums a numeric field across all linked entries.
- Settings:
- Link field — a column of type Link multiple records
- Target field — the numeric field to sum
- Prerequisite: a column of type Link multiple records
Typical case: an "Invoices" Grid sums the amounts of all linked "Line items."
Formula
Calculates a value from an expression.
- Settings:
- Expression — written in ApptiveScript, see the function reference
- Result type — the type the result should have
- Editor: shows a sample result and the determined type
Cannot be used as a Flow condition
Like Use linked value, this type is also unavailable as the triggering field in the Entry changed trigger.
Contact and location
E-Mail
- Settings: none
- Error message: A valid e-mail address is required
Phone Number
- Settings: none
- Error messages: Please enter a valid phone number, An international dialing code is required (e.g. +49)
International dialing code
Phone numbers need a country code. Point this out with a field description in forms, or incorrect entries will pile up.
Weblink
- Settings: none
- Error message: Please enter a valid URL
Address
A structured postal address made up of country, address line 1 and 2, city, and further subfields. Also includes coordinates.
- Settings: none
- Error message: Please fill in the required subfields
Geocoding depends on your plan
Automatically determining coordinates from an address — and therefore showing it as a map marker — is only available on the highest plan.
Geolocation
A pair of coordinates.
- Settings: none
- Input format:
latitude,longitude - Error message: Must be in the format Latitude, Longitude (e.g. 50.12,6.543)
Files and signature
Files
Any number of file and image attachments.
- Settings: none on the field itself
- In the form: component type Select file; optionally Only allow adding files, so existing attachments cannot be deleted
- Limit: the maximum file size depends on your plan
Signature
A signature drawn with a mouse or a finger.
- Settings: none
- In the form: drawing surface with the hint Tap here to sign
Person-related types
User
A reference to a person.
- Settings: none
- Filter: is, is not, plus the expression current user
Created by
Who created the entry. Set automatically and cannot be changed.
Besides people, possible values also include Form link (the entry came in via a form) and API Credentials (the entry came in via the API).
- Filter: is, is not, plus current user
Created at
When the entry was created. Set automatically and cannot be changed.
- Filter: same as Date and time
Cannot be used as a Flow condition
This type is also unavailable as the triggering field in the Entry changed trigger — it doesn't change after creation anyway.