How to use the Coda Canvas Column
The "Canvas” column in Coda is a column type that allows you to enrich your data tables with more complex and dynamic content. This type of column can populate a page with a templated structure each time a new row is created in a Coda table. For instance, if a new meeting is scheduled, the canvas column within the meeting notes table can be automatically filled with predefined text following a certain framework, such as the EOS Level 10 meetings. It turns each row into a standalone page with content that can be customized to fit your needs. This feature is not just limited to text; it can also host tables or views of tables within it.
A new Canvas can be created by clicking the “new” button to add a new column in the table and selecting the Canvas Column type from the selection menu. The Canvas column type acts as a page that can be previewed directly on a row if you turn on the editable preview option for quick edits without having to open the whole row. Like any other column in a table, Canvas can use the “fill values” setting, allowing you to compose text with AI custom or predefined prompts. It can also merge different columns into a canvas value or use calculations and formulas.
You can also set a default value (content) for new rows. This is akin to a template, which you can set in the Canvas Column settings. The template can be a specific page within the document with pre-arranged content. For example, in a meeting table, the value for new rows in the Canvas Column could be set to a "Level 10 Agenda Template" page. This pre-defined structure is replicated as an independent instance every time a new meeting is created. Any changes you make to the original template will be reflected in the future rows referencing it.
Being a page, Canvas can house various types of content. You can use the "/Slash" command to incorporate any Coda building block, including text layouts, tables, subtables, views of tables, and any desired formatting. Furthermore, the content of canvas columns can be referenced within other columns and formulas, acting as a variable in the expansive world of Coda formulas.
