View Display & Tabs
Every board table can show the same data in many different views --- a Grid, a Kanban, a Calendar, and more. View Display lets each person decide how those views are presented on screen: as a list in the left sidebar, as a dropdown in the toolbar, or as a row of draggable tabs across the top of the table.
This is a personal preference. The display style you pick applies only to you and follows you across every board, so you can set up the workspace exactly the way you like to work without changing anything for your teammates.
Choosing How Views Are Displayed
You change the display style from the board's menu:
- Open any board.
- Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the board header.
- Hover over View display. A submenu opens listing the five display options.
- Click the option you want. A checkmark marks your current choice.
Your selection takes effect immediately and is remembered the next time you open any board.
The Five Display Modes
| Mode | Where your views appear |
|---|---|
| Left navigation + dropdown | Views show both in the left sidebar (nested under each table) and in a dropdown next to the New button. This is the default. |
| Left navigation only | Views show only in the left sidebar. The dropdown is hidden. |
| Left navigation + tabs | Views show as a row of tabs across the top of the table and in the left sidebar. |
| Dropdown only | Views show only in the dropdown next to the New button. The left sidebar hides them. |
| Tabs only | Views show only as a row of tabs across the top of the table. Both the dropdown and the sidebar list are hidden. |
Tabs and the dropdown never appear at the same time --- turning tabs on replaces the dropdown. The left-sidebar list is independent, so you can keep it on or off alongside either style.
If you like seeing every view at a glance while you work, try Tabs only or Left navigation + tabs. If you prefer a clean, minimal table area, Dropdown only keeps your views tucked away until you need them.
Working with View Tabs
When you enable a tabs mode, your views appear as a horizontal strip of tabs above the table toolbar --- similar to the sheet tabs at the bottom of a spreadsheet. Each tab shows its view-type icon (Grid, Kanban, Timeline, and so on) next to the view name, the currently open view is highlighted, and clicking any tab switches straight to that view.
The tab bar packs everything you need to work with views into one place:
- View-type icons identify each view at a glance.
- Drag to reorder tabs into the order you prefer (see below).
- A pin / default indicator marks the view that opens first when you come back to the board.
- A retirement badge appears on any leftover List view, with a one-click path to upgrade it to a Grid (see below).
- A per-view menu (the three-dot button on the open tab) lets you manage or delete that view.
- A "+" button at the end of the strip adds a new view.
Adding a View from the Tab Bar
Click the + button at the end of the tab strip to create a new view. Choose a type --- Grid, Kanban, Timeline, Calendar, Gantt, Form, Workload, or To Do --- give it a name, configure any required settings, and it appears as a new tab. (The retired List type is no longer offered for new views.)
Pinning a Default View
One view per table can be the default --- the one that opens automatically when you return to the board. The default view is marked in the tab bar, so you always know which one loads first. Set or change it from the view's menu.
The List Retirement Badge
If you still have an older List view, its tab carries a small warning badge. The List view has been replaced by the faster Grid view; hover the badge and click Convert to Grid View to upgrade it in one click. All of the view's settings --- shown and hidden columns, widths, frozen columns, order, filters, sort, and grouping --- carry over, and no data is lost.
Reordering Tabs
Drag any tab left or right to put your views in the order that makes sense to you. Just click and hold a tab, then drop it in its new spot.
Your tab order is personal and is saved per board, so the arrangement you set on one board does not affect another, and your teammates keep their own order.
Your tab order is remembered in the browser you are using. If you sign in from a different computer or browser, your tabs start in their default order there until you rearrange them again.
The "More Views" Menu
If you have more views than fit across the screen, the extra ones automatically collapse into a More views menu at the end of the tab strip --- shown as a small chevron (⌄) button. Click it to see the remaining views in a list and jump to any of them. As you resize your window or sidebar, tabs move in and out of this menu automatically so the strip always fits.
Managing a View from Its Tab
The view you currently have open shows a small three-dot menu on its tab. Click it to:
- Manage view --- Open the view's settings to rename it, adjust its configuration, set it as the default, or change who it is shared with.
- Delete view --- Permanently remove the view. This option only appears if you have permission to delete it.
Deleting a view removes that saved layout --- its filters, sorting, grouping, and column setup. It does not delete any of your rows or data, which stay safe in the table and in every other view. Deleting a view cannot be undone.
Resizing the Sidebar
The main navigation sidebar on the left of Copera can be resized to give you more or less room for your content. Hover over the right edge of the sidebar until the cursor changes to a resize arrow, then drag left or right to set the width you prefer.
- Drag the edge to make the sidebar narrower or wider.
- Double-click the edge to snap it back to the default width.
Your sidebar width is saved to your account, so it stays the same the next time you sign in --- on this device or another.
Widen the sidebar when you are navigating between many boards and views, then narrow it when you want maximum space for a wide Grid or a busy Kanban.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my display choice affect my teammates?
No. View display is a personal preference. The style you pick --- and the order you arrange your tabs in --- applies only to you. Everyone on the board can choose their own.
Where do I change the display mode?
Open the board's three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the header, hover over View display, and pick one of the five options.
Why don't I see all my tabs?
When there are more views than fit across your screen, the extras collapse into the More views menu (the chevron button at the end of the tab strip). Widening your window or narrowing the sidebar brings more tabs back into view.
Can I reorder views in the left sidebar too?
Yes. In the sidebar, views are listed under their table and can be dragged into a new order there as well.
Will my tab order follow me to another computer?
Your chosen display mode and sidebar width follow your account everywhere. Your tab order, however, is remembered per browser --- so it may reset to the default if you sign in somewhere new.
Why does one of my view tabs have a warning badge?
That badge marks an older List view. The List view has been replaced by the faster Grid view; hover the badge and click Convert to Grid View to upgrade it in one click, with every setting preserved and no data lost. You can no longer create new List views.
Related Features
- Views Overview --- Compare every board view type and learn how to create them.
- Grid View --- Copera's high-performance, spreadsheet-style view.
- Kanban View --- Drag-and-drop cards grouped by status.
- Timeline View --- Plot work on a time axis with dependencies and a baseline.
- Tables --- How tables and slices organize data within a board.