The FlowBoard Window

Once a document is open, the window has four areas: the header at the top, the board list on the left, a bar with the board’s title and the filter above the columns, and the columns themselves.

Header

The header shows the document’s file name and its save status: Saved, Unsaved, Read Only or Sync blocked. Its toolbar holds actions for the current board and for the app, such as Read View, sorting, export, settings, help and switching between light and dark mode. Hover over a button to see what it does. The Outline button shows the document’s boards, columns and headings as a tree beside the board; see Outline. In editions with AI Assist, the toolbar also has an AI Assist button, which shows or hides the AI Assist panel beside the board, and the status of any AI jobs appears to the left of the save status.

The All toolbar commands button (☰) lists every toolbar command in one menu, in sections such as File & workspace, Display & reading and Preferences & help. Type to search it: the search also finds the options of a command, such as a column width. The button beside it opens the command palette.

A small downward triangle beside a toolbar button means it has more options, for example Column width or Export & copy. Select the triangle, or focus the button and press ↓, to choose one. The button itself keeps doing what it always does.

The toolbar icons take their color from the board’s theme. To choose your own, set Toolbar icons in Settings → Board Theme; Auto goes back to the calculated color.

If you want more room, change the header with the Header layout button: choose Expanded, Toolbar or Hidden. When the header is hidden, the layout button stays at the top right of the board, so you can bring the header back. FlowBoard remembers the choice on each device, and Board View and Story Map share it.

Board list

The board list on the left shows every board in the document. Select a board to open it. Select + Add new board at the bottom to create one.

• Press Cmd+Option+B to hide or show the list.
• Drag its right edge to make it wider or narrower.
• Press Tab to move the keyboard focus between the board list and the board.

Board bar

Above the columns you’ll find the board’s title and the filter field, with a row of buttons for jumping to a column below them. Click the title to rename the board, or right-click it for the board’s menu. The filter narrows the board down to matching cards. See Filter, find and sort.

The Story Map button beside the filter opens the document as a map. Story Map has the same bar, with its Board View button in the same place. See Board View and Story Map.

Columns and cards

The main area shows the board’s columns side by side. The Archive column is always last. Select + Add Column to the right of the columns to add one.

Each column header has buttons for that column only, such as its width, Read View and sorting. Right-click the header for the full list of column actions.

Find any command

You don’t need to remember where a command lives. There are five ways to find it:

• Command palette. Press Cmd+Shift+P and start typing. The palette lists every command, together with its keyboard shortcut.
• Toolbar menu. Select All toolbar commands (☰) in the header and type to search the toolbar’s commands and their options.
• Context menus. Right-click a card, a column or a board. On iPad and iPhone, touch and hold instead. The menu shows what you can do with that object. To jump to an entry, type the first letters of its name.
• Help. Press F1 or select Open help (F1) in the header. Help explains shortcuts and interactions by topic, and you can search it.
• Settings. Press Cmd+, or select Open settings in the header. Settings has a search field too.

Settings that belong to the document or to the device

Some settings are stored in the document itself, so they travel with the file to other devices. Examples are the language, the date format and each board’s special columns. Others apply only to the device you’re using, such as the interface size. Each section in Settings shows its scope: Document, Current board, Device-only, or Mixed scope when a section contains both kinds.

Windows on Mac, panels on iPad and iPhone

On Mac, tools such as Zen Mode and the export preview can open in separate windows or inside the main window. Choose which under Settings → Appearance → Window mode. On iPad and iPhone, they always open inside the app.

Next

• Documents, boards, columns and cards explains how the parts of a document relate.
• Cards covers adding, editing and moving cards in detail.