Use Markdown tables for short comparisons within a document, data tables for ongoing records, and file or object views to organize existing workspace content.
Choose a source
| Entry | Source data | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Data table | Fields and records in an ordinary name.table.json file |
Candidate lists, experiment logs, component comparisons |
| File database | Original workspace files and their properties | Filtering by path, format, tags, or properties |
| Object database | Objects and relations under .tano/objects/ |
People, tasks, projects, events, and experiments |
Views do not duplicate records or move Markdown into a database. Markdown properties come from YAML; portable properties for other files live under .tano/.
Create and edit a data table
Choose New data table in a folder or blank file-tree context menu, or use the command center. Rename, move, and open the table in tabs like other files.
Fields support text, numbers, dates, checkboxes, single/multiple choices, links, attachments, and formulas. Select a column heading to change properties, choices, visibility, sorting, filters, or grouping. Fields containing data cannot be changed directly to an incompatible type; add a field and migrate values first.
Edit cells directly. Enter moves to the next row; Shift+Enter inserts a text line break. Pasting rows and columns from a spreadsheet can append records. Invalid typed values reject the entire paste rather than saving only part of it. Deleting records does not delete their attachments.
Views, formulas, and CSV
A table can save table, card, and board views with independent filters, sorting, grouping, field visibility, wrapping, and first-column freezing. Summaries apply to the filtered records.
For example, include a price only for selected items:
IF([Status] = "Selected", [Price], 0)
Formulas calculate within a row, supporting arithmetic, comparisons, and functions such as IF, ROUND, and SUM. Stable field references survive renaming. Division by zero, missing fields, and circular references show errors. Excel cell coordinates and arbitrary JavaScript are not supported.
Use the table menu to import CSV, export the current view, or save a copy. CSV imports append records and exports contain calculated results. CSV does not preserve field IDs, formula definitions, views, or attachment files. Keep .table.json, related attachments, and .tano/ for a complete move.
File and object views
File views filter existing files; object databases show the same objects in table, board, or gallery form. Task, Project, and Experiment are editable core types; existing checkable Events retain their identities. Insert stable references with the picker and return to source documents from details. See Organize documents and Tasks.
Assistant and save boundaries
Open the assistant beside a data table to include the current table and unsaved edits as references. It can work on fields, records, formulas, and views as requested. Say “Propose changes only; do not modify” to review first. Table proposals stay in the assistant rather than entering Markdown suggestion cards.
Saving compares baselines and merges independent field or cell changes. Overlapping changes preserve recovery content and offer retry, save a copy, or reload. The browser demo saves only in this browser. Data-table editing does not imply live multiuser collaboration. For Excel editing, see Attachments and Office.