List

The List view shows your data as a multi-level list. Linked records set the groups. You can set up to three levels of grouping with Has-Many link fields. Each level shows records from a different linked table. Parent records show as collapsible headers, and child records show below them. Records can also nest under other records of the same table through a self-referencing link field. Refer to Nested Records. This section gives all the operations for the List view.

List View Actions

1. Create a New List View
2. Rename an Existing List View
3. Duplicate a List View
4. Remove a List View
5. Share a List View
6. Lock List View for Edits

Understanding Levels

The List view uses levels. A level is one table in a hierarchy of linked tables. The levels set how the view groups and shows the records.

For example, you have three tables: Organizations, Teams and Members. The links are:

• Organizations → Has Many → Teams
• Teams → Has Many → Members

You can create a List view on the Members table with three levels:

1. Organizations (top-level group headers)
2. Teams (sub-group headers)
3. Members (leaf records)

When you set only one level, the List view shows the records as a flat list with no groups. This is like a Grid view, but with the layout and style of the List view.

Configuring Levels

To set up or change the levels of a List view:

1. In the toolbar, click the Set Levels button. The configuration panel shows all current levels. The root table (L1) is at the bottom and the parent levels are above it.
2. To add a new level:
   • Click + Add level above.
   • Select the parent table and the link field that connects it to the level below. If no link connects the two tables, click Create a linked record field. This creates a link field in place, and you can continue.
3. To remove a level, click the delete icon next to it.

NocoDB saves the changes automatically.

The panel also has two display toggles:

• Hide empty sections removes parent sections that have no records below them.
• Enable nested records turns on same-table nesting for the root level. Refer to Nested Records.

Nested Records

The List view can also nest records of the same table below each other, not only group them under parent tables. The list then becomes an outline, for example tasks with subtasks, categories with sub-categories, or reporting lines in an org chart.

A self-referencing link field controls the nesting. This is a link field on the table that links back to the same table, for example a Subtasks link on a Tasks table. To turn on nesting:

1. In the toolbar, click the Set Levels button.
2. Turn on Enable nested records. A selector shows below the toggle.
3. In the selector, select the self-referencing link field. If the table does not have this field, click Create a linked record field to create one in place.

A record with children shows an expand chevron. Click the chevron to show the child records, indented below. Continue to expand to go down the hierarchy. Nesting is recursive: it follows all the links in your records, at all depths.

Nested records work together with levels. Parent-table group headers give the structure from above. Same-table nesting opens in the innermost level.

Move Records by Dragging

Drag a record in the hierarchy to change its parent. Dragging never changes the order of records in a group. The order always follows the sorts of the level.

The links set the hierarchy, so sub-records move with their parent. Only the links of the dragged record change. You cannot drop a record in its own subtree. Nesting has a maximum of seven layers.

List View Operations

Fields per Level

Each level has its own set of visible fields. You can set the shown fields for each level separately:

1. In the toolbar, click the Fields menu.
2. Use the Level Selector tabs to change the level.
3. Show or hide fields and change the field order for the selected level.

Filters per Level

You can apply filters to each level separately. This lets you filter records at all depths of the hierarchy:

1. In the toolbar, click the Filter menu.
2. Use the Level Selector tabs to select the level to filter.
3. Add filter conditions. These conditions apply only to records at the selected level.

Sorts per Level

You can apply sorts to each level separately:

1. In the toolbar, click the Sort menu.
2. Use the Level Selector tabs to select the level to sort.
3. Add sort criteria. These criteria apply only to records at the selected level.

Colour

You can color Level 1 (root) records by a field value. This makes the records easier to tell apart in the list:

1. In the toolbar, click the Colour button.
2. Select the field to color records by.
3. To color the full row background, turn on Background colour. To stop, turn it off.
4. To remove the coloring, click Remove colouring.

Prefix Field

A prefix field shows the value of a field before the title of each record. Each row then gives a little more context, for example its status or assignee:

1. In the toolbar, click the Fields menu.
2. At the top, select a field from the Prefix field dropdown. To remove the prefix, select No prefix.

Wrap Headers

By default, NocoDB cuts long group headers short. To show them on multiple lines:

1. In the toolbar, open the row height menu (the vertical arrows icon).
2. Turn on Wrap headers.

Collapse and Expand Groups

Parent records show as collapsible headers. To collapse or expand the children of a parent record, click its chevron icon.

NocoDB keeps the collapse state for the current session. It also sends the collapse state to the server to load data efficiently.

Search

Use the search bar in the toolbar to find specific data in the List view:

1. In the toolbar, click the Search icon.
2. Use the Level Selector tabs to select the level to search.
3. In the dropdown, select the field to search by.
4. Enter your search term. The results update in real time to show only matching records.

List View Record Operations

Add a New Record

To add a new record at a level, click the + Add Record button below a parent group. The expanded record form opens. The new record is already linked to the parent record. Fill in the details.

Edit an Existing Record

To edit a record inline, click a cell in the record row. You can change cell values directly in the list. You do not have to open the full record form.

Expand Record Details

To open the full expanded record view, hover over a record and click the Open > button. Or, click the expand icon. The expanded record view shows all fields and linked records.

Good to know

• For external data sources, the List view supports only PostgreSQL.

Availability

• List View is available on NocoDB Cloud (Business plan and above) and licensed self-hosted deployments (Business plan and above).

Related

Grid View Gallery View Kanban View Calendar View