Tables

Tables in Shard are SQLite tables that store your data. They provide a familiar spreadsheet-like interface for viewing, editing, and managing structured data with full SQL capabilities under the hood.

What are Shard Tables?

Each table in Shard is a standard SQLite table with:

• Typed columns that support various data types (text, integer, real, blob)
• SQL query support for complex filtering and operations
• Real-time updates when running in “Live” mode

Tables are the foundation for most Shard features like automations, forms, and charts.

Creating Tables

Creating a New Table

1. Open the Tables sidebar by clicking the tables icon in the left panel
2. Click “New” in the top-right corner
3. Enter a table name (e.g., users, orders, events)
4. Click “Create”

Your new table will appear in the tables list and automatically open in a new panel.

Importing from CSV

1. Open the Tables sidebar
2. Click “Import CSV”
3. Select your CSV file
4. Choose import options:
   • Create a new table from the CSV structure
   • Append to an existing table
   • Map CSV columns to table columns
5. Click “Import”

Working with Table Data

The Table Panel

When you open a table, you’ll see a spreadsheet-like interface with:

• Toolbar at the top with actions and controls
• Column headers showing field names
• Data grid with rows and cells
• Selection checkboxes for bulk operations
• Pagination controls to navigate through data

Adding Rows

1. Click the ”+ Add Row” button in the toolbar
2. A new empty row appears at the top of the table
3. Click into any cell to start entering data
4. Press Tab to move to the next cell
5. Click outside the cell or press Enter to confirm the value
6. Click “Save Changes” when done to persist the new row

Editing Cells

1. Click on any cell to begin editing
2. Type your new value in the input field
3. Click outside the cell or press Enter to confirm
4. Changed cells are highlighted to show unsaved modifications
5. The toolbar shows a badge indicating the number of pending changes
6. Click “Save Changes” to commit all edits at once
7. Click “Discard Changes” to revert all unsaved modifications

Note: Changes are tracked locally until you explicitly save them. This allows you to make multiple edits and save them as a batch.

Deleting Rows

Delete a single row:

1. Right-click on a row to open the context menu
2. Select “Delete row”
3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog

Delete multiple rows:

1. Check the boxes next to the rows you want to delete
2. Click the trash icon in the selection menu that appears
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Managing Columns

Add a new column:

1. Click the menu (⋮) in the toolbar
2. Select “New Column”
3. Enter the column name and type
4. Click “Add”

Rename a column:

1. Click the menu (⋮) on a column header
2. Select “Rename Column”
3. Enter the new name
4. Click “Rename”

Delete a column:

1. Click the menu (⋮) on a column header
2. Select “Delete Column”
3. Confirm the deletion (this cannot be undone)

Pagination

Tables are paginated to improve performance with large datasets:

• Page size: 100 rows per page by default
• Navigation: Use the ← Previous and Next → buttons in the toolbar
• Page indicator: Shows the current range (e.g., “1–100 of 5,432”)
• Automatic loading: The next page loads when you click “Next”

You can navigate through thousands of rows efficiently without loading all data at once.

Live Mode

Toggle Live mode in the toolbar to control real-time updates:

• Live (green indicator): The table automatically refreshes to show new data as it arrives
• Idle (gray indicator): The table is frozen at the current state and won’t update

Live mode is useful when monitoring feeds or automations that continuously insert data.

Filtering Data

1. Click the filter icon in the toolbar
2. Build filter rules using the visual query builder:
   • Select a column
   • Choose an operator (equals, contains, greater than, etc.)
   • Enter a value to match
3. Combine multiple rules with AND/OR logic
4. Click “Apply” to filter the table
5. Click the filter icon again to clear filters

Filters use SQL WHERE clauses under the hood for efficient querying.

Selection and Bulk Actions

• Select individual rows by checking their checkboxes
• Select all rows on the current page using the header checkbox
• When rows are selected, a selection menu appears with bulk actions:
  • Delete selected rows
  • Clear selection

Advanced Features

Table Menu Actions

Click the ⋮ menu in the toolbar for additional options:

• New Column: Add a new field to the table
• Import CSV: Bulk import data from a CSV file
• Automations: View and create automations for this table
• Delete Table: Permanently remove the table (requires confirmation)

Automations Integration

Tables can trigger automations when rows are inserted or updated. See the Automations documentation for details on creating event-driven workflows.

SQL Queries

While the table panel provides a visual interface, you can also query tables directly using SQL in the Query panel. All standard SQLite syntax is supported.

Tips and Best practices

• Use descriptive column names (e.g., user_email instead of e)
• Choose appropriate data types for efficient storage and querying
• Save changes frequently to avoid losing edits
• Add indexes (via SQL) for columns you filter or join frequently
• Back up important data before bulk delete operations