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Overview

Raycaster offers three distinct text-based column types to handle various textual data needs. Each type is optimized for different use cases:
  1. SINGLE_LINE_TEXT: Limited to one line with a 200 character maximum, perfect for titles, names, and identifiers
  2. MULTI_LINE_TEXT: Plain text that can span multiple lines, ideal for notes and descriptions without formatting needs
  3. TEXT: Rich text with advanced formatting capabilities, best for detailed content requiring structure and emphasis

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Column Display

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Cell View

Text columns in cell view display content with appropriate formatting based on the text type:
Text Column Cell View

Text column display in cell view showing different text formatting options

When clicked, the sidebar provides a full text editor with appropriate tools:
Text Column Sidebar View

Text column sidebar editor with formatting tools and options

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When to Use Each Text Type

SINGLE_LINE_TEXT

Use when you need compact, scannable information that fits in table views. Perfect for titles, names, and short identifiers.

MULTI_LINE_TEXT

Use when you need paragraph breaks but don’t want the complexity of formatting options. Ideal for notes and descriptions.

TEXT (Rich Text)

Use when information benefits from visual hierarchy, emphasis, or structure. Best for detailed formatted content.

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Text Type Comparison

FeatureSINGLE_LINE_TEXTMULTI_LINE_TEXTTEXT
Character Limit200 characters maxUnlimitedUnlimited
Line BreaksNot supportedSupportedSupported
FormattingPlain text onlyPlain text onlyRich text (bold, italic, lists, etc.)
Best ForTitles, names, short identifiersNotes, descriptions, plain narrativesFormatted content, detailed descriptions
UI DisplaySingle-line inputMulti-line textareaRich text editor with toolbar
Table DisplayFull content visibleTruncated with expand optionTruncated with formatting preserved
Sorting BehaviorAlphabeticalAlphabetical by first lineAlphabetical by plain text version
Export BehaviorAs isPreserves line breaksConverts to HTML or plain text
Search PerformanceFastMediumComplex (searches formatted text)

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SINGLE_LINE_TEXT

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Use Cases

  • Names and titles (e.g., ‘Product Manager’, ‘Sales Director’)
  • Short identifiers (e.g., ‘Q1-2025-Campaign’, ‘PROJ-123’)
  • Brief labels (e.g., ‘High Priority’, ‘Needs Review’)
  • Page titles (e.g., ‘Company Overview’, ‘Team Directory’)
  • SKU/ID values (e.g., ‘SKU-12345’, ‘ID-ABC-789’)
  • Category names (e.g., ‘Enterprise Software’, ‘Financial Services’)

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Features

  • Compact: Optimized for displaying in tables and lists without wasted space
  • Character Limit: Maximum of 200 characters to ensure concise information
  • Validation: Easily validate format and length with custom rules
  • UI Friendly: Clean single-line input experience with character counter
  • Filtering Efficiency: Optimized for exact-match and contains filtering
  • CSV/Excel Compatibility: Exports cleanly without formatting issues

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Practical Examples

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Company Names Column

Apple Inc.
Microsoft Corporation
Amazon Web Services

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Project Status Column

In Progress
Completed
On Hold

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Configuration Tips

Pro Tips for SINGLE_LINE_TEXT:
  • Add placeholder text to guide data entry (e.g., ‘Enter full company name’)
  • Consider using default values for commonly repeated text
  • For IDs or codes, consider a consistent format and document it for users
  • When text might exceed 200 characters, use MULTI_LINE_TEXT instead

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MULTI_LINE_TEXT

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Use Cases

  • Notes and comments (e.g., meeting notes, feedback responses)
  • Simple descriptions (e.g., product summaries, job descriptions)
  • Plain text narratives (e.g., issue descriptions, project summaries)
  • Log entries (e.g., status updates, process logs)
  • Unformatted instructions (e.g., step-by-step guides, procedures)
  • Support ticket messages (e.g., problem reports, resolution notes)
  • Code snippets or configuration blocks (when formatting isn’t required)

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Features

  • Line Breaks: Supports multiple paragraphs for better content organization
  • Plain Text: No formatting to maintain simplicity and focus on content
  • Copy/Paste Friendly: Preserves simple text structure when transferring content
  • Lightweight: More efficient than rich text for basic needs
  • Unlimited Length: No practical character limit for extensive content
  • Expand/Collapse: Table views show a preview with option to expand
  • Whitespace Preservation: Maintains indentation and spacing exactly as entered
  • Simplified Editing: No toolbar or formatting distractions in the editor

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Practical Examples

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Product Description

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software

A comprehensive business management solution that integrates:
- Financial management
- Supply chain operations
- Manufacturing processes
- Human resources

Designed for medium to large organizations seeking to streamline operations.

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Meeting Notes

Quarterly Review - April 8, 2025

Attendees: Jane, Michael, Sarah, David

Key points discussed:
1. Q1 performance exceeded targets by 15%
2. New product launch delayed until August
3. Team expansion approved for Q3

Action items:
- Jane to revise marketing strategy
- Michael to prepare budget adjustments
- All to review the new roadmap by Friday

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Configuration Tips

Best Practices for MULTI_LINE_TEXT:
  • Set an appropriate default height for the text area based on expected content length
  • Consider adding placeholder text that demonstrates the multi-line capability
  • For data that needs to be easily parsed later, consider using a consistent structure
  • When importing data, ensure line breaks are preserved correctly

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TEXT (Rich Text)

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Use Cases

  • Detailed product descriptions (e.g., comprehensive feature lists with formatting)
  • Formatted documentation (e.g., user guides with headers, bold terms, and lists)
  • Meeting notes with structure (e.g., agenda, discussion points, decisions, action items)
  • Company overviews (e.g., mission statements, team structure, value propositions)
  • Project briefs (e.g., objectives, timelines, requirements, stakeholders)
  • Research findings (e.g., methodology, data analysis, conclusions)
  • Policy documents (e.g., guidelines with hierarchical sections)
  • Customer testimonials (with highlighted key quotes and proper attribution)

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Features

  • Rich Text Support: Format with bold, italic, bullet points, headings, and more
  • Advanced Structure: Create organized content with hierarchical elements
  • Unlimited Length: No practical limit on the amount of text you can store
  • Search Optimized: Full-text search capabilities that index all content
  • Media Integration: Can include inline images and other media elements
  • Link Support: Add hyperlinks to external resources or internal references
  • Table Creation: Include structured data tables within your rich text
  • Styling Options: Use consistent styles for a professional appearance
  • Export Formats: Convert to HTML, PDF, or plain text when needed

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Research Summary

Market Analysis: SaaS Growth Trends 2025
SegmentGrowth RateKey Drivers
Enterprise23%Digital transformation initiatives
SMB31%Remote work adoption
Consumer18%Subscription model preference
Conclusion: The mid-market segment shows the highest potential for Q3 expansion.

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Configuration Tips

Rich Text Optimization:
  • Enable only the formatting options your team needs to maintain consistency
  • Use heading structures consistently for better organization and searchability
  • Establish image size guidelines to maintain performance

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AI Research Capabilities

All text column types support AI analysis features that can extract insights from your textual data:
  • Sentiment Analysis: Determine the emotional tone of text content
  • Key Phrase Extraction: Automatically identify important topics and themes
  • Entity Recognition: Detect and categorize named entities like organizations, people, and technologies
  • Topic Categorization: Classify text into predefined categories or domains
  • Language Detection: Identify the language used in text content
  • Content Summarization: Generate concise summaries of text
  • Technical Term Identification: Recognize specialized terminology

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Available Research Tools

Text column types support the following research tools:
  • STRUCTURED: General-purpose research with formatted output
  • ADVANCED: In-depth analysis with comprehensive data collection
  • EMAIL: Email address discovery for TEXT and EMAIL columns

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Configuration Options

When creating or editing a text column, you can configure these options:
  • Column Type: Choose between SINGLE_LINE_TEXT, MULTI_LINE_TEXT, or TEXT based on your needs
  • Formatting: For TEXT columns, enable or disable specific formatting options

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Best Practices

  • Use SINGLE_LINE_TEXT for brief identifiers and titles to maintain clean tables
  • Choose MULTI_LINE_TEXT when you need line breaks but not formatting
  • Reserve TEXT (rich text) for content that requires formatting for readability
  • Use consistent text type choices across similar data categories
  • Consider using SINGLE_SELECT instead of free text for categorization
  • Break very long content into multiple columns for better organization
  • Match the column type to both your data and how users will interact with it