Text Column Types

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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:

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Sidebar View

When clicked, the sidebar provides a full text editor with appropriate tools:

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When to Use Each Text Type

Choosing the right text column type is crucial for both data organization and user experience:

• Use SINGLE_LINE_TEXT when you need compact, scannable information that fits in table views
• Use MULTI_LINE_TEXT when you need paragraph breaks but don’t want the complexity of formatting options
• Use TEXT when information benefits from visual hierarchy, emphasis, or structure

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Text Type Comparison

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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

• 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

• 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

Conclusion: The mid-market segment shows the highest potential for Q3 expansion.

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Configuration Tips

• 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