➕ Your First Record — Step by Step

Complete walkthrough: from idea to saved record

5-Minute Tutorial

Follow these steps to add your first record:

Step 1: Open Actions → Create New

Look above the table for the ☰ Actions button (the one with three lines). Open it and click Create New.

[☰ ▼]  Table Title                    Records: 42
  ↓ open
┌──────────────────┐
│ ➕ Create New     │  ← Click here
│ 🔍 Filters        │
│ 📄 Reports        │
│ ⚙️ Settings       │
└──────────────────┘

What happens: A form opens in a popup window with empty fields.

Step 2: See the Form

The form looks like this:

┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Create New Record                  │
├────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                    │
│ Field Name *                       │
│ [_____________________________]     │
│  ← This field is required          │
│                                    │
│ Another Field                      │
│ [_____________________________]     │
│  ← This field is optional          │
│                                    │
│ Date Field *                       │
│ [📅 Click to pick date]            │
│                                    │
│ Category                           │
│ [Select option ▼]                  │
│                                    │
│ [Save] [Cancel]                    │
│                                    │
└────────────────────────────────────┘

Notice: - Fields marked with **red *** are required - Fields without * are optional (but helpful to fill in) - Different field types (text, date, dropdown, etc.)

Step 3: Fill in Required Fields (Red *)

Start with fields marked with a red asterisk (*) — these MUST be filled in.

Example: 1. Click in the first required field 2. Type your information 3. Press Tab to move to the next field (or click it)

Field Name * ← Required
[John Smith________] ← You typed this

Another Field ← Optional
[_____________________________] ← Leave blank if not needed

Important: If you try to save without filling in required fields, the form will show an error and won't let you save.

Step 4: Fill in Optional Fields (No *)

These are nice-to-have fields. Fill them in if you have the information:

Email
[john@example.com_]  ← Optional, but good to include if you have it

Phone
[_______________]    ← Optional, skip if you don't have it

Step 5: Handle Different Field Types

You might see different types of fields:

Text Field (just type)

Name
[John Smith_______________]

Email Field (just type)

Email
[john@example.com_________]

Number Field (just type numbers)

Amount
[1000_____________________]

Date Field (click to pick)

Date
[📅 Click to pick date]
   ↓
   January  2024
   [_____________]
   [<  1  >]
   S M T W T F S
   [7] [8] [9]...

   Click the date you want →

Dropdown/Select (click to choose)

Category
[Select Option ▼]
   ├─ Option A
   ├─ Option B  ← Click one
   └─ Option C

Lookup Field (search for related records)

Related Item
[Search ...]
   Start typing to search →
   [Result 1]
   [Result 2]
   [Result 3]
   Click the one you want →

Step 6: Save Your Record

Once you've filled in all required fields:

Click the [Save] button (usually blue or green)

[Save] [Cancel]
  ↑
  Click here

What happens: - The popup window closes itself - The table refreshes and your new record appears

Step 7: See Your Record in the Table

Your new record now appears at the top of the table:

┌────┬──────────┬──────────┬────────────┐
│ ID │ Name     │ Email    │ Date       │
├────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┤
│ 23 │ John     │ john@... │ 15/01/2026 │  ← Your new record
│ 22 │ Jane     │ jane@... │ 14/01/2026 │
│ 21 │ Bob      │ bob@...  │ 13/01/2026 │
└────┴──────────┴──────────┴────────────┘

To work with it later, click its row to select it, then use the ☰ Actions menu (Edit, Delete, View appear under "Selected Record").

What If Something Goes Wrong?

❌ Error: "This field is required"

Meaning: You tried to save but didn't fill in a required field (red *)

Solution: 1. Look for fields with red * 2. Fill them in with information 3. Try saving again

❌ Error: "Invalid email format"

Meaning: You typed something that doesn't look like an email in an Email field

Solution: 1. Use the format: name@example.com 2. Make sure there's an @ symbol 3. Try again

❌ Error: "This value already exists"

Meaning: Someone already created a record with this exact value (usually for unique fields like IDs or usernames)

Solution: 1. Use a different value 2. Check if the record already exists by searching 3. If it does exist, edit that record instead of creating a new one

✏️ "I need to change something"

If you made a mistake after saving: 1. Find your record in the table and click its row to select it 2. Open ☰ Actions → Edit 3. Change the information in the popup form 4. Click Save — the popup closes and the table updates

Tips for Success

✅ Fill in required fields first (red *) — You can't save without them

✅ Search before adding — Use ☰ Actions → Filters → Quick Search to make sure the record doesn't already exist

✅ Take your time — There's no time limit, fill in information carefully

✅ Use Tab key — Press Tab to move between fields quickly

✅ Ask if unsure — If you're not sure what a field is for, leave it blank or ask your administrator

✅ Verify before saving — Read through your information once before clicking Save

Next Steps

Now that you can add records:

Try editing a record — Select one you created (click its row), then ☰ Actions → Edit, change something, save
Practice searching — Find the record you just created via ☰ Actions → Filters
Learn about relationships — See Navigation & Relationships to understand how records connect

Congratulations! 🎉 You've successfully created your first record. You're ready to use the application.