Using Activities
Log notes, calls, and meetings, and keep track of a record's history
Activities
This builds a clear, chronological history for each record, so anyone who opens it can see what's happened and why.
This guide assumes activities are already enabled for the collection. If you don't see an Activities tab on a record, see Activities.
1. Logging an activity
1. Open a record
Navigate to the collection and select the record you want to update, then click its Activities tab.
2. Start a new activity
Click + Add and select a type - Note, Email, Phone Call, Meeting, or any custom type your organisation has added.
3. Enter the details
Write the activity's Content. By default the Change date is set to now - click it to select a specific date and time, or a quick option like 1 hour ago.
4. Optional: add a follow-up task
Click Add follow-up task... if the activity needs action, or turn on Add another? to log a second activity straight after.
5. Save
Click Add to log the activity.
2. Logging an activity from the collection list
You can log an activity against one or more records without opening each one individually. This works from the main collection list and from any linked collection shown on a record.
1. Select the records
Right-click a single record, or tick several and right-click the selection. Up to 20 records can be selected at once.
2. Select Add related
From the context menu, hover over Add related and select Add activity.
3. Enter the details
Select the activity type and fill in the content and date, then save. The new activity is linked to every record you selected.
Add related only appears for collections that have activities enabled.
3. Logging an activity by voice
Instead of typing, dictate an activity and let Kinabase tidy your words into the Content field for you - useful when you're on the move or want to capture a call the moment it ends.
1. Start a new activity
Open a record, go to the Activities tab, and click + Add.
2. Start recording
Click the microphone button in the modal. A "Listening..." banner shows your words as you speak.
3. Speak naturally
Describe your note, call, or meeting, then click Stop - or click the cross to discard the recording.
4. Review the result
Kinabase cleans up the transcript - tidying filler words, punctuation, and casing without changing your meaning - and places it in the Content field. It can also suggest follow-up tasks based on what you said.
5. Save
Review the text, accept or dismiss any suggested tasks, and click Add as normal.
Voice input needs a supported device or browser. The microphone button only appears when these conditions are met.
4. Editing an activity
1. Open the record
Navigate to the record with the activity you want to update.
2. Find the activity
Click its Activities tab to view the feed.
3. Edit or delete
Click the ⋯ (options menu) next to the activity and select Show details to view it in full, Edit to change it, or Delete to remove it.
4. Save changes
Click Save to confirm your edits. Edited activities are marked (edited) in the feed.
5. The activity feed
Each record’s Activities tab shows a feed of everything logged against it, grouped by day. The attribution shows the person involved and, when relevant, the automation, API app, or integration that carried out the change. Click Expand on a long entry to read it in full, or Close to collapse it again. Use the search icon in the toolbar to find a specific entry.
Every collection also has a Dashboard-wide view - see Activity Logs for browsing activities across records.
6. Understanding activity attribution
Attribution appears below each activity. by names the person responsible, while via names the automation, API app, integration, or general mechanism that carried out the change. A system activity shows only the mechanism when its text already names the person involved.
1. Review the activity feed
Open the record’s Activities tab and read the attribution below an entry. For example, by Gabriel via Deal follow-up means Gabriel was the person responsible and the Deal follow-up automation carried out the change.
2. Open the activity details
Open the activity’s Menu and select Show details. The Activity Details window shows its created and updated times with the available attribution.
3. Check how a related record was created
If the record was created from another record, look for the Created from Collection card in the record sidebar. It shows the available person and mechanism for the record’s creation.
The Activities tab is available when activities are enabled and you have View Only or View & Edit access for Activities. An administrator can manage these under Configure > Features > Activities and Configure > Security > Permissions.
7. Email activities
Forwarding an email logs it automatically as an activity - no manual entry needed. Click the envelope icon in the Activities toolbar to find the record's forwarding address, and forwarded emails show their From, To, and Cc details. Emails that came from Outlook also offer Open in Outlook.
See Email Forwarding for how to set this up.
8. AI-suggested tasks from an activity
You can generate follow-up task suggestions while you log an activity or from an activity that has already been saved. Tasks must be enabled for the collection, and you need permission to read the activity and add tasks to its record.
While logging an activity
Click Suggest Tasks below the Content field. Kinabase proposes follow-up tasks based on what you wrote. Review the suggestions, accept the ones you want, and finish logging the activity with Add.
From a saved activity
1. Open the activity menu
In the record’s Activities tab, select the ⋯ menu on the activity, or right-click it, then click Suggest follow-up tasks. The activity must contain text that Kinabase can use. For an email activity, Kinabase uses its subject and body where available.
2. Wait for suggestions
The review window shows Getting suggestions using AI... while Kinabase prepares possible next steps.
3. Review each suggestion
Select a suggestion to edit its name, description, due date, or assignees. Use Accept Task to move it from Suggestions to Tasks to add, or right-click it and select Delete to remove it. Select Generate again if you want a different set.
You can also select Add task to write a task yourself. Nothing is added to the record until you review the list and save it.
4. Add the tasks
Select Add tasks to add everything under Tasks to add to the record. Suggestions left under Suggestions are not added, and the original activity is not changed.
See Using Tasks for managing and exporting the tasks you add.
9. Reacting to activities
You can react to any activity with an emoji to acknowledge it or show agreement, without adding a reply to the timeline. Kinabase doesn't have threaded comments or @mentions - reactions are the only way to respond directly to an activity.
1. Hover over the activity
In the Activities tab, hover over the entry you want to react to.
2. Add a reaction
Click the smiley face icon that appears, then select an emoji: 👍 Thumbs up, ❤️ Heart, 🎉 Party popper, 👀 Eyes, 🙏 Thank you, or ✅ Check mark.
3. Remove a reaction
Click your existing reaction again to remove it.
Reactions appear below the activity showing each emoji and how many people used it; hover over one to see exactly who reacted.
Reacting to someone's activity notifies them. To adjust this, go to Settings → Account → Notifications and set the priority for Activity Reaction. See Notifications.
Need more help? Ask your System admin, or contact our support team via Help & Support.