Collection
A container for records in Kinabase, similar to a table in a spreadsheet or database, used to organise one type of data such as Projects or Contacts.

is a data container - like tabs in a spreadsheet - where you store Record

Record

An individual entry within a Collection, like a row in a database table, representing one item or entity such as a customer or an order.

s (rows) and Field

Field

A single piece of information stored on every record in a Collection, such as text, a number or a date, similar to a column in a spreadsheet.

s (columns). Whether you're tracking contracts, projects, or inventory, collections let you organise the information your team needs.

New to Kinabase? Follow our Create Your First Collection tutorial for a guided, beginner-friendly walkthrough. This article is a complete reference covering every way to add collections.

1. Starting the wizard

1. Click + Add Collection

Look at the bottom-left of your sidebar and select + Add Collection. This button is only visible to System admins.

Kinabase opens the Add collections wizard, which offers three starting points: AI-powered setup, manual setup, or starting from an existing spreadsheet or scanned document.

2. AI-powered setup

1. Describe what you want to track

Type a brief sentence about what you want to track - for example, "I want to manage my client contacts" or "I need a projects list."

2. Review the AI suggestions

Kinabase proposes collections and fields based on your description.

If the suggestions look good, click Add Collections to finish. If you need changes, rename or remove items before finalising.

Please note suggestions are AI generated and may contain errors or inaccuracies - always review them before adding.

Other AI-assisted starting points

From an existing spreadsheet - upload a .csv or .xlsx file (up to 2 MB) and Kinabase infers collections and fields from its structure. This is separate from the ongoing CSV-only record import - this route is only for defining a new collection's shape.
From a photo or scanned document - Kinabase reads an image or scan and proposes collections and fields based on what it finds.

3. Manual setup

If you prefer more control, or already know exactly what you want, build your collection by hand. The manual form steps through Details, Fields, Workflows, and Features.

1. Add details

Type a name (e.g. "Suppliers") and select an icon and colour to help you identify the collection at a glance.

2. Add fields

Click Add field for each column you need - a clear name (e.g. "Contact Email", "Budget") and a field type (Text, Number, Select, Date, and so on). See Fields for the full list of types.

3. Configure a workflow (optional)

Turn workflows on if you want records to move through stages, such as Draft → In Review → Approved. See Workflows.

4. Turn on extra features

Decide whether this collection needs Activity

Activity

A logged event or note on a record — such as an email, phone call or meeting — that builds up a timeline of interactions over time.

logging, Task

Task

Something that needs to be done, created against a record and optionally assigned to a colleague with a due date.

s, or file uploads.

You can change any of these settings at any time - start with what you need now and expand later.

4. Creating several collections at once

Both the AI-powered and manual routes support adding multiple collections in one pass - for example, "Add collections for Clients, Projects, and Invoices." Each collection gets its own fields, and the wizard's final button reads Add Collections when you're creating more than one.

5. After creation

Your new collection appears in the sidebar, ready for its first records. From here:

Refine its settings - permissions, more fields, extra features - in Configuring Collections.
Organise where it sits in the sidebar in Managing Collections.

Need more help? Ask your System admin, or contact our support team via Help & Support.

PreviousCollections

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