to a portal, you control exactly how that data appears to users. This guide covers the display options, field configuration, and view settings available for portal navigation items.

Display Types

Each collection navigation item can use one of two display types:

Table View

Table view displays records in a familiar list format, similar to how collections appear in Kinabase. Records are shown as rows with fields as columns.

Best for:

Lists that users need to scan quickly
Data with many fields where comparison is important
Collections with sorting and filtering needs

Catalogue View

Catalogue view groups records into categories displayed on separate pages, with records shown as cards or tiles.

Best for:

Product or inventory catalogues
Resource libraries or document collections
Visual browsing where images are important
Hierarchically organised data

When using catalogue view, you can choose the Catalogue Layout:

Cards - display records as visual card tiles with featured images
Table - display records within categories as table lists

To configure how a collection appears in your portal:

Open your portal in Settings → Portals
Go to the Structure tab
Click on an existing collection item or add a new one
Configure the settings described below

Basic Settings

Name - the label shown in portal navigation
Icon - the icon displayed next to the name
Data Source - the collection to display
Display Type - Table or Catalogue

Field Configuration

Control which fields

Field

A column in a Collection that stores a specific type of information for each Record, such as text, number, or date.

appear and in what contexts:

Field Visibility

For each field, you can control visibility in three contexts:

Context	Description
Table Display	Whether the field appears as a column in the table/list view
Record Details	Whether the field appears when viewing a record's full details
CSV Export	Whether the field is included when users export data to CSV

Conditional Visibility

You can set visibility rules using conditions. For example:

Show a "Cost" field only to certain user types
Display "Internal Notes" only when a record is at a specific workflow
Workflow
A defined sequence of stages and actions that a Record passes through, often representing a business process.
stage
Hide sensitive fields based on field values

To add conditional visibility:

Click the visibility settings for a field
Add conditions using the formula builder
The field will only show when conditions are met

Field Order

Drag fields to reorder how they appear in the table or record details view. Place the most important fields first.

Filtering Records

Control which records

Record

An individual entry within a Collection, like a row in a database table, representing one item or entity.

appear in the portal:

Static Filters

Apply fixed conditions to limit displayed records:

Status is "Active"
Due Date is in the next 30 days
Category is "Published"

These filters apply to all users of the portal.

User-Based Filters (External Portals)

For external portals, use relational filters to show users only their own data:

In the filter configuration, add a User-Based Filter
Select the field in this collection that links to user records
Select the corresponding field in the user collection
Choose to match on the current user's record

Example: In a Projects collection, filter where "Client" equals the current user's record.

See our External Portals guide for detailed user-based filter configuration.

Sorting & Grouping

Sorting

Set default sort order for records:

Select the Sort Field - the field to sort by
Choose Sort Direction:
- Ascending (A-Z, oldest first, lowest first)
- Descending (Z-A, newest first, highest first)

Grouping

Group records by a specific field:

Select the Group By Field
For date fields, choose Precision:
- Day
- Month
- Year
For hierarchical grouping, configure additional options

Catalogue View Configuration

When using catalogue display, additional options become available:

Categorising Field

Select the field used to create categories. Records are grouped by unique values of this field.

Category Layout

Choose how categories are displayed:

Cards - visual tiles, ideal with images
Table - list format within each category

Featured Image

Select an image field to use as the featured image for:

Individual record cards
Category header images

Hierarchical Grouping

For nested category structures:

Enable hierarchical grouping
Configure parent-child relationships
Set sorting options for each level

Portal Views (Named Views)

Within a collection navigation item, you can create multiple Portal Views - named, filtered perspectives on the data:

Creating Portal Views

In the navigation item configuration, find Portal Views
Click + Add View
Configure:
- Name - the view label (e.g., "Active Projects", "Overdue Tasks")
- Icon - optional icon for the view
- Filters - conditions specific to this view
- Sorting - sort order for this view

Using Portal Views

When users access the collection in the portal, they can:

Switch between available views
Each view shows records matching its specific filters
Views help users find relevant data quickly

Example views for a Tasks collection:

"All Tasks" - no additional filters
"Overdue" - Due Date is before today
"Completed" - Status is "Completed"
"This Week" - Due Date is within the current week

Display related records within the record details view:

Lists

Show child records from related collections:

In the navigation item configuration, find Lists
Add a List:
- Select the child collection
- Configure which fields are visible
- Apply filters if needed

Example: Show Tasks as a list within Project records.

Associated Collections

Show records linked through record fields or multi-record fields :

Add an Associated Collection
Configure the relationship and display settings

Workflow Actions

Allow portal users to move records through workflow

Workflow

A defined sequence of stages and actions that a Record passes through, often representing a business process.

stages:

Enabling Stage Transitions

In the navigation item configuration, find Workflow Actions
For each stage transition, configure visibility:
- Which transitions are available in the portal
- Conditions for when transitions appear

Visibility by Context

Control where workflow action buttons appear:

Table View - in the row actions
Record Details - in the record header or actions area

Automations & Forms

Make forms

Forms

A custom form to capture user inputs to drive actions & updates.

and automations

Automation

A process that triggers actions automatically when specified conditions are met, reducing manual work.

available to portal users:

Available Automations

In the navigation item configuration, find Automations
Select which forms/automations are available:
- Forms appear as action buttons
- Users can trigger the automation and complete the form

Automation Visibility

Forms respect their own visibility conditions, so you can:

Show different forms to different user types
Require specific field values before forms are available
Limit forms to specific workflow stages

Best Practices

Limit visible fields

Only show fields that users need. Too many columns make tables hard to read.

Use meaningful default sorting

Sort by the most relevant field - usually by priority, due date, or status.

Create focused views

Use portal views to help users find what they need without complex filtering.

Use catalogue view for visual data

If your data has images or natural categories, catalogue view provides better browsing.

Test with real data

Use the "Preview as user" feature to see exactly what portal users will experience.

Internal Portals - set up portals for team members
External Portals - set up portals for clients and partners
Creating Views - general information about views in Kinabase
Custom Domains & Branding - personalise the portal appearance

Thoughtful view configuration makes portals intuitive and efficient for users. Take time to consider what information users need most and present it in the clearest way possible.

If you need further assistance, our support team is here to help.

PreviousExternal Portals

Next Custom Domains & Branding