Quality of Life wishes for 2024

Suggestion Box
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We had some great updates this year. A lot of small wonderful improvements, but also big milestones like full page embeds, custom domains, two-way sync, new row button and of course Coda AI.

For 2024 I think I don’t necessarily require any new features (at least that is what I think now until I see what Coda comes up with :D), but I have some wishes for improving the status quo. Improving the many details, that consciously or subconsciously make the every day experience.
Coda is doing wonderful in these details and implemented a lot of improvements over the years. Yet, there is a couple of things left, where I sometimes wonder how this is not seen for so long time. Especially since most of it was raised at least once in the community, slack and support channels.
So here is my list with often links to posts from the community:

More local settings

We got timezone and first time of the month. Please continue with:

Updated Export

I could live inside Coda. But sometimes I still need PDF & print to share with others. E.g. for every report I make, every long research or study, I usually provide an interactive Coda version and additionally a PDF – which is a lot of manual work to make it look good.

Allow AI to be disabled

Yeah, we got it. Coda has AI features. In 99% of cases, I don’t intend to use AI at all in a doc though. It is even worse, as a I have clients who strictly forbid using e.g. OpenAi, which means when I’m not careful, I might unintentionally trigger an AI call via a slash command and violate the policy.

Canvas Text/Headline Formats

Spacing and formats got a lot better in some update in the last years, but when working with horizontal lines, it gets frustrating.

Create table with name input

When using slash commands, I’d like to stick to the keyboard as long as possible.

  • After /table, have a textfield where I can already enter the name of the table – and it autosuggests if it would be a view or a blank one (Slash Command (/) & New Tables : Creating directly "Named" tables?)
  • When using the search field in “or connect to a table” make the tables below accessible via TAB next. Now I have to use the mouse to select it.

Bulk Edit Columns

Sometimes I’d like to change column options or type for more than one column at once. Currently this only works for wrap and hide.

  • Allow bulk edit columns of same type e.g. change currency or decimals, or make numbers to scales etc…

Hidden Pages & Security

Not only a quality of life but as a I see in discussions a very big topic for many of us in terms of data security and the necessity of manual work. Also a topic with a lot of uncertainty.

Sync-table / Cross-doc data

When working with cross-doc and packs, I sometimes get into trouble when I want to share the doc e.g. as a template. Sometimes I don’t even want it to be a “connected” table/doc anymore. Now copying the table structure and update all formulas and relations is a lot of work.

  • Dispatch instance and transform table to plain text table. Keep all relations and when used in formulas.

EDIT: Some additions based on comments:

Calendar

  • For calendar view, being able to select custom display column(s) other than default display column
  • Mobile view for calendars

I know its a lot and many of it might be way more complicated than they sound. But maybe one or the other wish comes true…

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Amazing, I think you’ve listed all my wishlist items too (and linked to one of my posts). Here’s to getting these in the new year.

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Great suggestions! Different headlines would be really useful. I would love some more UI updates as well to help create super simple control hubs. :slight_smile:

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This is wonderful!

You’ve listed a lot of things that I really want for this 2024.

I’d just add one thing: a more-functioning month calendar view. Show more rows per day, let us show the columns we want (and not only display column)…

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And a functioning calendar view on mobile too :slight_smile:

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I’d also like to see timelines be able to view date formulas as dates - so if you have a changing date, it updates automatically.

Additionally, instead of the blanket “no editors can add, move, or rename pages”, add in options in the Security section to control that so the Maker has more control over who can do what in which doc.

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Definitely anything security related: so the hidden pages as described, plus maybe more granular permissions in general.

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Nice! To calendars, I would add:

  • A preference switch to allow unlimited events to show in month view (pushing the height as tall as is needed to accommodate the busiest day). Calendar view is the easiest way to shift events around when planning but the default limit of 3 per day is, well, quite limiting for those of us who are busy :slight_smile:

And regarding the display column in calendars (like what we have in timelines) I actually think this should be implemented everywhere, even on reference object chips in tables, under Column Options → Option Settings.