Creating Templates

Templates define what information gets captured in your custom section. Think of them as flexible forms or data models.

A template might describe a “Site Visit Report” with fields for location, inspector, and notes - or a “Project Summary” with financial data and outcomes.

Add a New Template

In your custom section, click “Add Template”.

Give it a name, choose which fields to use, and decide how you want it displayed. You can use repeatable groups, conditional inputs, and even embedded relationships to other records.

Field Types

Templates support a range of input types: text, dropdowns, checkboxes, date pickers, and file uploads, among others. The type you choose affects how the data is displayed throughout ORCA.

File fields are worth a mention: if you add a file-type input to a template, records with images attached will show a thumbnail directly in the record list view. Clicking a thumbnail opens a preview without leaving the list. Up to three files are shown per row; if a file isn't an image, a type icon appears instead.

Show in Kanban Card - each field has a checkbox to pin it to kanban cards. When any field in the template has this checked, cards in the kanban board show only those fields rather than the default "first four". Useful for keeping cards focused: check the two or three fields that matter most at a glance and leave the rest available in the detail view. The field must also be set to "Show in List View" for it to appear on kanban cards.

Searching Records

The record index includes a search bar that searches across all records in the section, not just the current page. You can match on text field values, picklist labels, assigned users, and file names.

The search term persists when you re-sort by a column, so you can reorder your results without losing your query.

Templates in Practice

Templates mean everyone collects the same key data. If you're logging the same type of record regularly, this is your go-to tool.