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New table or new view?

How to decide when to create a view vs. a new table.

Choosing the right table structure is key to keeping your docs easy to maintain and scale with your team. In Superhuman Docs, tables can be connected to one another. A table that connects to another table is called a view. When building new content in Superhuman Docs, it is often best to use the One Big Table approach so your information stays connected in one place. Before creating a new table, first check whether you can create a connected view of an existing table instead. This guide will help you decide whether to create a new table or a connected view.
What you'll learn:
  • The characteristics of tables
  • The characteristics of views
  • When to use each one
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What you'll use:
  • Tables and views
  • Columns
  • The Doc Map
  • Cross-doc

Why create a view when possible?

 In one phrase? Change management.
A connected view links the same information across multiple tables. Any change you make to a row in one table will appear in every other connected view. For example, if you have a roster table and add a new team member in one connected view, that person will automatically appear in the others. If someone changes their last name, you only need to update it once for every view to reflect the change. Views are also faster to set up than new tables. You do not need to recreate columns or enter data from scratch. Instead, you can start with existing information and customize how it appears in that specific view.

Does my view have to look exactly like the parent table?

 No! Connected views share the same row data, but they can have different display settings. You can change the following without affecting other connected views: Some changes, however, will affect every connected view:
  • Row information
  • Column names
  • Columns available to be exposed

When might you not want to create a view?

 The same connection that makes views so useful can also make them risky in some cases. Any change you make in one connected view will show up in the others. For example, say your team has a connected view of the company roster, but your team likes to use silly nicknames internally. If someone changes a legal name to a nickname in your team’s view, that change will also appear in the main company roster. If the data needs to stay separate, create a new table instead.

How do I know what tables already exist in my doc?

 Use the Doc Map in your doc to quickly see every table and page that exists. It's the fastest way to check before creating something new Learn more about Doc Map here.

Can I connect to a table in another doc?

 Yes. Using the Superhuman Docs Cross-doc Pack, you can insert a connected view of any table you have access to into another doc. For example, many companies keep an official roster in a central doc. With Cross-doc, you can bring that roster into your own doc and filter it to show just your team. Learn more about Cross-doc here.

Now what?

 Understanding when to create a view vs. a new table is one of the biggest unlocks for keeping your docs clean as they grow. Here are a few good next steps:

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