Collection configuration

Collection configuration controls everything about how a collection appears and behaves in Forest, from its name and icon to which fields are searchable, how records are sorted by default, and what actions are available. Most settings are configured visually through the Layout Editor or the collection’s Settings panel.

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Collection settings

Access collection settings by entering Layout Editor mode and clicking the ⚙️ gear icon next to a collection name in the sidebar.

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Table view configuration

The table view is the primary way operators browse records. Configure it to show the right information at a glance:

• Column selection, choose which fields appear as columns
• Column ordering, set the left-to-right order of columns
• Column width, adjust how much space each column takes
• Default sort, define which field is sorted by default and in which direction
• View density, switch between compact and comfortable row height

These settings are managed in the Layout Editor.

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Record display

When an operator clicks a record to open it, Forest shows a detail view. Configure:

• Summary field, which field value appears in breadcrumbs and relationship pickers (typically a name or identifier)
• Related collections, which HasMany relationships appear in the detail view and in what order

To set the summary field, go to collection settings and select a field from the “Record title” dropdown.

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Segments

Segments are pre-filtered views of a collection, like “Active users”, “Pending orders”, or “High-risk transactions”. Operators can switch between segments from the collection’s navigation bar. Configure segments in the Segments tab of the collection settings:

• Create a segment, define a filter condition (no-code) or write a Smart Segment (code)
• Reorder segments, drag to set the display order
• Set a default segment, the segment that loads when the collection is opened
• Segment permissions, control which teams can see each segment

See Creating Segments for details on building segment conditions.

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Filters

Operators can filter collection records using the filter panel. Configure:

• Available filters, which fields appear as filter options
• Filter presets, saved filter combinations that operators can apply in one click

Filter presets are shared across the team. Create them by applying a filter in the collection view and clicking Save filter.

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Actions configuration

Actions are buttons that operators can trigger on records. In collection settings, control:

• Action visibility, show or hide specific actions for this collection
• Action ordering, set the display order in the action menu
• Action permissions, managed through Roles & Permissions

Both built-in actions (create, edit, delete, export) and actions appear here.