Documentation

Column Types

Column types control how a column looks in the spreadsheet and what kinds of values it accepts. They apply to both drillhole template fields and data table columns.

The full list

TypeBadge colourUse forNotes
textgreyShort free-form text — names, codes, identifiersNo length limit but use length validation if you need one
textareagreyLong-form free text — descriptions, notes, observationsRenders multi-line in the spreadsheet
numbergreenInteger values — counts, indicesNo decimal display
decimalgreenNumeric values with decimals — coordinates, grades, percentagesHigher-precision display
dateblueCalendar dates — date_started, sample_dateDate picker UI
dropdownorangeCategorical values — rock_type, hole_statusPredefined option list
checkboxblueTrue/false flags — is_qc_sample, is_plannedYes/no toggle
formulapurpleAuto-calculated values — interval_m, grade_thicknessRead-only; see Formula Columns

Picking the right type

A few common cases:

  • Hole names — text. Add a pattern validation rule if you want to enforce a format like ^DDH-\d{3,5}$.
  • Coordinates and elevations — decimal. Use range validation for sane bounds.
  • Depths (depth_from, depth_to) — decimal. Mark them as Depth From / Depth To so they pin to the left and the depth-interval validation activates.
  • Rock type, alteration class, mineralization style — dropdown. Always — never text for fields you’ll later filter or colour by, since free-text means inconsistent capitalization, typos, and trailing spaces.
  • Sample IDs — text with a pattern validation rule.
  • Boolean flags (is_blank, is_standard, is_dispatched) — checkbox.
  • Recovery, RQD, percentages — decimal with range validation >= 0 && <= 100.
  • Sample/log/start dates — date.
  • Free-form descriptions — textarea.
  • Computed values (interval thickness, contained metal, RQD%) — formula. See Formula Columns.

number vs decimal

Both store numeric values. The difference is in display and intent:

  • number displays without decimals — best for counts and indices
  • decimal displays with decimals (preserved from input) — best for coordinates, grades, percentages, anything continuous

Validation rules apply identically to both. When in doubt, decimal is the safer default for geoscience data.

Dropdown columns have a list of allowed options. To set them up:

  1. Set the column type to dropdown
  2. Click into the column card
  3. Add options one per line — Granite, Basalt, Schist, Sediment

A few practical points:

  • Match capitalisation across imports. If your dropdown options are Granite, Basalt, etc., a CSV with granite (lowercase) imports as blank.
  • Add new options as needed. If you’re logging and discover a new rock type, edit the dropdown options in Data Tables.
  • Use dropdowns for anything you’ll filter, group, or colour by. The 3D Viewer and Strip Log can colour intervals by dropdown value — use a dropdown so colours stay consistent across rows.

When to use a formula

Use a formula column when the value is fully determined by other columns in the same row. Common cases:

  • Interval thickness: depth_to - depth_from
  • Recovery %: core_recovery / (depth_to - depth_from) * 100
  • Contained metal: au_g_t * (depth_to - depth_from) * sg

If you need to override the result occasionally, don’t use a formula — make it a decimal with a default value and let the user adjust per-row.

For full syntax see Formula Columns.