---
title: "Choose and format columns"
slug: "efp-configurator-columns"
updated: 2026-10-09T18:19:48Z
published: 2026-10-09T18:19:48Z
canonical: "help.quickbase.com/efp-configurator-columns"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.quickbase.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Choose and format columns

Step 3 of an embedded report, **Subtable Fields**, decides the report's columns: which fields appear, in what order, how each value is shown, and how wide each column is. Each column can also have its own heading text, alignment, fonts, and totals. You can add an item counter that numbers the rows.

Before you get here, save the report once in step 2. See [Save before you go on](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/efp-configurator-create-embedded-report#save-before-fields).

## The field grid

The grid lists every field of the report's table. It has these columns:

| **Column** | **What it does** |
| --- | --- |
| **Selected** | Select it to show the field as a column in the report. A field you select is added at the end of the column order. Clear it to remove the column. |
| **Order** | The column's position, from left to right. Drag a row by its handle to move it, or edit the number. |
| **FID** and **Field Name** | The field's ID and name in Quickbase. |
| **Type** | How the values are shown. See [Column types](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/efp-configurator-columns#types). |
| **Width** | The column's width in points (72 points is about one inch). The default is 50. If **Automatically resize to fit contents** is on in step 5, Word adjusts the widths to the contents. |
| **Column Label Override** | The column's heading, if you want something other than the field name. For example, *Qty* for a field named *Quantity Ordered*. Enter *NULL* for an empty heading. Colons, periods, vertical bars (`\|`), and commas are removed from headings, because they separate the parts of the report's settings. |
| **Advanced Settings** | Opens more options for that column. See [Advanced Settings](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/efp-configurator-columns#advanced-settings). |

You can filter and sort the grid by any of its columns to find fields in a large table. **Order** and **Width** are required for selected fields and must be 1 or more.

When you change the grid, select **Save** before you go to another step. If you try to leave with unsaved grid changes, the configurator shows *Please save changes/cancel changes before navigating*. To undo grid changes you haven't saved, select **Cancel changes** above the grid.

For Summary and Master Summary reports, the columns are the summary report's columns. They're all selected and keep the report's order. You can still change their type, width, heading, and fonts.

## Column types

Each column's type is set from the field type, and you can change it:

| **Type** | **Shows the value as** | **Default for** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Text** | Text as it is | Text and most other fields |
| **Numeric** | A whole number with thousands separators. Decimals are rounded off. | Numeric fields |
| **Numeric with Decimal** | A number with the field's decimal places |  |
| **Currency** | An amount in the field's currency format | Currency fields |
| **Percent** | A percentage | Percent fields |
| **Date** | A date in the app's date format | Date fields |
| **Checkbox** | A check box | Checkbox fields |
| **Image** | The image, sized to the column width | File attachment fields |
| **Rich Text** | Formatted text, with the field's HTML turned into Word formatting | Rich text fields |
| **Multi-select Text** | The selected choices as a list |  |
| **Bar Code** | A barcode or QR code made from the value |  |

If a numeric field has decimals you want to keep, change its type to **Numeric with Decimal**. For images in reports, see [Including Images](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/efp-images). For barcodes, see [Add barcodes and QR codes in documents](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/efp-barcodes).

## Advanced Settings

Select a field first, then select its **Advanced Settings** button. If the field isn't selected, the configurator shows *Please Select the checkbox first.* The window is titled with the field's name and has two parts.

### Column HEADER Properties

These apply to the column's heading cell:

- **Column Header Alignment**: **Left**, **Center**, or **Right**. If you don't choose one, the table's **Column Header Alignment** from step 5 applies.
- **Font Properties**: **Attributes** (**Bold**, **Italic**, **Underline**, **Strikeout**), **Font Name**, and **Font Size** (3 to 45). If you choose a font name, also choose a size; otherwise the configurator shows *Please select Header Font Size*.

### Column DATA Properties

These apply to the column's value cells:

- **Data Alignment in Column (H)**: **Left** (default), **Center**, or **Right**, plus **Justify** for Text columns. Numeric, Currency, and Percent columns are right-aligned unless you change them.
- **Data Alignment In Column (V)**: **Top**, **Middle**, or **Bottom**. Use it when some rows are taller, for example because of an image or long text.
- **Subtotal** and **Grandtotal**: for Numeric, Numeric with Decimal, Currency, and Percent columns. Select them to add up the column in each group's subtotal row and in the grand total row at the end of the table. You set the rows' labels and colors in step 4. See [Subtotals and grand totals](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/efp-configurator-sorting-grouping-totals#totals).
- **Font Properties**: **Attributes**, **Font Name**, and **Font Size**, as for the heading. If you choose a font name, also choose a size; otherwise the configurator shows *Please select Font Size*. Font properties aren't available for Rich Text columns, which keep the formatting in the field.

Columns without fonts set use the formatting of the `~strid=N~` text in the Word template.

### Bar Code Properties

For a Bar Code column, the data part is titled **Bar Code Properties**:

- **Bar Code Type**: **QR Code** (default), **Data Matrix**, **PDF417**, **Code 39**, **Code 39 Extended**, **Code 11**, **Codabar**, **Code 32**, **Code 93**, **Code 93 Extended**, **Code 128**, **Code 128B**, **Ean8**, or **Ean13**.
- **Bar Code Width** and **Bar Code Height**: the size of the code. The default is 50 for both.
- **Bar Code Text Location**: **None** (default), **Top**, or **Bottom**, to print the value as text above or below the code. Not available for QR Code, Data Matrix, and PDF417.

### Apply the changes

Select **Apply Field Changes** to apply the column's settings to the grid. They're saved to Quickbase when you select **Save**.

## Item counter

An item counter is a column that numbers the rows: 1, 2, 3, and so on. It's available for Detail reports.

1. Select **Include Item Counter**.
2. Under **Include As:**, choose **First Column** (selected for you) or **Last Column**.
3. Optional: select the counter's **Advanced Settings** to set its heading alignment and fonts, its **Data Alignment In Column (H)** and **(V)**, its **Field Width** (default 5), its **Column Label** (default *#*), and its fonts. The column label can't contain a colon. Select **Apply Field Changes**.

The configurator shows *Successfully Saved Configuration Changes* when it saves the counter. To remove it, clear **Include Item Counter**; the configurator shows *Successfully Removed Item Counter*.

## Example

For a purchase order's line items, you select **Item**, **Quantity**, **Unit Price**, and **Line Total**:

| **Order** | **Field Name** | **Type** | **Width** | **Column Label Override** | **Advanced Settings** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Item | Text | 200 |  | Data font Bold |
| 2 | Quantity | Numeric | 50 | Qty | Data alignment Center |
| 3 | Unit Price | Currency | 80 |  |  |
| 4 | Line Total | Currency | 80 |  | Grandtotal |

With **Include Item Counter** set to **First Column**, the table starts with a narrow *#* column that numbers the items.

Next: [Sorting, grouping, and totals](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/efp-configurator-sorting-grouping-totals). If something doesn't work, see [Exact Forms Plus Configurator messages and troubleshooting](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/efp-configurator-messages).

Need help? Submit a [technical support case](https://help.quickbase.com/docs/get-help-from-quickbase-technical-support).