Slices: The Essentials

When you show the contents of a table in your app, you do not need to show every row, every column, and every action. Instead, you can slice the data, choosing to show only a subset of the rows, columns, and actions.

• What is a slice?
• Add a slice
• Add a slice when configuring a view
• Configure a slice
• Copy a slice
• Preview a sample of the data in a slice
• Rename a slice
• Delete a slice

What is a slice?

A slice is a subset of the rows, columns, and actions of a table. A slice definition has five components:

• The table it's based on (required)
• Does the slice permit adds, deletes, and updates? (required)
• The subset of rows it retains from the table (optional)
• The subset of columns it retains from the table (optional)
• The subset of actions it retains from the table (optional)

It's important to note that a slice does not need to subset rows, columns, and actions. In fact, it's common to subset just the rows or just the columns or actions as appropriate.

Slices are most useful when you want to create a view of part of a table. For instance, if you have a table that's a list of people, you might have columns for their first name, last name, birthday, address, and phone number. However, if you only want to see their first name and phone number in a view, you can add a slice that filters out all the columns in the person table except for first name and phone number.

Another use for slices is to define a logical subset of a table that can then be used in other expressions (such as a Valid_If column constraint or in an automation workflow). For this usage scenario, slices usually use row filters but do not subset the columns or actions.

Remember, once you define the slice, you still need to use this slice in a UX view.

Add a slice

See also: Add a slice when configuring a view

To add a slice:

1.  Open the app in the editor.
2. Go to Data  and click + associated with the table for which you want to add a slice.
   We've made some improvements to the app editor.
   You are opted in to the new editor by default, but you can switch back to the legacy editor at any time.

   If you are using the legacy editor

   Navigate to Data > Slices and click + New Slice.
3. Choose from the list of suggestions or click Create a new slice.
   AppSheet understands user intent and recommends slice configurations that align with what you are trying to achieve.
4. Configure the slice.
5. To preview the rows and columns of data your slice contains, select the View Data button. 
6. Create a view for the slice.
7. Save your app.

Repeat these steps to add multiple slices.

Add a slice when configuring a view

To add a slice when configuring a view:

1. Open the app in the editor.
2. Create a view.
3. When selecting a table for a view in the For this Data field, do one of the following:
   • Click + in the drop-down adjacent to the table for which you want to add a slice.
     
     
   •  Click Use slices to filter your data. (You can dismiss this hint at any time.)
     
     
4. Choose from the list of suggestions or click Create a new slice for tablename.
   AppSheet understands user intent and recommends slice configurations that align with what you are trying to achieve.
5. Configure the slice.
6. Save your app.

Configure a slice

Configure the slice by using the settings described in the following table.

Setting	Description
Slice Name	Unique name for the slice.
Source Table	Table to use as the source.
Row filter condition	Expression that determines whether a row should be included in the slice. For details, see Slice row filter conditions.
Slice Columns	Columns to include in the slice. For details, see Slice columns.
Slice Actions	Actions to be included in the slice. For details, see Slice actions.
Update mode	Slice permissions. To enable changes, select one or more of the following: Updates, Adds, and Deletes. To provide read-only access, click Read-only.
Descriptive comment	Description of the slice.

 

The following provides an example of a completed slice in the National Parks app that uses a Yes/No expression which in this example resolves to TRUE (Yes) or FALSE (No).

Copy a slice

When you copy a slice, by default the slice is named slicename n, where n is incremented by 1 each time you copy the slice.

To copy a slice:

1. Open the app in the editor.
2. Go to Data .
3. Select the slice you want to copy in the Data panel.
4. Select More > Duplicate.

We've made some improvements to the app editor.
You are opted in to the new editor by default, but you can switch back to the legacy editor at any time.

If you are using the legacy editor

To copy a slice:

1. Open the app in the editor.
2. Go to Data > Slices.
3. Expand the slice that you want to copy.
4. Click Copy in the slice header.

Preview a sample of the data in a slice

Display a sample of the data in a slice in a separate tab.

To view a sample of the data in a slice:

1. Open the app in the editor.
2. Go to Data .
3. Select the slice you want to view in the Data panel.
4. Click Preview data.

We've made some improvements to the app editor.
You are opted in to the new editor by default, but you can switch back to the legacy editor at any time.

If you are using the legacy editor

To view a sample of the data in a slice:

1. Open the app in the editor.
2. Go to Data > Slices.
3. Expand the slice that you want to view.
4. Click View data in the slice header.

 Rename a slice

 To rename a slice:

1.  Open the app in the app editor.
2. Go to Data > Slices.
3. Position your cursor over the slice in the Data pane and select More > Rename.
   Alternatively, you can double-click on the slice name in the Data pane.
4.  Edit the name and press Enter.
5. Save the app.

If you are using the legacy editor

 To rename data:

1.  Open the app in the app editor.
2. Go to Data > Slices.
3. Expand the slice you want to rename.
4. Edit the Slice name field.
5. Save the app by selecting one of the following:
   • Save - Save the app.
   • Save & verify data - Save the app and verify that it is runnable based on external dependencies.

Delete a slice

To delete a slice:

1. Open the app in the editor.
2. Go to Data .
3. Select the slice you want to delete in the Data panel.
4. Select More > Delete.

We've made some improvements to the app editor.
You are opted in to the new editor by default, but you can switch back to the legacy editor at any time.

If you are using the legacy editor

To delete a slice:

1. Open the app in the editor.
2. Go to Data > Slices.
3. Expand the slice that you want to delete.
4. Click Delete in the slice header.