How to configure a board view

A board shows the instances of one element type as cards, in columns defined by an enumeration property. For a guided walkthrough, see the Board Views tutorial; this page is a task reference.

Create a board

1. Right-click a package in the Explorer → New Board…, or use File → New Board…
2. Pick the element type (the “classifier”) whose instances become cards
3. Name the board, or accept the default
4. Pick the group-by property — an enumeration property (own or inherited)
5. Click Create Board. The board opens.

The element type list is filtered to types that can form columns, so you can’t pick one that won’t work. If a type has exactly one enumeration property it is selected automatically. If no type in the package’s metamodels has an enumeration property, the dialog says so — add one to a type first.

Choose or change the group-by property

The columns come from the group-by property’s enumeration literals. To change it later:

• Use the Group by selector in the board toolbar (shown when the type has more than one enumeration property), or
• Change Group By in the board’s Properties panel

Changing the group-by property resets the column configuration (order, hidden columns, and WIP limits), because the columns themselves change.

Understand the columns

Column	What it is
(No value)	Cards whose group-by property is unset. Dropping a card here clears the value. It can be hidden like any column.
One per literal	In metamodel order by default; reorder or hide via the column chooser.
Orphan column	Read-only, amber-tinted, at the end. Appears when a stored value matches no current literal (e.g. a literal was renamed at M2). Drag/drop is disabled; fix the data or the literal to clear it.

Move and order cards

• Between columns — drag a card to write the group-by value onto its element (drop on (No value) to clear it).
• Within a column — set Order by to Manual, then drag cards to rank them. Manual order persists with the board. In automatic sort modes (Name, Newest first, Recently updated, …) within-column drags don’t persist.

Manage columns

Contributors get column controls:

• Column chooser — show/hide columns and drag to reorder
• Column header menu — Collapse / Expand and Hide Column

Set WIP limits

1. Right-click a column header → Set WIP Limit…
2. Enter a limit (or clear it to remove)

The header count shows count / limit and turns amber when exceeded. Limits warn only — they never block a drop.

Configure cards

• Card fields (toolbar) — choose which property values appear on each card, plus optional audit fields
• Add card — the + at the foot of a column opens the same create dialog used everywhere else, with the type already fixed to the board’s element type. Name the card and click Create Element; it lands in the column you clicked. Tick Create another to add several to the same column without reopening the dialog.
• Card menu — Rename, Diagrams… (where the element appears), and Delete from Model
• Search — filter cards by name

Portability

Boards are saved with their package and survive export/import. The group-by property and card fields are stored as portable $id slugs, and enum literals by their storage value, so a board round-trips through .farki even if display names change.

Notes and limits

• Grouping is by enumeration properties only (boolean/classifier grouping isn’t available)
• Only direct instances of the chosen type are shown, not instances of its subtypes
• Boards are live views — no separate save, undo, or redo; a drop is a property edit
• Viewers get a read-only board