How to add and manage columns

Add, move, and remove the columns of a journey map so its steps line up with the way your experience actually unfolds.

Columns are the steps of your journey map, running left to right across the canvas and grouped under the stages above them. Add, move, and remove them from the three-dot menu at the top of any column.

Columns are the steps; stages group them, and a three-dot menu sits above each column

Each column is one step, and cards snap to columns. A card can fill a single column or span several, depending on how much of the journey it covers.

In this guide

1. How to add a column

2. How to move a column

3. How to select every card in a column

4. How to delete a column

5. How cards span columns

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How to add a column

There are two ways to add a column, and there's no limit on how many you add:

• Hover between two column headers at the top of the map until a blue plus-button appears, then click it. This inserts a column right at that spot, which is the quickest way to add a step in the middle of a journey.

• Open a column's three-dot menu and click Add column right to add an empty column immediately to the right of that one.

The column menu: Add column right inserts an empty column

Important: Inserting a column shifts the cards to its right

Adding a column pushes existing content one step to the right. A card that spans several columns only shifts if you insert the new column at the card's starting column; insert it part-way through the span and the card stretches to cover the new column instead.

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How to move a column

Open the column's three-dot menu and click Move column left or Move column right. The column and everything in it swaps places with its neighbour, one step at a time.

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How to select every card in a column

Open the column's three-dot menu and click Select all cards to select every card in that column at once. From there you can tag them, assign personas, recolour them, or delete them together.

See How to bulk edit cards for what you can do with a selection.

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How to delete a column

Open the column's three-dot menu and click Delete column. The column and every card in it are removed, and the columns to its right shift left to close the gap.

Important: Deleting a column removes its cards too

Everything in the column goes with it, so move any cards you want to keep into another column first.

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How cards span columns

Cards snap to the column grid, and a single card can span more than one column when its content covers several steps. A stage card stretches across the steps that make up one phase; a text card can span columns to label a process that runs over several steps.

Spanning is set on the card itself, and the steps differ a little by card type:

• How to use stage cards - Span a chevron-shaped stage card across the step columns its phase covers.

• How to use text cards - Expand or shrink a text card across columns to build a process bar.

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Related topics

How to add and manage lanes

Add, rename, reorder, and remove the lanes that cross your columns.

How to use stage cards

Group your step columns into phases with chevron-shaped stage cards.

How to use text cards

Span a text card across columns to label a process or phase.

How to add and edit cards

Add cards to a column and edit the mechanics every card type shares.

How to bulk edit cards

Select every card in a column and apply tags, personas, or colour in one go.