Fields are an important concept in Timetoast Unbound. They define the kind of information you store in a project. Most fields appear as columns in grid view and as properties on your items in the horizontal and vertical timeline views.
You can add, remove and rename fields allowing you to shape your project to fit your specific needs.
Below is an overview of each field type, when to use it, and how it behaves in views, filters and sorting:
Short text
What it is
A single-line text field for concise bits of information. Short text fields are limited to about 150 characters.
Best for
Item titles or headings
IDs, codes or short references
Labels like “Owner”, “Client” or “Phase”
Views, filtering and sorting
Can be used for sorting alphabetically (A–Z / Z–A)
Can be used in filters (e.g. “Title contains ‘Q4’”)
Single-select
What it is
A field where you pick one option from a predefined list.
Best for
Status (Planned, In progress, Done)
Priority (Low, Medium, High)
Owner or team, when each item belongs to exactly one
Views, filtering and sorting
Shows as a pill or label in Grid and timeline views
Great for filtering (e.g. show only “In progress” items)
Can be sorted by the order of options you define (e.g. Not started → In progress → Done)
Multi-select
What it is
A field where you can choose several options from a predefined list.
Best for
Tags or categories
Teams or stakeholders
Topics, themes or workstreams
Views, filtering and sorting
Shows as multiple pills/labels in Grid and timeline views
Very useful for filtering (e.g. items tagged “Marketing” or “Legal”)
Sorting is usually less meaningful, as items can have several values but will use the first option (by position) when sorting
Number
What it is
A numeric field for amounts and scores. Supports whole numbers and decimals.
Best for
Cost, budget or spend
Effort estimates or story points
Counts (e.g. “Attendees”, “Deliverables”)
Scores or ratings
Views, filtering and sorting
Shows as a numeric value in Grid and timeline views
Can be sorted numerically (smallest to largest, or reverse)
Timeline
What it is
A date field with a start date and an optional end date. This is what places items on timeline views.
Best for
Start and end dates for tasks or milestones
Project phases and sprints
Historical periods and ranges
Views, filtering and sorting
Powers the horizontal and vertical timeline views
Items with only a start date appear as points
Items with start and end dates appear as spans
Can be sorted by earliest or latest date in Grid view
Medium text
What it is
A multi-line text area for slightly longer content, up to about 800 characters.
Best for
Short notes and explanations
Brief requirements or acceptance criteria
Summaries and clarifications
Views, filtering and sorting
Shows as multi-line cells in Grid view and on item detail panels
Generally not used for sorting beyond basic alphabetical
Most useful for reading context; can be included in text-based filters
Rich text
What it is
A formatted text field (up to about 800 characters) that supports basic styling like bold, lists and links.
Best for
Descriptions and background context
Meeting notes or decisions
Links to external documents or tickets
Views, filtering and sorting
Shows with formatting in item detail panels and selected views
Not usually used for sorting
Helpful for context rather than structured filtering
Image
What it is
A field for uploading one image per item. Supports JPG, PNG and GIF.
Best for
Visual references (designs, diagrams, screenshots)
Photos of people, places or artifacts
Logos, icons or cover images
Views, filtering and sorting
Shows as a thumbnail in Grid and timeline cards where supported
Not used directly for sorting or filtering
Makes timelines and grids easier to scan visually