Story Builder documentation

The project dashboard

The project dashboard is a board of cards you arrange yourself, so you can see at a glance where you left off and what in your novel is still unfinished.

Opening the dashboard #

The dashboard is a module. When it is switched on, it has its own place in the project's sidebar. The Contemporary novel, Secondary-world fantasy and TTRPG campaign templates switch it on for you; otherwise, turn on Dashboard in the project's Settings under Modules.

Each project has its own dashboard, and the board belongs to the project: everyone who opens it sees the same cards. A drafting novel and a campaign world can carry completely different boards.

How do I add a card to the dashboard? #

Switch the board to edit mode and add a card from the rail on the right.

  1. In the rail, select Edit mode (the pencil).
  2. Select Add card (the plus). On an empty board, the same button sits in the middle of the page.
  3. Give the card a Card name if you want one, and choose its Card type. A Saved list card also asks for its View, and takes the view's name unless you typed one.
  4. Check the preview and select Add.

What can a dashboard card show? #

Card Shows
Last visited The records you opened most recently in this project, in this browser
Users The people in the project, and who is online
Relation graph A small view of the project's relations
Plotlines The open plotlines you worked on last (completed ones are left out), each with its progress and next beat. Available when Plotlines is switched on
Work suggestions The work suggestions for this project, which you can dismiss from the card
Goal progress Your words today against your daily writing goal, with your streak and the pace a deadline needs. Without a goal, today's words against your recent average. Available when Chapters is switched on
Upcoming events The next five events after the project's current date, counting the next date of a repeating event. Available when Timeline is switched on
Saved list The first five records of a saved list view, each a link to the record, and Open list for the whole view. Hidden while the list's module is switched off
Publication data Whether the story is published, its subscribers, the last published chapters and a link to View analytics

You can add the same type more than once, for example to keep one card near the top of the board and another beside related cards.

How do I keep a saved list view on the dashboard? #

Add a Saved list card and choose the view. The card lists the view's first five records with when each last changed, and Open list opens the list with the view applied. Change the view in its list and the card follows.

The View list offers the views shared with the project, your own views and the Recently edited view of every list whose module is on. Everyone sees the same board, so a card for one of your own views shows its records to you alone; others see that the view is private. When a view is deleted, its card says so: remove the card in edit mode.

To keep a set of records at hand, such as your world's secrets, tag them, save a view of the list filtered by that tag, and add it as a Saved list card.

Arranging the board #

In edit mode, drag a card by its title to move it, drag its edge or corner to resize it, and close it to remove it from the board. Turn on Enable grid snapping in the rail to line cards up on a grid. Select View mode (the eye) when you are done, so the cards stay where you put them.

The layout saves automatically.

Tips #

  • Start with one Last visited card and one Work suggestions card. Add more when you notice a question you keep asking about the project.
  • Put the cards you check first in the top left, where the page opens.
  • A Last visited card is the quickest way back to the record you were in before a break.
  • Use Plotlines to see the next beat to write for each thread before you open a chapter.