What are Tables?

A table is like the brain of your app. It keeps everything organized behind the scenes so your users see the right things at the right time. If you're building something like a client portal, CRM, or inventory tracker, you'll need an easy way to store and manage your data—that's where tables come in.

Why do you need tables?

Imagine your app is a filing cabinet. Without folders and labels, it would be chaos. A table works the same way—it helps you store your information in a clear, structured way.

Here's why it matters:

• Keeps things organized: You can track people, products, tasks—whatever your app needs.

• Shows the right info to the right user: For example, a client only sees their own projects.

• Updates automatically: When someone adds or changes something, your app reflects it right away.

Starting with tables helps you figure out what kinds of information your app needs, how different pieces connect, and how they'll change over time.

Tables, Records, and Fields

Tables are actually pretty simple once you break them down:

• Tables: Think of these as folders. Each table holds a group of similar items, like a list of customers or products.

• Records: These are individual items in your table. One customer = one record.

• Fields: These are details about each item. A customer might have a name, email, and company name.

You can mix and match different field types—like text, numbers, dates, and even images—to match your app's needs.

Linked (Related) Records

Let's say you have two tables for your business:

• One lists your customers

• The other lists the orders they've placed

Now you want to know:

👉 Which customers placed which orders?

👉 And which orders belong to which customers?

That's where linked records (also called relationships) come in. They let your tables talk to each other so you can connect the dots without copying and pasting the same info everywhere.

Instead of managing scattered bits of data, linked records help you build a clear, connected view of your work. For example:

• On a customer's record, you can instantly see all their past orders

• On an order's record, you can check which customer placed it and when

Learn more about relationships, rollup fields, and lookup fields.

CRM Database Example

Here is an example of a database structure for a simple CRM. This setup lets you track companies, contacts, and deals all in one place.

Tables:

• Companies

  • Fields: Company Name, Industry, Website, Contacts (Linked to Contacts table)

• Contacts

  • Fields: Full Name, Email, Phone Number, Company (Linked to Companies table), Deals (Linked to Deals table)

• Deals

  • Fields: Deal Name, Value, Status, Close Date, Contact (Linked to Contacts table)

If you have not created a structured database yet, we recommend first defining the database structure before you start building it, so you can consider what information you want to display to your users and what tables and fields you will need.

What data sources should you use?

You can set up your database in different ways depending on what works best for you:

• Noloco Tables: Easy to use, built right into your app, and great for performance. Perfect if you're starting from scratch.

• External data sources: Already using tools like Airtable, Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, or MySQL? You can connect those to Noloco right away. Explore available data sources.

• Multiple sources: You don't have to restrict yourself to one database; you can connect different data sources to bring all your data into one place.

Tip: If you want to streamline your app and data storage in one tool, you can import your data into Noloco Tables and store it all in one place.