In addition to number and dropdown input columns, Plan allows you to capture manual input using text, checkbox, and date columns.
You can use text columns to capture free-form input in reports.
To insert a text column:
Go to Planning > Insert Column > Text.

Enter a title and configure the required settings in the side panel that opens when you select Text, as shown below.

After creating the column, double-click a cell to enter text and press enter to save. You can modify a text column to edit its configuration.

Key properties such as Insert As, Input type, Default Value, Allow entry on Totals/Subtotals, Allow Input and Description can be configured as in other data input columns. For more information, see configure data input column properties and configure dropdown properties.
In addition, text columns support the following properties:
Text validation - Validate text input to ensure data quality. You can:



Only text that satisfies the validation rules is accepted. Invalid entries display an error.
| Field Validation | Allowed Text |
|---|---|
| Any Value | Allows numbers, alphabets, punctuation, and special symbols |
| Numeric | Only numbers |
| Non Numeric | Everything except numbers |
| Alpha Numeric | Numbers and alphabets |
| Valid email addresses | |
| URL | Valid URL links |
| Custom | Text that matches the defined pattern |
Checkbox columns or measures are used to capture binary inputs such as selection, approval, or status.
To insert a checkbox column:
Go to Planning > Insert Column > Checkbox


After creating the column, select a checkbox to check or uncheck it. You can modify a checkbox column to edit its configuration.

You can configure checkbox column properties similar to other data input columns. For more information, see configure data input column properties and configure dropdown properties.
Checkbox columns are commonly used for filtering and selection scenarios. For example, you can filter data based on Checked or Unchecked values. The Writeback application within Plan can use these filters to write back only the selected (checked or unchecked) records based on the configured criteria.
Date columns allow you to capture or populate date values in the report.
To insert a date column:
Go to Planning > Insert Column > Date.


To enter a date, double-click a cell and select a value from the date picker or calendar.

You can modify a date input column to update its properties.
You can define properties such as Insert As, Input type, Allow entry on Totals/Subtotals, Allow Input, and Description, similar to other data input columns. For more information, see configure data input column properties and configure dropdown properties.
Additional configurations for date columns include:


Default value: Pre-fill the column with a default date to avoid manual entry. You can set the default value using:


After configuring the properties, select Create to insert the column. You can overwrite the default value by double-clicking a cell and selecting a new date from the date picker.

The default value option is available for both visual measures and visual columns. Invalid date formats are automatically handled as blank values to ensure clean export and writeback.