How to create and use saved views in New Lists

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Overview

Create and manage saved views to quickly access your preferred List configurations. In New Lists, saved views now preserve filters and sorts along with column selections, and support view variants that maintain compatibility with Classic Lists while enabling advanced features.

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Prerequisites

• Access to a List in Affinity
• Understanding of filters and sorts (optional but helpful)
• Edit permission on the List for creating views

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Steps

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Part 1: Create a New Saved View

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Step 1: Configure Your View

Columns are shown and hidden from Customize in the toolbar. Fields are grouped by where they come from — List Specific, Global, Activity Enriched, Affinity Data and each connected provider — and the Visible tab lists only what’s currently on the view.

1. Open the List where you want to create a saved view
2. Apply your desired configuration:

• Filters: Set up filter conditions (see How to Filter and Sort in New Lists)
  • Sorts: Add sort orders (up to 5 in New Lists)
  • Columns: Show/hide columns using Customize View panel
  • Column order: Drag columns to reorder
  • Column width: Resize columns as needed Tip: Test your configuration before saving to ensure it shows the data you want

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Step 2: Save the View

You can also start a brand new view from the + button beside the view tabs, which lets you pick the view type up front.

1. Click the Save button (appears when you have unsaved changes)
2. The Save View modal appears
3. Click Save

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Step 3: Verify View Creation

1. Your new view appears in the view selector dropdown
2. Click the view selector to see your new view in the list
3. Views are in alphabetical order, with an icon to indicate if private or shared. First save in New Lists creates a variant: Given that the filtering and sorting in New Lists is not compatible with Classic Lists, the first time you save in New Lists, you’ll see a confirmation that you’re creating a New Lists variant separate from Classic Lists. This is normal and allows both experiences to work simultaneously.

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Part 2: Use and Switch Between Views

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Switching Views

1. Click the view selector dropdown (shows current view name)
2. Select any view from the list:

• Pinned views: Appear at top with pin icon (team defaults)
  • Your private views: Your personal views
  • Shared views: Team views everyone can access

1. List immediately updates to show that view’s configuration

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Using View Variants (New Lists Only)

A variant is created the first time you save this view in New Lists. Affinity explains what’s about to happen before it does: While a view is still shared with Classic, the view header shows Linked to Classic. Once you proceed, that view’s New and Classic configurations are independent — and only that view is affected, not the whole list. If a view has both New and Classic variants:

1. Check the label in the view header
2. Toggle between:

• New Lists variant: Advanced filters, more sorts, New Lists features
  • Classic Lists variant: Simpler configuration, Classic-compatible

1. Use whichever variant suits your current needs When to use each:

• New Lists variant: When you need advanced features or more control
• Classic variant: When sharing context with Classic Lists users or wanting simpler setup

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Part 3: Update an Existing Saved View

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Step 1: Make Changes

1. Open the view you want to update
2. Make your changes:

• Add/remove filters
  • Adjust sorts
  • Show/hide columns
  • Reorder or resize columns
• Unsaved changes indicator appears

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Step 2: Save

To save changes:

1. Click Save button
2. Click Save changes
3. View updates for everyone with access (if Shared) Permission note: If Save is disabled, you don’t have edit permission. Duplicate the view to create your own editable copy.

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Part 4: Save as a New View

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When to Save as a new view

• Experimenting without affecting shared team view
• Creating personal variant of team view
• Testing filter combinations before committing
• Building multiple similar views for different purposes

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Step 1: Duplicate the View

1. Open the view you want to duplicate
2. Click the Sheet View Menu (the … button at the right-hand end of the view toolbar)
3. Select Save as new sheet view — or Save as new board view to turn the current configuration into a board
4. Duplicate modal appears

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Step 2: Name and Save Duplicate

1. Default name: “Copy of ORIGINAL”
2. Rename to something descriptive
3. Duplicated view includes:
4. All Classic Lists configuration
   • If duplicated in New Lists AND original has New variant: New Lists variant too
   • If duplicated in Classic OR original has no New variant: No New variant (starts Linked to Classic)
5. Click Save

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Step 3: Customize Duplicate

1. Make changes to your duplicated view
2. Save changes
3. Original view remains unchanged

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Expected Outcome

• Saved views that instantly load your preferred configurations
• Ability to switch between multiple perspectives on your data
• Shared views enabling team collaboration and standardization
• Private views for personal workflows and experimentation
• View variants maintaining both New Lists and Classic Lists compatibility
• No need to recreate filters, sorts, or column layouts manually

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Tips & Best Practices

View Creation:

• Test before saving: Verify filters show expected data
• Name descriptively: “West Coast Active Deals” not “View 1”
• Start Private: Test personally before sharing with team
• Use duplication: Copy and modify rather than editing team views View Management:
• Delete unused views: Keep view selector clean
• Review quarterly: Archive or delete stale views
• Document complex views: Add notes in team wiki if filters are intricate
• Communicate changes: Tell team before updating shared views Permissions Strategy:
• Toggle OFF for team views: Prevents accidental changes
• Toggle ON for collaborative views: When team co-manages configuration
• Private for experiments: Test before sharing
• Duplicate before editing: Never change team views directly Naming Conventions:
• Include owner: “Sarah’s Portfolio Review”
• Include purpose: “Data Cleanup - Empty Fields”
• Include geography: “EMEA Prospects”
• Include time: “Q4 2025 Pipeline” Working with Variants:
• Use New Lists variant: When you need advanced filters or more sorts
• Use Classic variant: When collaborating with Classic Lists users
• Version toggle: Switch between variants as needed

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Common Use Cases

Weekly Pipeline Review: “I need the same filtered view every Monday showing active deals sorted by last contact.” → Create saved view: Status = Active, Sort by Last Contact (newest first), Name = “Weekly Pipeline Review”, Share with team. Personal Follow-up List: “I want my own view of companies I haven’t contacted in 30+ days.” → Create private view: Owner = Me, Last Contact = Not within last 30 days, Sort by Last Contact (oldest first). Team Standardization: “Our Monday meetings need everyone looking at the same filtered pipeline.” → Create shared view with meeting criteria, Pin for team, Set toggle OFF to prevent accidental edits. Experimentation: “I want to test different filter combinations without messing up the team view.” → Duplicate team view, make changes to duplicate, test thoroughly, then either delete or save for personal use.

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