DesignWorkbook formatting

Workbook settings overview

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You can configure workbook settings that apply to all pages and elements in a workbook. These settings allow you to customize your workbook to best fit your project, brand, and analyses. Within settings, you can:

This document explains how to access your workbook settings, and what options are available for configuration.

For more information on designing workbook layouts, see Design workbook layouts.

User requirements

  • To make changes in a saved or custom view (but not the published version of a workbook), you must be assigned an account type with the Full explore permission.
  • To change and save settings for the published version of a workbook, you must be assigned an account type with the Create, edit, and publish workbooks permission.

For more information, see Account type and license overview.

Access workbook settings

There are multiple ways to access workbook settings. While in Edit mode or working in a custom view:

  • Select the document menu, then select Edit > Show workbook settings.
  • Click the background of your workbook. From the side panel, select Workbook settings.

Theme settings

You can choose a predefined theme for your workbook, or create your own custom theme (see Create and manage workbook themes). Themes encompass a workbook’s color palette, fonts, and title and table text sizes, and are applied throughout the workbook once selected. Individual settings can be further modified.

To select a theme:

  • In Theme dropdown menu, select your desired theme.

Color settings

The Color settings control text, button, background, element, and chart colors in a workbook.

SettingDescription
AppearanceSelect between a Light or Dark theme for a workbook.
Theme colors > Swap presetSet a predefined color theme for workbook text, buttons, background, and charts.
Theme colors > TextSets the color of workbook text for your theme.
Theme colors > HighlightSets the color of buttons, link text, and selection indicators in your theme.
Theme colors > SurfaceSets the color for element backgrounds, borders, and icons in your theme.
Override colors > CanvasSets a custom color for the workbook canvas, different from the canvas color for the theme. Select Clear override to restore the default.
Categorical colors/Sequential colors/diverging colorsThese are color schemes for the charts in your workbook. You can select a predefined palette or set custom colors to use for your charts.
Invert visualization tooltipsInverts the theme’s text and background colors in tooltips.

When you specify a color, you can choose a color from a predefined palette, specify a hex code, pick a color from a window or document open on your computer using an eyedropper, or choose a color from a gradient.

Select Revert to default to undo your changes and reset the settings to the default.

Font settings

The Font settings control fonts throughout the workbook.

SettingDescription
Text fontSets the font for non-data workbook text, like element titles, element descriptions, and table headers.
Data fontSets the font for workbook data. The default is Roboto.
Title fontSets the font size and color of element titles.

Select Revert to default to undo your changes and reset the settings to the default.

Layout style settings

The Layout style settings control the layout of workbook pages and elements.

SettingDescription
Page widthSets the width of all pages in a workbook. The default is Full. Choose Custom to set a maximum width for workbook pages.
SpacingSets the size of spacing between elements.
CornerSets the shape of element corners. Choose from a square, rounded, or pill-shaped corner. The default is round.
Data element style > PaddingSets padding for a data element. Select or deselect the checkbox to add or remove padding around a data or control element.
Data element style > BackgroundSets a custom background color for a data or control element. Set to Auto to match the element background for the theme.

Select Revert to default to undo your changes and reset the settings to the default.

Table style settings

The Table style settings control the format and display of tables, pivot tables, and input tables. For more details about table style options, see Customize table style.

SettingDescription
Table style presetsApplies a preset to configure all table style options.
Cell spacingSets the padding around text within table cells.
Grid linesDetermines how cell borders are displayed.
Banding colorChoose a color to set as the background for alternating data rows.
HeaderFormats table headers.
SubheaderFormats subheaders (applicable to pivot tables only).
CellFormats data cells.

Select Revert to default to undo your changes and reset the settings to the default.

Layout settings

The Layout settings control the workbook layout.

SettingDescription
Always show gridToggles the grid lines on and off. By default, the layouts grid is off, to help you visualize the workbook when it is published. When the grid is off, it is still visible when moving elements on the canvas. When the grid is on, the grid always displays when editing or in a saved or custom view, but is not visible when viewing the workbook.
Custom mobile layoutToggles whether the layout is used for both desktop and mobile devices. For more information, see the Previewing and editing different device layouts in Design workbook layouts.


Select Revert to default to undo your changes and reset the settings to the default.

Manage locales

The Manage locales link opens the Manage locales panel. See Manage workbook localization.