The Basics: How to use Admin Columns

In this chapter of our ‘getting started guide’, we will explain how to use Admin Columns Pro. We will cover the basics necessary to use Admin Columns Pro and will guide you through each feature of Admin Columns Pro.

Admin Columns allows you to manage the content displayed on the WordPress list tables. It also provides additional functionality – such as improved filtering, editing, and exporting – to these list tables which allows you to better manage your content.

Manage columns

Admin Columns can manage the columns that are being displayed on the WordPress list tables, or as we call them ‘table screens’, such as Pages, Posts, Users and the Taxonomy list tables.

Start by going to the list table screen. In this example, we will use Pages. Go to the Pages screen and click the “settings” icon with the “edit columns” tooltip.

Admin Column Settings screen

This will take you directly to the admin columns settings screen for that particular list table. The column settings page will give you an overview of all the columns that are shown on the list table:

You can also go to the column settings by opening: Dashboard > Settings > Admin Columns. And then select the list table from the dropdown menu.

Add or remove columns

You can change which columns are shown on these WordPress list tables: Posts, Pages, Custom Post Types, Users, Media, Taxonomies, and Comments.

Here is how to add such a column:

1. Go to the column settings screen: Dashboard > Settings > Admin Columns.
2. Select a WordPress List Table from the dropdown.
   
3. Click the + Add Column button in the lower right.
   
4. Select the column type by clicking the dropdown menu next to Type. This will show a list of all available column types for the current list table.
   
5. Remove a column by clicking Remove next to the column’s label.
   

Column settings

All columns share some common settings, but also offer unique settings per column type. Below is a screenshot showing the available column settings for a Featured Image column.

1. Common settings

   Each column has settings to set their label and width in pixels or percentages.

   Name	Description
   Type	The currently selected column type. Use the dropdown to change it to another column type.
   Label	Change the label of the column header. Use the icon picker if you want an icon as its label.
   Width	Change the width of the column in pixels or percentages.

2. Unique settings

   Some columns have unique settings that allow you to fine-tune how the content is being displayed. For example, these settings are unique to the featured image column:

   Name	Description
   Display	You can choose to display the featured image or its file size.
   Image Size	Set the dimensions of the image that is shown on the list table.

3. Advanced settings

   A column can do much more than just displaying its content. We added additional functionality that allows you to edit, sort, filter, find and export all your content directly from the list table based on the columns you have added.

   You can click these icons in the column header to toggle functionality for export, sorting, inline/bulk edit, and smart filtering:

   

   Here will explain each feature in more detail:

   Name	Documentation
   Inline Editing	How to use Inline Editing
   Bulk Editing	How to use Bulk Editing
   Sorting	How to use Sortable Columns
   Export	How to use Export
   Smart Filtering	How to use Smart Filtering

Re-order columns

You can change the order of the columns by dragging them.

Settings

The Settings allows you to control the elements on the WordPress list table.

1. Conditionals

   With conditionals, you can make a set of columns available to a specific user or role.

   Tip: When you have roles for different tasks, such as SEO (editor) or development (admin). Then create multiple columns sets and assign them to each role.

2. Hide On Screen

   You will be able to hide items from the list table that you do not want your users to see. 

   

   The result is you have a list table that is better suited for its task. If you do not need search, inline edit, bulk edit, or certain filters, you can now simply hide it from your users. 

3. Preferences

   Horizontal Scrolling

   When you add more and more columns to your WordPress list table, you might run out of space on your screen. It becomes a trade-off between making your content more readable and leaving out certain columns. We wanted you to have both; a lot of information in nice-looking columns on all screen sizes. That’s why we added Horizontal Scrolling, which allows you to scroll the content of the table, not just vertically (from top to bottom), but also horizontally (from left to right).

   

   Sorting

   One of the best features is the ability to sort your content. You can simply click on the column header to sort it ascending or descending. The WordPress default for sorting is usually the title or the date column. Now you can change the default sorting to any column. When you click Reset Sorting or when you visit the list table for the first time it will be sorted by your column of choice.