Canvases
Updated
Create a Canvas in the Workbench to arrange research and ideas on a visual board. Add cards, move them into groups, and connect related items.
Add Cards
Open the canvas and choose a control in its toolbar.
| Control | What It Adds |
|---|---|
| Note | A note card, opened for editing |
| Text | A text label directly on the board |
| Add files | Uploaded images, videos or files |
You can also double-click empty board space to create a note, or drag files onto the canvas. Select up to 50 files in one upload batch.
Autumn research
Buyers ask about sizing first
Three of five calls opened with it.
Size guide explainer
vogue.com
Saved URL
How they explain fit
youtube.com
Saved URL
Paste Text or Links
Click the board and paste from your clipboard.
- A URL becomes a link card.
- A YouTube, Vimeo or TikTok URL becomes a video link card.
- URLs on separate lines become separate cards if every line is a URL.
- Other text becomes a note, using its first line as the title.
If a list includes a line that is not a URL, the whole paste becomes one note. You can also paste files from your clipboard.
Upload Files
- Click Add files and select files, or drag them onto the board.
- Wait for the uploads to finish.
- Double-click a resulting card to open it.
| File Type | Maximum Size | Card Type |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF, HEIC, HEIF | 50 MiB | Image |
| MP4, QuickTime video | 512 MiB | Video |
| Other files, including PDF, SVG and WebM | 100 MiB | File |
Maeve checks the file's contents to identify its type. Renaming an extension does not change its card type or size limit.
If you try to leave while uploads are running, Maeve asks you to confirm. Wait for them to finish, or check for interrupted uploads when you return and use the retry option shown on the card.
Edit or Preview a Card
- Double-click the card. You can also press F2 when it has keyboard focus.
- Edit its title and body, and choose a card color if needed.
- Close the editor to save your changes.
You can close with the cross, Escape or a click outside the editor. The editing session counts as one undo step.
On the board, and when you open it
Video you uploaded
On the board
A still with a play button. Pressing it opens the card.
Opened
The video with its controls, and a download.
Video from a link
On the board
Title, text and Saved URL, with a small play glyph.
Opened
Open original video, which opens a new tab.
PDF
On the board
A file card with its size and local file.
Opened
A Preview button, then the PDF inside the card.
Image
On the board
The picture, edge to edge, with no card chrome.
Opened
The picture beside the title and notes, and a download.
A link card has an editable source URL. An uploaded image, video or file has a Download control.
Clicking the play button on an uploaded video card opens the card editor. A video link card keeps the URL and provides Open original video to open it in a new tab. For a PDF, open the card and click Preview to read it inside Maeve.
Connect Cards
- Drag from a connection point on the top, right, bottom or left of a card to another card.
- Select the connection and choose Edit label to describe the relationship.
- Drag the selected connection's handle to adjust its curve.
To remove a connection, select it and choose Delete connection. You can also double-click a connection to edit its label.
Only one connection is allowed between a pair of cards. Text labels cannot have connections. Lines have no arrowheads, so use a label if you need to describe a direction or sequence.
Dragging a connection into empty board space creates a new note connected to the card you started from.
Arrange and Navigate
Drag cards to position them. Use Text for headings on the board; text labels have three size choices and left, center or right alignment.
| Action | Control |
|---|---|
| Zoom | Use the zoom buttons; click the percentage to reset to 100% |
| Pan | Hold Space and drag, or use the scroll wheel |
| Fit the board | Use the fit control with nothing selected |
| Fit selected cards | Select cards, then use the fit control |
| Select several cards | Drag across empty board space, or Shift-click cards |
| Undo or redo | Ctrl+Z or Ctrl+Shift+Z |
| Delete selected items | Delete or Backspace |
The scroll wheel pans the board. Use the zoom controls to change its scale.
Switch to Grid View
Choose Grid in the header to see the cards in a grid. Text labels and connections are left out of this view but remain on the canvas. Choose Canvas to return to your arranged layout.
Your view choice and canvas position are remembered in that browser. A canvas can contain up to 500 cards and 1,000 connections.
Add a Card to a Content Table
- Open the card and choose Add to content table in its top-right controls.
- Select an existing table, or create a new table by entering a name.
- Complete the action to create a draft row from the card.
The draft uses the card's title, with its text and link in the notes. The control then shows In followed by the table name. Open it and choose Open table to go to the table; find the row there.
Use Remove in that control to disconnect the card from the table row. The row and its post remain in the table.
Create a Post From a Card
Open the card and choose Create content to open the composer with its title and text filled in.
For an uploaded image or video, the action is Add to Media Room and create content. It copies the file into the Media Room and attaches it to the draft. A video link card uses Create content because it has a URL rather than an uploaded video to copy.
Managers and Editors can edit canvases they can access. Other workspace roles can view accessible canvases and open cards to read them.
Questions
What can I put on a canvas?
Notes, links, images, videos, files and text labels. Use the toolbar, paste from the clipboard or drag files onto the board.
Can I add a YouTube video without uploading it?
Yes. Paste its URL to create a video link card. Open the card and choose Open original video to watch it in a new tab.
What happens if I paste a list of links?
Each URL becomes a card if every line is a URL. If any line is not a URL, the paste becomes one note.
How big can a file be?
Images can be up to 50 MiB, MP4 and QuickTime video up to 512 MiB, and other files up to 100 MiB. SVG and WebM use the file limit.
Why does my PDF not preview?
PDFs do not preview on the board card. Double-click the card and choose Preview.
How do I open a card?
Double-click it, or press F2 while it has keyboard focus. Close the editor to save your changes.
What are connections for?
Use connections to show relationships between cards. Drag between their connection points, then select the line to add a label or adjust its curve.
What is the grid view?
Grid shows the cards without text labels or connections. Switch back to Canvas to see your arranged layout.
Can I undo deleting a card?
Yes, within the last 40 changes while the canvas remains open. Leaving or reloading clears undo history, and there is no card trash.
How big can a board get?
Up to 500 cards and 1,000 connections.
Can I turn a card into a post?
Yes. Open the card and choose Add to content table to create a draft row, or Create content to open the composer.
Does an image on a card reach the Media Room?
Use Add to Media Room and create content on an uploaded image or video. Maeve copies it into the Media Room and attaches it to the draft.
Who can edit a canvas?
Managers and Editors who can access the page. Other workspace roles can view it and open cards to read them.