Fluid vs rows: dashboard layouts explained

A custom dashboard can arrange its cards in one of two ways: fluid, where cards reflow to fit the screen automatically, or rows, where you decide exactly which cards share each line and how each row lines up. This guide explains both modes, how to switch between them, and when each one is the better choice.

Table of contents

• Where to switch layout
• Fluid layout
• Rows layout
• Starting a new row
• Aligning a row
• How resizing behaves in each mode
• When to use each
• Related articles

Where to switch layout

Open your dashboard, click Edit, and look for the Fluid / Rows toggle in the header. It's a two-button switch: Fluid on the left, Rows on the right. Click either to switch the whole dashboard to that mode. The layout is a property of the dashboard, so the mode you pick applies to every card on it.

Fluid layout

Fluid is the default, and it's the simplest to use. Cards flow left to right and wrap onto the next line automatically when they run out of room, like text filling a paragraph. You set each card's width in grid columns (the grid is 12 columns wide), and SimplyPrint fits as many cards on a line as will fit, then wraps the rest.

Because it reflows on its own, a fluid dashboard adapts well to different screen sizes without any extra work. On a wide monitor more cards sit side by side; on a narrow window they stack. You don't manage rows at all - you just size each card and let the grid arrange them.

Rows layout

Rows layout hands you the control that fluid gives up. Instead of letting cards flow and wrap on their own, you decide which cards share each line, and a card never slips onto a different row than the one you put it in. You also get to align each row independently.

When you first switch a dashboard to rows, SimplyPrint seeds sensible row breaks based on each card's width, so you start from a reasonable layout rather than one giant row. From there, every break is yours to move. A hint appears at the top of the builder in rows mode pointing you to where the per-row controls live.

Starting a new row

In rows layout, where a row breaks is a per-card setting. Open a card's settings (the sliders icon) and tick Start a new row here. That card, and everything after it until the next break, forms a new row.

The very first card on the dashboard always leads the first row, so it can't start a new row - there's nothing above it to break from. Every other card can begin a fresh row whenever you want one.

Aligning a row

Each row can be aligned on its own. You set a row's alignment from the toolbar on the row itself in the builder, not from a card's settings. The options are left, centre, right, and space between, so you can centre a hero row of headline stats, push a row to the right, or spread cards evenly across the full width.

Because alignment is per row, one dashboard can mix a centred banner row at the top with left-aligned detail rows below it.

How resizing behaves in each mode

Resizing a card (the wider, narrower, taller and shorter controls on its toolbar) works the same in both modes: width is measured in grid columns and height in steps. The difference is what happens to the cards around it. In fluid layout, making a card wider can push the next card onto a new line as the grid reflows. In rows layout, the row you defined stays put - the cards keep sharing the line you assigned them, and only wrap if they genuinely can't fit.

When to use each

Reach for fluid when you want a quick, responsive dashboard that just fills the screen and looks tidy on any size of monitor. It's the right default for most dashboards, and for anything shown on a range of devices.

Reach for rows when you want a deliberate, presentation-style layout: a centred headline row, related cards grouped on one line, or an arrangement that should look exactly the same every time. It takes a little more setup, but you get precise control over grouping and alignment.

You can switch back and forth at any time, so it's easy to start in fluid and move to rows later if you decide you want tighter control.

Related articles

• Custom dashboards: build your own fleet overview
• Adding and arranging dashboard cards
• Dashboard card types explained
• Managing dashboards: plan limits, sharing and permissions

Updated on: 11/07/2026