---
url: https://flip-chart.ru/knowledge-base/en/documents.md
description: >-
  A document is a block-based text editor right on a flip: headings, lists,
  checklists, tables, images and code. Create a document from scratch or from a
  template, mention members and objects, import Word and Markdown files and save
  the result as a PDF
---

# How to work with documents on a flip

A document is a block-based text editor on a flip. It is a convenient place for meeting notes, briefs, task descriptions and discussion summaries, right next to your diagrams and stickers. A document consists of a title and blocks: text, headings, lists, quotes, tables, images and code. All members of the flip see changes right away

## How to create a document

1. Select “Document” on the toolbar or press the D key
2. Click an empty spot on the flip — a document of the standard size appears. To set the size right away, hold the mouse button and drag out an area. After the document is created, the flip zooms out on its own so that the whole document fits on the screen
3. Enter a title and start writing in the first block

   ![A new document with the template picker](/images/kb/documents/1.png)

An empty document shows the “Choose a template to start:” picker. Click a template to add a ready-made structure to the document:

* “Retrospective summary”
* “Product brief”
* “Research analysis”
* “Meeting notes”

The template picker disappears as soon as the document contains text. To come back to the document later, click it — the editor opens. To leave the editor, press Esc or click an empty spot on the flip

## How to add blocks

Press Enter at the end of a block — a new empty block appears below. Shift + Enter adds a line break inside the current block

To choose a block type, type “/” in an empty block or click the “+” button next to it — a menu opens:

* “Text”, “Heading 1”, “Heading 2”, “Heading 3”
* “Numbered list”, “Bulleted list”, “Checklist”, “To-do list”
* “Quote”, “Callout”, “Divider”
* “Image”, “Table”, “Code block”

![Block type menu after typing “/”](/images/kb/documents/2.png)

Pick a block in the list with a click, or with the ↑ and ↓ arrows and the Enter key. If you keep typing after “/”, the menu closes and the typed text stays in the block

You can also move elements from the flip into a document: drag an image, a table, a code block, an iFrame, a chart, a Mermaid diagram or a text element between the blocks of the document — a line shows where it will be inserted. An image, a table and a code block can be dragged out of the document back onto the flip the same way

Learn more about these elements in [How to work with tables](/en/tables), [Code block](/en/code-block), [Charts](/en/charts), [Mermaid diagrams](/en/mermaid-diagrams) and [Images and files](/en/images-and-files)

## How to format text

Select a piece of text — a formatting panel appears above it. Use it to:

* Change the block type
* Apply a style: bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, monospace
* Align the block left, center, right or justify it
* Add a link
* Change the text color and the highlight color. “Clear formatting” returns the selection to the default look

Style, color and link apply to the selected text, alignment applies to the whole block. For a “Callout” block, you can change the emoji and the background color

## How to move and convert blocks

Hover over a block — a handle appears to the left of it:

* Hold the handle and drag the block to a new place. A line between blocks shows where it will land. To cancel dragging, press Esc
* Click the handle to open the block menu

![Block menu with the “Turn into..” item](/images/kb/documents/3.png)

The block menu offers these actions:

* “Turn into..” — change the block type and keep its text. For example, you can turn a paragraph into a heading, or a bulleted list into a checklist
* “Move up” and “Move down”
* “Duplicate”
* “Copy link” — copy a link to this block. The link opens the document scrolled to the block. If the block has been deleted, flip shows the message “The block has been deleted”
* “Delete”

A code block, a table, an image and other embedded elements can't be turned into another type

## How to mention members, objects and flips

1. Type “@” in the text of a block — the mention menu opens
2. Choose a tab: “Member”, “Object” or “Flips”
3. To narrow the list, keep typing a name right after “@”. Select the result you need

   ![Mention menu with the “Member”, “Object” and “Flips” tabs](/images/kb/documents/4.png)

On the “Object” tab, you can select a document, a frame or a table — they are shown in one list, and an icon marks the object type. Clicking a mention takes you there:

* Member — the member's card opens
* Frame or table — the flip moves to this object
* Document — this document opens
* Flip — opens in a new tab

If the object has been deleted, the message “Object not found” appears

## “Fullscreen” mode and collapsing

Select a document — a panel with the document title appears above it

* “Fullscreen” — the document opens across the whole work area, and the other elements of the flip are hidden. All editor features are available in this mode. To leave it, click “Back to flip”
* “Collapse document” — a long document collapses and takes up less space on the flip. To bring it back to full view, click “Expand document”

Resize a document with the handles of the selection frame; its height adjusts to the content automatically

## How to import Word and Markdown files

1. Click “Upload” on the toolbar and select a file, or drag a file onto the flip
2. In the window that opens, choose an option and click “Select”. To close the window without importing, click “Cancel”

   ![Window for choosing how to import a Word file](/images/kb/documents/5.png)

For Word files (.doc, .docx), as well as .odt and .rtf, these options are available:

* “Create as document” — an editable document appears on the flip: headings, lists, quotes, text formatting and images are carried over from the file
* “Create as file” — the file is added to the flip for viewing only

For Markdown files (.md), the options are “Create as document” and “Create as code block” — the file contents as text. For plain text files (.txt), “Create as file” is available as well

## How to export a document

Right-click the document, select “Save as...” and choose a format:

* Markdown (.md)
* PDF (.pdf)
* CSV (.csv)

In “Fullscreen” mode, the same formats are available in the “More” → “Save as” menu

## Limits

* Members with “Editing” access can edit a document. With “View” and “Commenting” access, the document opens read-only
* A Word file to import must be no larger than 35 MB
* The number of blocks in one document is limited. If the limit is exceeded, flip tells you that some of the blocks were not saved
* A document can't be rotated
* A table with other elements attached to it can't be dragged into a document