Grid Column Types
Choosing the right response format for every question
Every column in a Grid has an output format that dictates two things: what the cells look like, and how the AI answers your question. Picking the right format is the difference between a grid you can sort, scan, and analyze — and a wall of text.
You choose the format from a dropdown when you create the column. Here's each option and when to use it.
Quick reference
Format | Best for |
One or two words | Categorical tags and labels — the sortable backbone of your grid |
A short phrase | One-line answers |
A few sentences | Narrative and summary |
Date | A single calendar date |
Year | A single year |
Whole / decimal number | Clean numeric values — capacity, costs, rates |
True / False | Binary yes/no questions |
One or two words
The sortable backbone of your grid — use it for categorical tags and labels.
Example queries:
- "What is the two-letter abbreviation of this state?"
- "Who is the submitter of this comment?"
- "Does this comment support, oppose, or take a neutral stance?"
💡 Tip: The difference between this, "a short phrase," and "a few sentences" is essentially the length budget you give the model. Use the tightest format your question allows.
A short phrase
One-line answers — a bit more room than one or two words.
Example queries:
- "What is the title of this comment?"
- "What is the title of this report?"
A few sentences
Narrative and summary — the closest format to a normal Halcyon query response.
Example queries:
- "How does this plan incorporate data centers? What does it say they will do for load growth?"
- "Name every plant whose retirement is planned, with expected year."
💡 Tip: Keep these under 50% of your columns. Too much text makes a grid hard to sort and scan.
Date
A single calendar date, e.g. "March 17, 2026."
Example queries:
- "On what day was the plan submitted?"
- "What date is the comment due?"
💡 Tip: Date columns can't return ranges. For a range, make a start-date column and an end-date column.
Year
A single year, e.g. 2026.
Example query:
- "What year does this rate case take effect?"
💡 Tip: Same range limitation as dates — use a start column and an end column.
Whole / decimal number
Just the number, no explanation. Use decimal for money and rates — cents/kWh, 1.5% load growth, $/W equipment costs.
Example query:
- "What is the interconnection capacity in MW?"
💡 Tips:
- Cells don't display units — put the unit in the query ("in millions of dollars") and in the column name ("Capacity (MW)").
- If the answer reflects a calculation, you'll get a citation but not the formula. Don't assume the model did arithmetic correctly — verify anything computed.
- Pair a number column with a "few sentences" column asking about the same fact: the number gives you the clean, sortable value; the sentences give you the context around it.
True / False
Binary yes/no questions.
Example query:
- "Does this IRP include battery storage? True if yes, false if no."
💡 Tips:
- Cells display "true"/"false," never "yes"/"no" — spell out in your query which value maps to which.
- A "–" in a cell means there wasn't enough information to answer confidently. That is not the same as false.
Choosing a format: rules of thumb
- Sortable first. Lead your grid with tags, dates, and numbers; keep narrative columns to the right.
- Tightest format that fits. If a question can be answered in two words, don't give it a few sentences.
- Split ranges. Any "from X to Y" answer needs two columns.
- Numbers + context in pairs. A clean number column plus a narrative companion column is the power-user pattern.
Learn more
- How to Build a Grid — where column setup fits in the build flow
- Grids: Best Practices, Limitations & FAQ — units, ranges, and what "–" means
- Query Best Practices — writing questions the model answers well
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