Columns

The grid starts with no columns. Add the ones you want, in order:

resource.Index(index => index.Columns(columns =>
{
    columns.Add(booking => booking.Reference);
    columns.Add(booking => booking.DepartureDate, column =>
    {
        column.Title = "Departs";
        column.Sortable();
    });
    columns.Add(booking => booking.Total);
    columns.Add(booking => booking.Notes, column => column.EmptyText = "No notes");
}));

Without a callback, Add returns the column, so this works too:

columns.Add(booking => booking.Total).Sortable();

How values are shownCopy Anchor Link

Each column picks a display from the property's type. Numbers are right-aligned, dates read like 3 Nov 2026, booleans show an icon, and enums show their [Display(Name)]. To format a value differently, give it a display:

using StellarAdmin.Resources.Displays;

columns.Add(booking => booking.Total, column =>
    column.UseDisplay<NumberDisplay>(number => number.Format = "C"));

The built-in displays page lists them all, with their settings.

Related valuesCopy Anchor Link

A column can read through a navigation property. EF Core loads it in the same query, so you don't need an Include:

columns.Add(booking => booking.Customer!.Name, column => column.Title = "Customer");

Set a Title here, since the default would be Name. A null customer shows the empty text.

If the related type is a resource, you can also add the navigation itself. It shows the record's title:

columns.Add(booking => booking.Customer);

Don't add the foreign key (booking.CustomerId) as a column: that shows the number. Collections, like a trip's tags, need a badge display. See showing related values.

Computed valuesCopy Anchor Link

A column can show any expression, not just a property. Give it a Title, since there's no property to name it after:

columns.Add(booking => booking.Total / booking.Travellers, column =>
{
    column.Title = "Per traveller";
    column.Sortable(booking => booking.Total / booking.Travellers);
    column.UseDisplay<NumberDisplay>(number => number.Format = "C");
});

The value is worked out in memory for each row, after the query. To sort by it, pass the expression to Sortable so the database can sort it.

A computed column without a Title is left out of the grid and reported as a configuration problem.

Your own cell markupCopy Anchor Link

For something no display covers, such as a badge whose colour depends on the value, write a custom display with a grid template. See custom displays.