Everything you need to know to use Mandrel effectively
Welcome! This guide will help you understand and use Mandrel's powerful features. Whether you're managing data, creating collections, or collaborating with your team, you'll find all the information you need here.
Welcome to Mandrel! This powerful platform allows you to create custom data collections and manage content without any coding knowledge. Whether you're tracking inventory, managing contacts, or building internal tools, Mandrel adapts to your needs.
Use the AI chatbot (usually located in the bottom right or sidebar) to ask questions about how to use any feature. It can guide you through complex tasks and answer questions about your data.
If you received default credentials, change your password immediately after your first login. Go to your profile settings to update your password and personal information.
Create unlimited custom data models with flexible field types including text, numbers, dates, dropdowns, and references to other collections.
Design beautiful forms using drag-and-drop interface. Organize fields into groups and tabs for better user experience.
Control access with granular permissions. Create custom roles with specific read, create, edit, and delete permissions for each collection.
Build custom navigation menus that link directly to collections with different actions. Supports hover actions and permission-aware visibility.
Built-in validation with custom rules, required fields, unique constraints, and regex patterns to ensure data quality.
Session management, rate limiting, caching, email integration, and audit trails for enterprise-grade deployment.
Collections are the foundation of Mandrel. Think of a collection as a customizable database table where you define what information you want to track. Each collection has fields (columns) and records (rows of data).
Example: If you want to track products, you'd create a "Products" collection. You might add fields like: Name (text), Price (decimal), In Stock (boolean), Category (dropdown), and Supplier (reference to a Suppliers collection).
Plan your collection structure carefully. While you can add new fields later, removing fields with existing data requires careful consideration.
Short text up to 255 characters
Best for: Names, titles, short descriptions, codes, email addresses
Long text with no length limit
Best for: Descriptions, notes, comments, articles, addresses
Whole numbers only (no decimals)
Best for: Quantities, ages, counts, years, IDs
Numbers with decimal points
Best for: Prices, percentages, measurements, ratings
True/false or yes/no values
Best for: Active status, flags, toggles, is completed
Unique identifier automatically generated
Best for: Primary IDs, tracking codes, unique references
Date selection (no time)
Best for: Birthdays, deadlines, start dates, event dates
Date and time combined
Best for: Appointments, timestamps, scheduled events
Time only (no date)
Best for: Opening hours, duration, time slots
Select from predefined options
Best for: Status, category, priority, type, department
Link to another collection
Best for: Relationships like Customer→Orders, Product→Category
Track products in your store or warehouse:
Manage customer or client contacts:
The Form Builder lets you create custom layouts for data entry forms without any coding. Organize fields into logical groups and tabs for better user experience.
Full system access, can create other super admins and manage all collections.
Can create collections, manage users, and create custom roles.
Access limited to assigned collections with specific permissions.
Use the tab key to quickly navigate between form fields for faster data entry.
All changes are tracked in the audit log. You can view who made changes and when in the Audit Logs section (if you have access).
Deleting records is permanent and cannot be undone. Make sure you want to delete before confirming.
Mandrel includes an intelligent AI assistant to help you work with your data more efficiently.
Connect data across collections using reference fields to create powerful relationships.
Some collections support parent-child relationships for organizing nested data.
Run custom SQL queries on your data to generate insights and reports.
Analytics features are only available to users with appropriate permissions. Contact your administrator if you need access.
This usually means you don't have permission to access that collection. Contact your system administrator to request access with the appropriate permissions.
Check that all required fields (marked with *) are filled in. Also verify that unique fields don't contain duplicate values. If the error persists, contact your administrator.
Click "Forgot Password" on the login page and enter your email. You'll receive a link to reset your password. If you don't receive the email, check your spam folder or contact your administrator.
Data export capabilities depend on your permissions. Admins can access the Analytics feature to run queries and export results. Contact your administrator for specific export needs.
Your permissions determine what actions you can perform. If a button or action is not visible, it means you don't have permission for that operation. The system automatically hides features you can't access.
Ask the AI chatbot any questions about using Mandrel. It can provide instant help and guidance for most common tasks and questions.
For permissions issues, technical problems, or feature requests, reach out to your system administrator who can help resolve your specific needs.
| Add new record | Click "Add New" button |
| Edit record | Click "Edit" or double-click row |
| Delete record | Click "Delete" and confirm |
| Save changes | Click "Save" button |
| Access collections | Use left sidebar menu |
| Admin features | Admin section in sidebar |
| View profile | Click user icon/name |
| Sign out | Profile menu → Sign Out |