Modals and overlays

Applies to Classic App Builder. A modal displays content above the current page; a slideout opens from the side, and a dropdown opens near its trigger. Use a modal to show record details or a form without navigating away.

This guide uses the existing Classic interface and media. For AI App Builder, use focused edits in Preview.

Before you start

Have a Classic page with a table and a resource containing a unique record identifier, such as Product ID. Use test records to check your bindings before adding write actions.

Create a modal

1. Open Overlays in the builder's top bar.

2. Select + beside the modal option. In earlier Classic layouts, drag modal or slideout from the component sidebar onto the page.

3. Open the overlay and add the components it needs: a Detail component for viewing a record, or inputs for a form.

4. Configure its title, width, and display style. A title can be static or use a dynamic value.

5. Close the overlay editor to return to the page. Reopen it through Overlays when you need to edit it.

Earlier Classic sidebar with modal and slideout components

Overlays entry point in the Classic builder

For the creation walkthrough and display options, see Overlay layouts and Customize an overlay.

Open a modal when a table row is clicked

1. Select the table on the page.

2. Configure its Row click action.

3. Choose Open Overlay and select the modal you created.

4. Add a Detail component inside that modal and select the relevant resource.

5. Filter the Detail component by the record's primary key, binding the filter value to the selected table row's primary key.

For example: the table's selected Product ID is 42, so the Detail component must load the product whose ID equals 42. A matching name is not a substitute for a unique identifier.

Classic table Row click action configured to Open Overlay

Selecting the target overlay in the Classic action settings

Detail component added inside a Classic overlay

Filtering record details using the selected row's primary key

Expected result: clicking a row opens the modal with that record's details. To show details only after a click, place the Detail component inside the modal rather than permanently beside the table.

Open a modal from a button

Select the button, configure its action as Open Overlay, and choose the target modal. See Configure a button action.

For a button that depends on a selected row, ensure a row is selected before opening the modal. Pass the selected record identifier to the overlay and use it to load the intended record.

Pass values into a modal or form

Use Overlay Parameters to pass contextual values from the page. Create a parameter of the appropriate type, supply its value in the action that opens the overlay, and bind the receiving component to it.

For a record-specific form, distinguish the identifier used to choose the record from editable input values. Opening the modal is not the same as submitting the form or updating the record.

See Bind page data to a modal for a worked example and the retained Classic video.

Verify the result

1. Open record A and confirm its identifier and details.

2. Close the modal, then open record B and confirm the displayed data changes.

3. Check a row with an empty optional field.

4. For button-triggered overlays, check the behavior before a row is selected.

5. If you added a save action, test it separately with a synthetic record and verify the intended record changed.

Test with the intended user's permissions. A modal or hidden component does not itself enforce data access.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Check
Modal does not open	The trigger has an Open Overlay action and the correct target
A page opens instead	The trigger is configured for an overlay, not page navigation
Wrong record appears	The receiving component filters by the selected row's unique identifier
Data stays the same between rows	The parameter or filter is bound dynamically rather than to a copied fixed value
Details appear before clicking	The Detail component is on the page instead of inside the overlay
Modal opens but contains no data	Resource, identifier type, empty selection, and user permissions
Form opens but changes are not saved	Opening and submitting are separate actions; inspect the form's submit action

Customize the appearance

Classic overlay width settings

Classic overlay display styles

Classic overlay title configuration

For dynamic titles, see Formulas.

Example of an overlay in an earlier Classic app

Screenshots are retained Classic reference media. The workflow was not re-executed in a Classic test app during this editorial update.