Using whiteboards
You use whiteboards to create designs and develop plans while collaborating or brainstorming in much the same way that you would using a physical whiteboard. There are options to add shapes, lines, text, and freehand drawings. There are also templates available to help you get started quickly.
Creating a whiteboard
The Whiteboards tab is available on all workspaces.
To create a new whiteboard
- In a workspace click the Whiteboards tab.
- Click Create whiteboard or select one of the templates.
- Click Create. A new whiteboard appears.
To add elements (shapes, lines, arrows, text, and so on) to a whiteboard
Do one of the following:
- Click the relevant icon in the center of the view.
- Use our predefined libraries. When you select an element, the element options appear on the left side of the whiteboard.
TIP
Try out the various options by selecting an icon and experimenting. If you want to add text within a shape, click any element that is a shape and then either press Enter or double click in the shape and start typing text.
To change the background color
Click the menu icon > Change background color.
To access the help for the whiteboard
Click the question mark icon at the bottom right.
To reset the whiteboard and start over
Click the menu icon > Wipe the whiteboard.
To save the whiteboard
Click the menu icon > Save.
To copy the whiteboard to the clipboard
Click the menu icon > Copy to clipboard.
To save the whiteboard in PNG, SVG, or JSON file format
Click the menu icon and then select the option.
To rename a whiteboard
Click the menu icon > Rename.
To add images to a whiteboard
Supported file formats are
- AVIF
- BMP
- GIF
- ICO
- JFIF
- JPG
- PNG
- SVG
- WEBP
- Do one of the following:
- Copy the image to your clipboard and then paste it to the whiteboard
- Drag the image file on to the whiteboard
- Click the image icon and then select it from File Manager.
- Move file to desired location on whiteboard.
Adding frames to a whiteboard
Frames can be added via the whiteboards toolbar. You can add elements to frames for better organization, or to limit how much of the element appears, which helps for exports.
To add a frame
- Click the More tools icon.
- Click the Frame tool.
- Drag your cursor on the whiteboard to create the frame.
- Images that you add can be "constrained" in the frame so that only what is in the frame will appear. (Note that the left side text in the lower image "disappears" when the image is positioned in the frame differently from that of the upper image.)
Timer
You can set a timer to limit time spent during brainstorming sessions or retrospectives. This functionality helps users be aware of the time they work on a particular topic. Also, in scenarios where a group of people is collaborating to find consensus, the timer functionality can help the group arrive at a consensus with relative ease.
To set a timer
- Click the timer icon in the upper-right corner of the whiteboard.
- Set the time using the time interval buttons in the timer popup.
- Click Start timer.
Libraries
Whiteboard libraries are a collection of digital tools and resources that can be used to create and collaborate on whiteboard-style diagrams and illustrations. These libraries typically provide a variety of shapes, icons, and other visual elements to create diagrams, flowcharts, mind maps, and other forms of visual representation. You can find the libraries feature in the top right center of the view. When you open the Libraries section you can drag and drop the diagrams and illustrations onto your whiteboard and resize and edit the shapes.
You also have the possibility to add more libraries to the list and also remove those that are not relevant. Visit Excalidraw Libraries where you search for libraries that are relevant to you and download the libraries you want to use. To upload the new libraries into the whiteboard, open Libraries and click on the upload icon to upload libraries from your system. The new library or libraries that are uploaded will then be available in all whiteboards.