Learn how to use the AI Prompt and other tools to design and customize the appearance and layout of your Crust AI snippets.
Design Freedom
One of the core strengths of Crust AI is its design flexibility. Unlike many tools that restrict you to predefined components or layouts, Crust AI allows you to achieve virtually any design you envision for your snippets. This enables you to create truly custom, branded experiences for your end-users, presenting your data in the most effective and visually appealing way possible.
The primary method for customizing the design and layout of your snippet is through simple, natural language instructions using the AI Prompt. You’ll find this prompt input field in Step 3 (“Make It Perfect”) of the Snippet Builder, located directly below the live phone preview.
If you add a new field to your table after initially creating the snippet, you can instruct the prompt to include it in the display. (Remember to potentially refresh the builder page or schema first so Crust AI recognizes the new field).Example Prompts:
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Add the 'Campaign Manager Photo' field next to the Campaign Name
Apply specific styles or show/hide elements based on the data within a record. Crust AI understands your data structure and can apply logic.Example Prompts:
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If the 'Status' field is 'Completed', make the header background green. If the 'Status' is 'Failed', make the header background red.
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Only show the 'Request Revision' button if the 'Status' is 'Pending Approval'
Instruct the AI to add buttons, checkboxes, dropdowns, or other elements that allow users to interact with the data (e.g., update fields).
Learn more:Adding Interactive Elements to Update DataExample Prompts:
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Add a checkbox that allows the user to edit the 'Approved' field
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Allow the user to update the status using a dropdown
Be Specific: Clearly state what element you want to change and how you want to change it. Instead of “Make it look better,” try “Increase the spacing around the client name.”
Use Accurate Field Names: Refer to your data table fields by their exact names for the AI to understand correctly (e.g., use 'Client Email' not just 'email').
One Change at a Time: For complex modifications, it’s often better to break down your request into smaller, sequential prompts rather than one very long instruction. Apply one change, check the preview, then apply the next.
Multiple Items Snippet Consideration
When working with a Multiple Items Snippet, remember that it has both a List View and a Detail View. The AI prompt applies changes only to the view currently active in the preview (Step 3).
What Prompts Cannot Do
While powerful for UI/UX, the AI prompt only affects the snippet’s presentation layer. It cannot be used to:
Modify Data Schema: You cannot add new fields, delete fields, or change field types in your underlying data source table using the prompt. This must be done directly in the data source (Airtable, Notion, etc).
Change Data Selection/Permissions: The prompt cannot alter which records are pulled into the snippet. Filters, Sorting, and Permissions are configured exclusively in Step 2.
Alter Snippet Type: You cannot change a snippet from Single Item to Multiple Items (or vice-versa) using the prompt; this is done in Step 1.
Think of the prompt as your way to style and arrange the data after it has been selected and filtered according to the rules set in Step 2.By leveraging the AI prompt effectively, you can transform the default snippet layout into a highly customized and professional-looking mini-application tailored to your specific needs and branding.