---
title: "Getting started: choosing a form and a View layout"
date: 2026-04-23
updated: 2026-10-30
author: "GravityKit"
link: "https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/view-setup/getting-started-choosing-a-form-and-a-view-layout/"
category: "GravityView > View Setup"
---

When you create a View, you choose the Gravity Forms form whose entries it shows and its View type, the layout those entries appear in, such as a table or a list. You can change either one later.

## Step 1: Choose the form

- Go to **GravityKit**, then **New View**.
- Enter a name for the View.
- In the **Data Source** box, choose your form under **Where would you like the data to come from for this View?**

![Add New View screen with the name Volunteer directory and the Data Source box, the form menu outlined in red next to the Use a Form Preset button](https://www.gravitykit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/gravityview-new-view-data-source.png)
*To switch an existing View to another form later, see [Changing the form a View uses](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/getting-started-gravityview/changing-the-form-a-view-uses/)*
With the [Multiple Forms](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview-pro/multiple-forms/getting-started-with-multiple-forms/) extension, part of GravityView Pro and All Access, the **Data Source** box also has **+ Add Merge Condition**, which joins a second form's entries to the View.

### Starting from a form preset

If you don't have a form yet, click **Use a Form Preset** next to the form menu and pick a ready-made form, such as **Staff Profiles** or **Job Board**. When you publish the View, GravityView creates the form in Gravity Forms, with a name such as "GravityView - Staff Profiles". [What are form presets?](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/getting-started-gravityview/what-are-form-presets/) describes each one.

We recommend building your own form in Gravity Forms first. A preset is a quick way to try GravityView before you do.

## Step 2: Choose a View type

After you choose a form, the **Choose a View Type** box opens below it. Hover over a View type and click **Select**.

![Choose a View Type box with Table, List, and Layout Builder available and DataTables Table, Map, and DIY shown in gray](https://www.gravitykit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/gravityview-choose-view-type.png)| View type | Shows entries as | Included in |
|---|---|---|
| Table | A table, with a column for each field you add | GravityView, GravityView Pro, and All Access |
| List | A list, with each entry in its own block | GravityView, GravityView Pro, and All Access |
| Layout Builder | Rows and columns that you arrange by drag and drop | GravityView, GravityView Pro, and All Access |
| DataTables Table | A table that visitors can sort, page through, and export | GravityView Pro and All Access |
| Map | A list of entries with a map that marks each one | GravityView Pro and All Access |
| DIY | A layout you write in HTML and CSS | GravityView Pro and All Access |

[Comparing GravityView’s View layouts](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/getting-started-gravityview/what-are-the-differences-between-the-view-types/) shows an example of each View type. The [pricing page](https://www.gravitykit.com/pricing/) lists what each plan includes.

View types whose plugin isn't active on your site are gray. Hover over one to try a demo or buy it. If your license already includes it, go to **GravityKit**, then **Manage Your Kit**, and install or activate it there.

When you select a View type, GravityView adds fields from the form to the View, and you can change them before you publish.

**Note**: A new View shows only approved entries, so it stays empty until you approve some. [Managing entry approval in the Gravity Forms Entries screen](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/entry-approval/entry-approval-gravity-forms/) shows how to approve them. To show every entry, approved or not, turn off **Show only approved entries** on the **View Settings** tab of the View's **Settings** box.

## Using a different View type for the Single Entry page

The Single Entry page shows one entry by itself. It uses the View type you chose in Step 2 until you give it another one. For example, a Table View can open each entry as a List.

- In the View editor, click the **Single Entry Layout** tab.
- Click **View type** at the top right of the tab and choose a View type.
- If the tab already has fields, a warning says they will move into the new layout. Click **Continue**, then save the View.

![Single Entry Layout tab with the View type menu open and List selected, the View type button outlined in red](https://www.gravitykit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/gravityview-single-entry-view-type.png)
*[How to change the View layout](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/customizing-your-views/how-to-change-the-view-layout/) covers switching either View type on a View you already have*
Next, read [Getting Started: Adding Fields to the Multiple Entries and Single Entry Pages](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/getting-started-gravityview/getting-started-adding-fields-to-the-multiple-entries-and-single-entry-pages/).