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# Run column actions from a column's 3-dot menu

> Open a column's 3-dot menu in Mammoth to format, sort, freeze or highlight it, and run type-specific actions that add pipeline tasks or Display Changes.
>
> Applies to: Where: View › data grid › column header › 3-dot menu

Click the **3-dot menu button** in any column header to open its **Column Menu**. Format, sort and visibility changes are Display Changes on this View; most actions open a function panel with your column pre-selected and add a pipeline task. The menu closes after you pick an action; reopen it for the next one.

## What is in the column menu

The menu has five zones, top to bottom:

1. **Format**: layout depends on the column type. See [Rename, format and sort columns](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/rename-format-sort/).
2. **Sort**: a dropdown to sort ascending or descending.
3. **Conditional Highlights**: opens the Conditional Highlights panel for this column. See [Highlight values with colour](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/highlight-values/).
4. Display checkboxes: **Show Whitespaces** (TEXT columns only) and **Freeze** (all types).
5. Action list: type-specific operations, then a divider, then common operations.

For a TEXT column whose values look like JSON, the menu opens with an **Extract JSON** shortcut at the top and tucks everything else under **More options**. See [Work with text and JSON](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/text-and-json/).

## Which column menu changes stay local to this View

| Change | Scope | Who else sees it? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Format a number or date column (currency, percentage, decimals, date format) | Display Change (this View) | Other Views keep their original formatting |
| Format a text column (change case, normalize whitespace) | Pipeline task (this View) | Adds a Text Formatting task to this View's pipeline |
| Sort ascending or descending | Display Change (this View) | Saved with the View and listed under **Grid Changes** in Display Changes |
| Hide column | Display Change (this View) | Other Views still show the column |
| Rename column (display alias) | Display Change (this View) | Other Views still use the original name |
| Freeze column | Personal setting (this View) | Saved for you in this View; it doesn't change the View for others |
| Duplicate column values | Pipeline task (this View) | Adds a Copy Columns task |
| Apply Filter with this Column | Pipeline task (this View) | Adds a Conditional Filter task |
| Remove Column | Pipeline task (this View) | Adds a Remove Column task; suspend or delete it to bring the column back |

## Actions for TEXT, NUMERIC and DATE columns

When you pick one of these, the function panel opens with your column pre-selected. Configure it and click **Apply** to add it to the pipeline.

| Column type | Operation | What it does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TEXT | **Label & Insert Values** | Set all cells in the column to a fixed value or expression |
| TEXT | **Split this column** | Break the column into several columns using a delimiter |
| TEXT | **Bulk Replace** | Find and replace multiple patterns at once across the column |
| TEXT | **Extract Text** | Pull out a substring based on position or regex pattern |
| TEXT | **Combine with another column** | Merge this column with another, with an optional separator |
| NUMERIC | **Label & Insert Values** | Set all cells in the column to a fixed value or expression |
| NUMERIC | **Math Function** | Apply a formula to the column |
| NUMERIC | **Calculate running total** | Compute a cumulative sum across rows in order. Row order matters for a cumulative sum. |
| NUMERIC | **Ranking** | Assign rank values based on numeric order |
| DATE | **Label & Insert Values** | Set all cells in the column to a fixed value or expression |
| DATE | **Extract Date Part** | Pull out a part such as year, month, day or quarter |
| DATE | **Add / Subtract Date Values** | Add or subtract days, months or years |

## Actions on every column

| Operation | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Apply Filter with this Column** | Opens a filter pre-set for this column |
| **Duplicate column values** | Opens Copy Columns to add a copy of the column |
| **Convert Column Type** | Changes the data type (TEXT, NUMERIC, DATE) |
| **Add New Column to the right** | Inserts a blank column after this one |
| **Rename Column** | Opens an inline box to set a display name for this View |
| **Revert to original column name** | Removes the display name (only after a rename) |
| **Hide Column** | Takes the column out of this View without deleting data |
| **Remove Column** | Opens Remove Column; applying adds a task that removes the column from this View |

## Troubleshooting the column menu

The 3-dot button is disabled while the pipeline is processing, while changes are being applied to the dataset, or while Draft mode is on and Mammoth is tracking pending tasks. It becomes active again when processing ends.

While any pipeline task is in error (and isn't suspended or deleted), the menu still opens. **Rename Column**, **Hide Column** and **Revert to original column name** are disabled, and format and sort changes are ignored.

| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3-dot button is disabled | Pipeline is processing, applying changes, or Draft mode is on with pending tasks | Wait for the pipeline to finish |
| **Rename Column** is disabled | The transformation info panel is open, or a pipeline task is in error | Close the panel, or fix or remove the failing task |
| **Hide Column** or **Revert to original column name** is disabled | A pipeline task is in error | Fix or remove the failing task |
| Sort or other Display Changes are rejected | The pipeline has a task in error | Fix or remove the failing task, then try again |
| Format didn't apply | **Apply** wasn't clicked | Reopen the menu and click **Apply** |

## Related

- [Rename, format and sort columns](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/rename-format-sort/): the Format and Sort zones in detail.
- [Add, split, copy and delete columns](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/manage-columns/): the tasks behind Split, Duplicate and Remove.
- [How the pipeline works](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/how-the-pipeline-works/): pipeline tasks versus Display Changes.

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Source: https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/column-menu.md · Updated: 2026-11-08