Alignment within Auto Layout in Figma - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Alignment within Auto Layout

Dashboard Goal

Understand how to align elements inside an Auto Layout frame in Figma to create clean, organized BI dashboards.

Sample Data

Region	Sales	Profit
North	100	30
South	150	50
East	200	70
West	130	40
Central	170	60

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card - Total Sales: Displays sum of sales (100+150+200+130+170 = 750). Aligned center horizontally and vertically inside Auto Layout frame.
• KPI Card - Total Profit: Displays sum of profit (30+50+70+40+60 = 250). Aligned center horizontally and vertically.
• Bar Chart - Sales by Region: Horizontal bar chart showing sales per region. Aligned stretch horizontally to fill container width.
• Table - Detailed Data: Shows all rows of sample data. Aligned stretch horizontally and vertically to fill remaining space.

Alignment Settings Used:
- Horizontal alignment: center for KPI cards, stretch for chart and table.
- Vertical alignment: center for KPI cards, stretch for chart and table.
- Spacing between items: 16px.
- Padding inside Auto Layout frame: 24px.

Dashboard Layout

+--------------------------------------------------+
|                    Auto Layout Frame             |
|  +----------------+  +----------------+          |
|  |  Total Sales   |  |  Total Profit  |          |
|  |    (Center)    |  |    (Center)    |          |
|  +----------------+  +----------------+          |
|                                                  |
|  +--------------------------------------------+  |
|  |          Bar Chart - Sales by Region       |  |
|  |               (Stretch width)              |  |
|  +--------------------------------------------+  |
|                                                  |
|  +--------------------------------------------+  |
|  |           Table - Detailed Data             |  |
|  |               (Stretch width & height)     |  |
|  +--------------------------------------------+  |
+--------------------------------------------------+

Interactivity

Filters like Region selector update the Bar Chart and Table components dynamically. KPI cards recalculate totals based on filtered data. Alignment remains consistent as Auto Layout adjusts spacing and sizing automatically.

Self Check

Add a filter for Region = 'East'. Which components update?

• Bar Chart updates to show sales only for East (200).
• Table updates to show only East row.
• KPI Cards update totals: Sales = 200, Profit = 70.
• Alignment remains centered for KPI cards and stretched for chart and table.

Key Result

Dashboard demonstrating how to align KPI cards, charts, and tables inside a Figma Auto Layout frame for BI dashboards.

Practice

1. In Figma's Auto Layout, what does the alignment property control?

easy

A. The color of the items inside the container

B. The font size of text inside the container

C. How items line up inside the Auto Layout container

D. The number of items inside the container

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Auto Layout container behavior

   Auto Layout arranges items automatically inside a frame or group.

2. Step 2: Identify the role of alignment

   The alignment property controls how these items line up horizontally or vertically within that container.

3. Final Answer:

   How items line up inside the Auto Layout container -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Alignment = Items lining up [OK]

Hint: Alignment means how items line up inside the container [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing alignment with color or font size
• Thinking alignment changes item count
• Mixing alignment with padding or spacing

2. Which of the following is the correct way to set vertical alignment to center in Figma's Auto Layout?

easy

A. alignItems: 'center'

B. verticalAlign: 'middle'

C. alignment: 'center'

D. justifyContent: 'center'

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Figma Auto Layout properties

   Figma uses alignItems to control vertical alignment in vertical layouts.

2. Step 2: Identify correct syntax

   alignItems: 'center' is the correct property-value pair to center items vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   alignItems: 'center' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Vertical center alignment = alignItems: 'center' [OK]

Hint: Use alignItems for vertical alignment in Auto Layout [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using justifyContent instead of alignItems for vertical alignment
• Using non-existent property verticalAlign
• Using generic alignment property not supported in Figma

3. Given an Auto Layout frame with horizontal direction and alignItems: 'start', where will the child items be aligned vertically?

medium

A. Stretched to fill container height

B. At the bottom of the container

C. Centered vertically

D. At the top of the container

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand horizontal Auto Layout direction

   In horizontal direction, alignItems controls vertical alignment of children.

2. Step 2: Interpret alignItems: 'start'

   This means children align at the top edge of the container vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   At the top of the container -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Horizontal layout + alignItems: 'start' = top alignment [OK]

Hint: In horizontal layout, alignItems 'start' means top alignment [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'start' with bottom alignment
• Mixing justifyContent with alignItems effects
• Assuming 'start' means centered

4. You set an Auto Layout frame with vertical direction and justifyContent: 'center', but items are still aligned at the top. What is the likely mistake?

medium

A. Using justifyContent instead of alignItems for vertical alignment

B. Not setting the frame height to allow centering

C. Using horizontal direction instead of vertical

D. Forgetting to add padding inside the frame

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand justifyContent in vertical Auto Layout

   In vertical direction, justifyContent controls vertical distribution of items.

2. Step 2: Check container size effect

   If the frame height fits items exactly, centering won't show because no extra space exists.

3. Final Answer:

   Not setting the frame height to allow centering -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Frame height too small blocks justifyContent centering [OK]

Hint: Ensure container has extra space to see justifyContent effects [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing justifyContent with alignItems
• Ignoring container size constraints
• Assuming padding affects alignment directly

5. You want to create a horizontal Auto Layout with three buttons spaced evenly and vertically centered. Which combination of properties achieves this?

hard

A. direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center'

B. direction: 'vertical', justifyContent: 'center', alignItems: 'start'

C. direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'center', alignItems: 'start'

D. direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'space-around', alignItems: 'stretch'

Solution

1. Step 1: Set horizontal direction for buttons

   Buttons arranged side by side require direction: 'horizontal'.

2. Step 2: Space buttons evenly and center vertically

   justifyContent: 'space-between' spaces buttons evenly horizontally, and alignItems: 'center' centers them vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Horizontal + spaced evenly + vertical center = direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center' [OK]

Hint: Use space-between and alignItems center for horizontal even spacing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using vertical direction for horizontal layout
• Aligning items to start instead of center vertically
• Using justifyContent center instead of space-between for spacing