Nested Auto Layout in Figma - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Nested Auto Layout

Dashboard Goal

Understand how to use nested auto layout in Figma to build a clean, responsive sales dashboard layout that adjusts automatically when content changes.

Sample Data

Region	Product	Sales	Month
North	Widget A	100	Jan
South	Widget B	150	Jan
East	Widget A	200	Feb
West	Widget C	130	Feb
North	Widget B	170	Mar
South	Widget C	120	Mar

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card - Total Sales: Displays total sales across all regions and months.
  Formula: Sum of Sales = 100 + 150 + 200 + 130 + 170 + 120 = 870
• Bar Chart - Sales by Region: Shows total sales per region.
  Calculations:
  • North: 100 + 170 = 270
  • South: 150 + 120 = 270
  • East: 200
  • West: 130
• Table - Sales Details: Lists each sale with Region, Product, Sales, and Month.

Figma Nested Auto Layout Structure:

• Outer vertical auto layout: stacks KPI card, bar chart, and table vertically with spacing.
• KPI card: horizontal auto layout with label and value aligned center.
• Bar chart container: vertical auto layout with chart title and chart frame.
• Table container: vertical auto layout with table title and table frame.

Dashboard Layout (ASCII Art)

+-----------------------------+
|        Total Sales KPI       |
|          [ 870 ]             |
+-----------------------------+
|        Sales by Region       |
|  +-----------------------+  |
|  | Bar Chart (4 bars)    |  |
|  +-----------------------+  |
+-----------------------------+
|        Sales Details         |
|  +-----------------------+  |
|  | Table (6 rows)        |  |
|  +-----------------------+  |
+-----------------------------+

Interactivity

Adding filters like Region or Month will update all components automatically because of nested auto layout:

• Filtering by Region updates the bar chart to show only selected regions.
• KPI card recalculates total sales for filtered data.
• Sales details table shows only filtered rows.

The nested auto layout ensures the dashboard resizes and reflows smoothly when filters change content size.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Month = Feb, which components update and how?

• KPI Card: Updates total sales to 200 + 130 = 330.
• Bar Chart: Shows sales only for East (200) and West (130).
• Sales Details Table: Shows only rows with Month = Feb (2 rows).

Key Result

A sales dashboard layout in Figma using nested auto layout to show total sales, sales by region bar chart, and detailed sales table that adjusts responsively.

Practice

1. What is the main benefit of using Nested Auto Layout in Figma?

easy

A. It allows combining multiple automatic layouts inside each other for flexible designs.

B. It disables resizing of frames to keep fixed sizes.

C. It automatically exports designs to code.

D. It locks layers to prevent editing.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Nested Auto Layout purpose

   Nested Auto Layout lets you put auto layout frames inside other auto layout frames.

2. Step 2: Identify the benefit

   This nesting creates flexible, organized designs that adjust to content and screen size.

3. Final Answer:

   It allows combining multiple automatic layouts inside each other for flexible designs. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Nested Auto Layout = Flexible combined layouts [OK]

Hint: Remember: Nested means putting layouts inside layouts [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it locks frame sizes
• Confusing with export features
• Assuming it prevents editing

2. Which of the following is the correct way to create a vertical nested auto layout inside a horizontal auto layout in Figma?

easy

A. Use only one Auto Layout frame with mixed directions.

B. Create a frame with vertical Auto Layout, then add a child frame with horizontal Auto Layout inside it.

C. Create two separate frames without Auto Layout and group them.

D. Create a frame with horizontal Auto Layout, then add a child frame with vertical Auto Layout inside it.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify parent layout direction

   The parent frame should have horizontal Auto Layout to arrange children side by side.

2. Step 2: Add child frame with vertical Auto Layout

   Inside the horizontal frame, add a child frame set to vertical Auto Layout to stack items vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   Create a frame with horizontal Auto Layout, then add a child frame with vertical Auto Layout inside it. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Parent horizontal + child vertical = Create a frame with horizontal Auto Layout, then add a child frame with vertical Auto Layout inside it. [OK]

Hint: Parent layout sets main direction; child can differ [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing up parent and child layout directions
• Grouping frames without Auto Layout
• Trying to mix directions in one frame

3. Given a horizontal auto layout frame containing two child frames: the first child is a vertical auto layout with 3 text layers, the second child is a fixed-size rectangle. What happens if you add a fourth text layer to the first child frame?

medium

A. The new text layer overlaps the second child frame.

B. The second child frame resizes to fit the new text layer.

C. The first child frame grows vertically, pushing the second child frame to the right.

D. The entire parent frame resizes vertically automatically.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand vertical child frame behavior

   Adding a text layer to the vertical auto layout child increases its height.

2. Step 2: Understand horizontal parent frame behavior

   The parent frame arranges children horizontally. When the first child's height increases, the first child frame grows vertically, pushing the second child frame to the right horizontally.

3. Final Answer:

   The first child frame grows vertically, pushing the second child frame to the right. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Horizontal parent layout shifts children horizontally when width changes [OK]

Hint: Vertical child growth affects horizontal layout in parent [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming fixed-size child resizes
• Confusing vertical growth with vertical resizing of parent
• Expecting overlap instead of shift

4. You created a nested auto layout but the inner frame does not resize when you add content. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The inner frame's Auto Layout is set to fixed size instead of hug contents.

B. The outer frame is set to vertical direction.

C. The inner frame has no children.

D. The outer frame has padding set to zero.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check inner frame resizing settings

   If the inner frame is fixed size, it won't grow with content.

2. Step 2: Understand Auto Layout resizing modes

   To resize with content, the frame must use 'hug contents' or 'fill container' resizing.

3. Final Answer:

   The inner frame's Auto Layout is set to fixed size instead of hug contents. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Fixed size inner frame blocks resizing [OK]

Hint: Check inner frame resizing mode first [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Blaming outer frame direction
• Ignoring inner frame children
• Assuming padding affects resizing

5. You want to design a dashboard panel in Figma with a horizontal auto layout containing two vertical auto layout sections: one for filters and one for results. The filters section should have fixed width but flexible height, and the results section should fill remaining horizontal space and adjust height to content. How should you set the resizing properties of these nested frames?

hard

A. Set filters frame width hug contents, height fixed; set results frame width fixed, height fill container.

B. Set filters frame width fixed, height hug contents; set results frame width fill container, height hug contents.

C. Set both frames width fixed and height fixed.

D. Set filters frame width fill container, height fixed; set results frame width hug contents, height fixed.

Solution

1. Step 1: Configure filters section resizing

   Filters need fixed width to stay constant and height that grows with content, so width fixed and height hug contents.

2. Step 2: Configure results section resizing

   Results should fill remaining horizontal space and adjust height, so width fill container and height hug contents.

3. Final Answer:

   Set filters frame width fixed, height hug contents; set results frame width fill container, height hug contents. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Fixed width filters + fill width results = Set filters frame width fixed, height hug contents; set results frame width fill container, height hug contents. [OK]

Hint: Fixed width for filters, fill container for results [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Setting filters width to hug contents
• Fixing height instead of hugging contents
• Making results width fixed