Nested Auto Layout in Figma - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a BI dashboard designer using Figma.

📋 Request: Your manager wants a clean, responsive sales dashboard with sections that adjust automatically when data changes.

📊 Data: You have sales data summaries and KPIs to display in cards and charts.

🎯 Deliverable: Create a Figma dashboard using nested auto layout frames so the dashboard resizes nicely on different screen sizes.

Sample Data

Region	Month	Sales	Profit
North	Jan	12000	3000
North	Feb	15000	4000
South	Jan	10000	2500
South	Feb	13000	3500
East	Jan	9000	2000
East	Feb	11000	2800
West	Jan	14000	3700
West	Feb	16000	4200

1

Step 1: Create a main vertical auto layout frame to hold the entire dashboard.

In Figma, select Frame tool, draw a frame, then enable Auto Layout with vertical direction, spacing 20px, padding 24px all sides.

Expected Result

A vertical container that stacks child elements with space and padding.

2

Step 2: Inside the main frame, create a horizontal auto layout frame for KPI cards.

Add a new frame inside main frame, enable Auto Layout with horizontal direction, spacing 16px, padding 16px all sides.

Expected Result

A horizontal container that arranges KPI cards side by side with spacing.

3

Step 3: Create individual KPI card frames inside the horizontal frame, each with vertical auto layout.

For each KPI card, create a frame, enable Auto Layout vertical, spacing 8px, padding 12px, fixed width 150px.

Expected Result

Cards stack their text and numbers vertically and have consistent width.

4

Step 4: Add text layers inside each KPI card for title and value.

Inside each KPI card frame, add two text layers: one for KPI name (e.g., 'Total Sales'), one for value (e.g., '$100,000').

Expected Result

Each card shows a title and a value stacked vertically.

5

Step 5: Below KPI cards, create a horizontal auto layout frame for charts section.

Add a new frame inside main frame, enable Auto Layout horizontal, spacing 24px, padding 16px all sides.

Expected Result

A horizontal container to hold multiple charts side by side.

6

Step 6: Inside charts frame, create individual chart frames with vertical auto layout.

Each chart frame uses vertical auto layout, spacing 12px, padding 16px, fixed width 300px.

Expected Result

Charts stack their title and chart image vertically with consistent width.

7

Step 7: Add text for chart titles and placeholder rectangles for charts inside each chart frame.

Inside each chart frame, add a text layer for title and a rectangle shape for chart area.

Expected Result

Each chart frame shows a title above a chart placeholder.

8

Step 8: Test resizing the main frame width to see nested auto layouts adjust content spacing and alignment automatically.

Select main frame and drag width smaller and larger.

Expected Result

KPI cards and charts rearrange or keep spacing without overlap, maintaining a clean layout.

Final Result

Dashboard Frame (Vertical Auto Layout)
├─ KPI Cards Frame (Horizontal Auto Layout)
│  ├─ KPI Card 1 (Vertical Auto Layout)
│  │   ├─ Text: Total Sales
│  │   └─ Text: $100,000
│  ├─ KPI Card 2
│  └─ KPI Card 3
└─ Charts Frame (Horizontal Auto Layout)
   ├─ Chart 1 Frame (Vertical Auto Layout)
   │   ├─ Text: Sales by Region
   │   └─ Rectangle: Chart Placeholder
   └─ Chart 2 Frame
       ├─ Text: Profit Trends
       └─ Rectangle: Chart Placeholder

✓Nested auto layouts let you build flexible dashboard sections that adjust automatically.

✓Vertical and horizontal auto layouts combined create clean, organized UI.

✓Padding and spacing settings control consistent gaps between elements.

✓Fixed widths on cards and charts keep uniform sizes while allowing overall frame resizing.

Bonus Challenge

Add a responsive navigation bar at the top using nested auto layouts that collapse into a hamburger menu on narrow widths.

Show Hint

Use horizontal auto layout for nav items and add a toggle button frame that appears only on small widths.

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