---
title: "Persist a hidden table column without losing its data"
description: "Verify column visibility preferences survive reload while hiding a field changes presentation only and its record values remain intact."
canonical_url: "https://vostride.com/agent-library/data-tables/hidden-column-persistence.md"
md_url: "https://vostride.com/agent-library/data-tables/hidden-column-persistence.md"
content_kind: "recipe"
topic: "data-tables"
---

# Persist a hidden table column without losing its data

Verify column visibility preferences survive reload while hiding a field changes presentation only and its record values remain intact.

## Risk

A column chooser can lose its settings on navigation or accidentally clear underlying values when it serializes a reduced row model. Inspect record details separately from the visible table.

## Fixtures

- A test customer table includes Name, Region, and Internal note columns with nonempty fixture values.
- The QA account has a personal column-visibility preference, and the product contract persists it across reloads.
- A fixture manifest records each customer Internal note independently before the journey.

## Steps

1. Open the table and verify the Internal note header and its prepared row values are initially visible.
2. Use the column chooser to hide Internal note and verify both its header and cells disappear while Name and Region remain.
3. Reload and verify the column remains hidden under the saved personal preference.
4. Open a customer detail and verify its Internal note still equals the fixture value.
5. Return to the table, reenable Internal note, and verify all original note values reappear in their corresponding rows.

## Expected results

- The visibility preference persists for the test account without changing the underlying records.
- The hidden column is absent from the table presentation while unaffected columns remain usable.
- Revealing the column restores the exact note-to-record mapping from the independent fixture manifest.

## False-pass traps

- A horizontally off-screen column is not equivalent to a disabled visibility setting.
- A blank detail field would indicate data loss even if hiding the column appeared visually successful.

## Cleanup

- Restore default column visibility and delete the temporary customer rows.

## Use with agent-qa

Adapt this test design to your application's acceptance criteria and configured target using the [recipe execution guide](/agent-library/software-factory/turn-a-recipe-into-an-agent-qa-test.md). External fixture setup and non-UI checks require your own supported hooks or test tooling. Validate the authored test, execute it, and inspect the completed evidence; this recipe is not a recorded test result.

## References

- [agent-qa test](/docs/agent-qa/configuration/test.md)
- [agent-qa first test](/docs/agent-qa/guides/first-test.md)
- [agent-qa web testing](/docs/agent-qa/guides/web-testing.md)

- [Data table QA recipes](/agent-library/data-tables.md)
- [Software factory QA library](/agent-library.md)