Available with any of the following subscriptions, except where noted:
🟢 Starter (up to the plan’s step limit) | 🔵 Builder | 🟣 Optimizer |
⚫ Enterprise
Managing business tools can be overwhelming, especially when juggling multiple platforms, costs, and usage. Puzzle’s Tool Canvas simplifies this by giving you a centralized, visual space to manage all the tools powering your operations.
Instead of relying on scattered spreadsheets, the Tool Canvas offers visibility, structure, and control—from tracking tool spend and usage to grouping tools by department or project.
This guide walks you through exploring, adding, organizing, and managing tools efficiently within Puzzle.
Benefits of Using the Tools Canvas
🔗 Centralized View: Visualize your entire tech stack in one place
⚖️ Cost Transparency: Monitor tool spend across monthly and annual views
⚙️ Process Alignment: Quickly identify where each tool is used in your workflows
🛠️ Custom Grouping: Organize tools by team, project, or stack for smarter management
How to Manage Your Tech Stack in Puzzle using Tool Canvas
Step-by-Step Guide
1️⃣ Access the Tool Canvas
1️⃣ Access the Tool Canvas
🧭 Go to the Tools tab in your workspace to open the Tool Canvas.
📝 In the right sidebar, you'll see:
Tool list grouped by status: Active, Considering, or Cancelled
Total Number of Active, Considering, and Canceled Tools
Cost summaries (Monthly and Annual) only appear on plans that include tool cost tracking.
(Starter, Optimizer, Enterprise)
💡 If your plan includes Cost Summary but it doesn’t update immediately after adding new information to your tools, refresh the page to update the details.
2️⃣ Add Tools from the Puzzle Library to Your Tool Canvas
2️⃣ Add Tools from the Puzzle Library to Your Tool Canvas
Puzzle has a built-in Tools Library of common tools used across workflows.
🛒 To add a tool from the library:
Click the 🔍 icon in the upper-left corner of the Tool Canvas.
Search for or browse existing tools.
Click “Add” to add it to your tool canvas.
✅ Only use this step if the tool already exists in the Puzzle Library. ❗ If it doesn't exist, continue to Step 3 to create a new one.
3️⃣ Create and Add New Tools to the Library
3️⃣ Create and Add New Tools to the Library
If the tool isn’t available in the Puzzle Tools Library, you can create it manually. There are two ways:
🛠️ Option 1: Add via the Tool Canvas
From the Tool Canvas, click the 🔍 icon in the top-left corner.
If the tool isn’t listed, click “Create a new tool.”
Fill out the required fields:
Tool Name
Upload an Image (PNG, logo, or icon) — this is the default option
Tool Link (URL) – optional, but recommended for reference
Click Save — the tool is now added to your workspace.
🛠️ Option 2: Add a Tool from a Workflow Step
Inside any workflow step, click the ➕ Add Tool button in the Step Sidebar.
Click “New Tool” in the popup window.
Fill out the required fields:
Tool Name
Upload an Image (PNG, logo, or icon)
Tool Link (URL) – optional
Click Save — your tool will be saved and available across your workspace.
📌 Need to Edit a Tool After Creating It?
Puzzle uses a shared, community-wide Tools Library so teams can quickly associate thousands of common tools across workflows.
Because tools can be reused across many workspaces, tools can’t be edited directly in-app after they’ve been created (including name, logo/image, or link).
This is an intentional security decision:
Adding a brand-new tool only affects the person creating it
Editing an existing tool could affect workflows across many organizations if it’s already being used
If a tool was saved with the wrong name, broken logo, or incorrect link, our support team can update it quickly for you.
To request an update, email [email protected] with:
The tool name
What you want updated (name, image, or link)
4️⃣ Customize Tool Details
4️⃣ Customize Tool Details
When you click a tool on the canvas, a sidebar appears with editable fields:
📊 Assign a Status to the Tool: Use the Status dropdown to label tools as:
Active – In use
Considering – Under evaluation
Cancelled – No longer used
💰 Add Cost Details: Puzzle supports two types of tool costs:
Subscription
Input Monthly or Annual cost
Add a Renewal Date to track contract cycles
Costs are included in the Monthly and Annual summaries
One-Time
Change the Plan Type dropdown to One-Time
Enter a single, upfront cost in the dedicated field
One-time costs are not included in recurring spend totals
A small One-time label appears for reference, replacing renewal logic
💡 Use one-time costs for tools with setup fees, lifetime licenses, or purchases without a subscription model.
Note: Tool cost inputs are available on plans that include tool costing. (Starter, Optimizer, Enterprise)
📝 Add Notes:
Use the Notes field to capture additional details such as:
Purpose of the tool
Teams using it
Licensing terms or context
Supporting documentation (PDFs, PNGs) for visual documentation such as logos, contract snapshots, diagrams, or how-to guides.
📋 Step Summary: The tool's sidebar also provides a summary of all steps where the tool is currently being used. Clicking any of these steps will take you directly to the corresponding step within the Workflow canvas.
🗑️ Remove Tool: Click the trash icon to remove the tool from your canvas.
🛑 This does NOT delete it from the Puzzle Library. To delete it permanently, contact [email protected].
🛡️ Safety Check When Deleting Tools
If a tool has linked Entities or Attributes, Puzzle will display a confirmation modal showing how many are connected. This prevents accidental deletion of important data structures tied to your workflows.
5️⃣ Add Entities & Attributes to Tools
5️⃣ Add Entities & Attributes to Tools
Each tool can have one or more Entities to document associated data (e.g., Contacts, Orders).
📌 To add an Entity:
Click the database icon in the tool’s sidebar.
Click Add Entity and give it a name.
You can then begin adding attributes for that Entity—either individually or in bulk.
Once an Entity is connected, attributes can be assigned to steps across your workflows to reflect how data flows through your systems.
To learn more about Entities & Attributes and how they can benefit your operational processes, please visit this article.
🛡️ Safety Check When Deleting Tools
If a tool has linked Entities or Attributes, Puzzle will display a confirmation modal showing how many are connected. This prevents accidental deletion of important data structures tied to your workflows.
💡 You can also manage and organize all attributes in a structured List View from the Tool Canvas, making it easier to review and update your data model at scale.
6️⃣ Organize Tools with Tool Sections
6️⃣ Organize Tools with Tool Sections
The Tools Canvas lets you group tools into custom sections for better organization and cost visibility.
Why Use Tool Sections?
Tool Sections aren’t just for visual organization—they're built to help you make smarter, cost-aware decisions by:
✔ Separating tools by Department, like Marketing, IT, Finance, or Operations
✔ Comparing different stacks, such as a Recommended Tech Stack versus a Legacy Tech Stack, to evaluate potential savings
✔ Isolating project-specific tools for easier management
✔ Analyzing costs across different business units in real time
To create or manage Tool Sections:
🟢 Open the Tools Canvas in your workspace
👆 Click + Add Tool Group to create a new group (e.g., "Sales Tools" or "Legacy Stack")
🧰 Drag and drop tools into your sections
Cost Summaries by Section:
As you assign tools to sections, Puzzle automatically updates your Tool Group sidebar with:
Total Monthly Cost per section
Total Annual Cost per section
Total Active Tools per section
💡 This lets you compare expenses across different departments or tech stacks at a glance—perfect for leadership reviews, process audits, or cost optimization projects.
7️⃣ Assign or Unassign Tools in Steps
7️⃣ Assign or Unassign Tools in Steps
You can connect tools directly to specific workflow steps — making it clear which systems are involved at each point. If a tool is no longer relevant, it can be easily removed as well.
➕ To Assign a Tool:
Open the step in the Workflow canvas.
In the sidebar, click + Add Tool.
Select the relevant tool from your workspace’s tool list.
Once assigned, the tool icon appears in the step’s sidebar.
❌ To Unassign a Tool:
In the step sidebar, hover over the tool icon.
Click the X to remove it from the step.
This removes the visual and functional connection without deleting the tool from your workspace.
💡 Use tool assignments to visualize tech stack dependencies across your workflows and make reviews or audits easier.
💡 Best Practices & Tips
🔁 Review Tools Regularly: Deactivate tools no longer in use to keep your workspace clean.
📂 Group for Clarity: Use Tool Sections to separate tools by use case or department.
💰 Track Renewal Dates & Costs: Stay on top of budgeting with the sidebar’s cost view.
📝 Use Notes Effectively: Capture why a tool was added or key details about its contract.
📈 Monitor Usage: Use the usage summary to understand each tool’s role across workflows.
Conclusion
The Tool Canvas makes managing your tech stack easier. It provides a clear overview of your tools, costs, and renewal dates in one place. By categorizing tools, tracking costs, and integrating them into workflows, you can make informed decisions and eliminate unnecessary costs.
With cost summaries and a structured approach to tool management, you’ll always stay in control of your technology investments. Start using the Tool Canvas today to streamline your operations and keep your tech stack organized, efficient, and cost-effective!