# Align elements

Report Designer has several features to help you easily align your report elements.

The following alignment tools can be found in the **View** menu:

* **Grids**

  show a graph-paper-like grid on the report canvas. This can make it easier to evenly space elements by counting the exact number of hash marks between them. Grids can also make it easier to line up elements, but you may find it easier to rely on guides instead.
* **Guides**

  are markers you create by clicking on the rulers on the top and left of the report canvas. Once you have guides in place, it's easier to align report elements vertically and/or horizontally. To turn off guides, go to the **Guides** submenu in the **View** menu, then un-check the **Show Guides** item. You can remove individual guides by right-clicking them on the ruler, then selecting **Delete** from the context menu.
* **Element Alignment Hints**

  extends each report element's outer borders to the edges of the canvas, allowing you to easily line up multiple elements.
* **Snap to Elements**

  adds a kind of magnetism to elements so that they are easier to align with adjacent elements.

**Note:** If elements are not horizontally aligned with column borders, the affected columns may be merged into one in the report output.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.pentaho.com/pba-report-designer/9.3-report-designer/add-report-elements-in-report-designer-cp/align-elements.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.