Feature request: Column- or region-based layout for clearer calculation sheets

Question

It would be very useful if Mathcad supported a column-based or region-based document layout for engineering calculation sheets.

In traditional calcpads or formal calculation reports, calculations are often arranged into clear vertical sections, for example:

"Reference / Code clauses / Assumptions"
"Calculations"
"Results / Output"

At the moment, Mathcad provides a single continuous canvas with free placement of text and math regions. While the grid helps with alignment, there is no way to define fixed columns, regions, or containers that keep content aligned consistently.

A typical example:

On one horizontal “row”:
- Left: a short text description (e.g. Bending stress)
- Middle: the actual formula and calculation
- Right: the applicable code reference

Currently this requires manually placing and adjusting multiple text and math regions, which becomes difficult to maintain and easily breaks when edits are made.

It would be beneficial to have something like this implemented as it would greatly improve readability, consistency, and professional presentation of engineering calculations, especially for formal submissions and reviews.

NL_10803869 · Accepted Answer

Thanks for the reply.Yes, I’m aware that math can be embedded inside text regions, and I’ve tried that approach. While it does allow grouping content and moving it as a single block, it’s not really what I’m after. Personally, I also find math-in-text regions harder to edit, less flexible, and more fragile for larger or evolving calculations — especially when equations need to grow, change, or be reused elsewhere. What I’m really looking for is a layout-level feature, not a workaround: something like defined columns or regions that help structure a calculation sheet (e.g. reference / calculation / output) while still keeping math regions as first-class, independent objects. Regarding the Ideas section: yes, I’ve seen it, but unfortunately I’m not a paying customer, so I can’t submit ideas there directly. That said, I still think this would be a genuinely useful enhancement for Mathcad, particularly for producing clear, review-friendly engineering calcsheets rather than just free-form worksheets. I appreciate the suggestion though — and I agree that many users are happy with math-in-text regions — it’s just not the workflow I’m aiming for.

Werner_E · Answer

Do you know that you can create text regions and fill them with mixed text AND math?

That way all is kept in one place, can be moved and copied in one go and you possibly could place that kind of regions side by side to simulate columns.

Personally I hate to have math inside text regions because I feel that its makes editing much more difficult and inflexible, but a lot of people here in the forum seem to like doing so and are happy with it.

BTW, you may consider suggesting an 'idea' here -> https://community.ptc.com/t5/Mathcad-Ideas/idb-p/PTCMathcadIdeas

Guess you are only allowed to do so if you are a paying customer and there is no guarantee that your idea would ever be considered .

Sign up

Please use your PTC eSupport account.

Welcome to the PTC Community

Please use your PTC eSupport account.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded