How to create and use Themes in Carta CR
Themes let you group related records under a shared topic, so you can see every company, deal, contact, and note connected in one place. A Theme isn't tied to a single record type — it can pull together anything relevant to a thesis, a sector, or a working group.
Tags vs. Themes
On a contact, tags and Themes share the same field. A plain word or phrase creates a tag, scoped to that one contact, so you can filter within the Contacts module — for example, M&A Adviser or Lawyer. Typing # followed by a name creates or links a Theme, scoped to the whole platform, connecting that contact to the companies, deals, and notes that share the same broader topic.
Use a plain tag to organize your Contacts list. Use # when you want that contact visible alongside everything else connected to a Theme.
How to navigate the Themes module
Navigate to Carta CRM → Themes. The left sidebar lists every Theme in your workspace, each marked with a # prefix. Select a Theme to open it.
A Theme has three areas:
Lists (left panel) — once a Theme is open, its Companies, Contacts, Deals, and Notes lists appear beneath it, each with a count of linked items. Select a list to see just that type.
Timeline (main panel) — the default view when you open a Theme. Shows every linked company, deal, contact, and note together in one chronological feed.
Theme Summary and Files (right panel) — a free-text area for notes about the Theme and a place to upload related files. Both are optional.
How to create and link a Theme
Themes are created and linked the same way everywhere on the platform: type # and a name, then either select a matching Theme to link it or confirm creating a new one.
Company: Type # and a name in the Comments field on a company record.
Deal: Type # and a name in the Comments field on a deal record.
Contact: Type # and a name in the Tags / Themes field on a contact record.
Note: Type # and a name anywhere in the note.
Carta shows a dropdown of matching Themes, each with a count of how many records already carry it. Select an existing Theme to link it, or select the new name and confirm the Create a new Theme prompt if it doesn't exist yet.
You can also create and link at the same time from within a Theme. Open a Theme's Companies, Deals, Notes, or Contacts list and use the option there to add a new record — Carta creates the record and tags it with that Theme automatically.
Theme fields
Field | Description | Notes |
Name | The Theme's unique identifier, shown with a # prefix | Required; must be unique |
Theme Summary | Free-text notes describing the Theme's purpose | Optional |
Files | Attachments related to the Theme | Optional |
Themes don't currently support additional custom fields.
How to organize linked items with lists
Every Theme has four lists — Companies, Contacts, Deals, and Notes — that automatically collect linked items by type. Once a Theme has more than a few linked records, lists are a faster way to browse than scrolling the full Timeline.
Select the Theme from the Themes sidebar.
Choose Companies, Contacts, Deals, or Notes to see just that type.
How to create subthemes
For a broad topic that breaks into narrower sub-topics, nest one Theme under another. For example, a parent Theme like Fintech might have subthemes for Payments and Insurtech.
In the Themes sidebar, right-click the Theme you want to nest.
Select Make a subtheme of and choose the parent Theme from the submenu.
The same right-click menu offers Rename Theme. For a Theme that is already nested, it offers Remove from Group, which detaches it from its parent without deleting either Theme.
How to add a Theme Summary and files
Use Theme Summary to capture context your team should know when they open a Theme — a thesis statement, key criteria, or background notes. Use Files to attach supporting research, decks, or documents. Both appear at the top of the Theme.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Theme and a tag?A tag is scoped to one contact — a quick label used to filter within the Contacts module. A Theme is scoped to the whole platform, connecting that record to the companies, deals, contacts, and notes that share the same broader topic. |
Do I need to create a Theme before linking something to it?No. Type # and a new name in a Comments field on a deal or company, or anywhere in a note, then confirm the Create a new Theme prompt. The Theme is created and linked in the same step. Themes currently cover companies, contacts, deals, and notes — investor and fundraising records aren't part of the Themes model. |
Can a record belong to more than one Theme?Yes. A record can be linked to as many Themes as apply to it, whether through a Comments field or the Tags / Themes field on a contact. |
How do I unlink a record from a Theme?Remove the # mention from the record's Comments field, or from the Tags / Themes field on a contact. This removes the link in both directions without deleting the record or the Theme. |
What happens to a subtheme's linked items if I remove it from its parent?Nothing changes. Removing a subtheme relationship only affects the parent-child link — the subtheme keeps its own linked items and remains a Theme on its own. |
Who can create Themes or link records to them?Any user with access to the relevant module can create a Theme or link a record to it. |