# Entities browser
Entities are the fundamental components used for simulation setup in Flow360. They provide a hierarchical structure for organizing and managing CFD simulations, from geometry definition to results analysis.
Showing/hiding the entities browser: The Entities browser is shown by clicking the button in the top-right corner of the viewer area.
Entities visibility, highlighting (hover): As you hover the mouse over items in the Entities browser, they are highlighted in the viewer.
Entities browser modes: The Entities browser shows the Geometry, Mesh or Visualization items currently available in the viewer, and so it changes when the View mode is selected.
"View only" mode: The Entities browser has limited functionality when the Workbench is in "View only" mode. It can be used to show/hide elements and to browse the available entities and highlight them in the viewer. Creating and updating viewpoints is also supported at any time.
Draft Configuration: Modifications made in the Entities browser are saved as a Draft configuration. This draft can be retrieved and continued from the Project Tree view, allowing you to resume your work at any time.
# Primary Assets
The primary asset defines the starting point of your simulation workflow. Only one primary asset type is available per project, depending on how the project was created.
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Geometry
The root entity for CAD-based projects. Contains all geometric elements including edges, faces, and body groups. Geometry projects progress through surface meshing and volume meshing before simulation.
# 
Surface Mesh
The root entity for surface-mesh-based projects. Contains boundary definitions for specifying boundary conditions. Surface mesh projects require volume meshing before simulation.
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Volume Mesh
The root entity for volume-mesh-based projects. Contains zones and boundaries ready for simulation setup. Volume mesh projects can proceed directly to solver configuration.
# Geometric Entities
These entities define spatial regions and monitoring locations within your simulation domain. Their availability depends on the primary asset type.
| Entity | Description | Geometry | Surface Mesh | Volume Mesh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body group | Grouping of bodies from imported geometry files | ✓ | — | — |
| Volume mesh slices | Cross-sections of the volume mesh for inspection | — | — | ✓ |
| Volumes | 3D regions for mesh refinement and flow analysis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Points | Monitoring locations for flow properties | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slices | Planar cross-sections for flow visualization | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sample Surfaces | Imported surfaces for flow data extraction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Derived | Auto-generated entities (farfield, symmetry planes) | ✓ | ✓ | — |
# Configuration Tools
These entities are available in all project types and provide tools for visualization, organization, and scene management.
# Viewpoints
Saved camera positions and orientations for consistent visualization across sessions. Viewpoints can be created and modified even in "View only" mode.
# Coordinate Systems
Local reference frames for geometric transformations. Define custom coordinate systems with translation, rotation, and scaling relative to the global frame or other coordinate systems.
# Environment
Scene and background customization settings for the viewer, including background colors, gradients, and image uploads.
# Entity Tags
Custom labels for organizing and grouping entities. Tags support expression-based filtering for automatic entity selection.