diff --git a/packages/bbui/src/ActionButton/ActionButton.svelte b/packages/bbui/src/ActionButton/ActionButton.svelte
index 5ab7a7f047..b518ac3d92 100644
--- a/packages/bbui/src/ActionButton/ActionButton.svelte
+++ b/packages/bbui/src/ActionButton/ActionButton.svelte
@@ -80,8 +80,4 @@
   .active svg {
     color: var(--spectrum-global-color-blue-600);
   }
-
-  .spectrum-ActionButton-label {
-    padding-bottom: 2px;
-  }
 </style>
diff --git a/packages/bbui/src/Table/Table.svelte b/packages/bbui/src/Table/Table.svelte
index 1d957b3f30..863dc84040 100644
--- a/packages/bbui/src/Table/Table.svelte
+++ b/packages/bbui/src/Table/Table.svelte
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
   export let disableSorting = false
   export let autoSortColumns = true
   export let compact = false
+  export let customPlaceholder = false
 
   const dispatch = createEventDispatcher()
 
@@ -387,13 +388,24 @@
           </div>
         {/each}
       {:else}
-        <div class="placeholder" class:placeholder--no-fields={!fields?.length}>
-          <div class="placeholder-content">
-            <svg class="spectrum-Icon spectrum-Icon--sizeXXL" focusable="false">
-              <use xlink:href="#spectrum-icon-18-Table" />
-            </svg>
-            <div>No rows found</div>
-          </div>
+        <div
+          class="placeholder"
+          class:placeholder--custom={customPlaceholder}
+          class:placeholder--no-fields={!fields?.length}
+        >
+          {#if customPlaceholder}
+            <slot name="placeholder" />
+          {:else}
+            <div class="placeholder-content">
+              <svg
+                class="spectrum-Icon spectrum-Icon--sizeXXL"
+                focusable="false"
+              >
+                <use xlink:href="#spectrum-icon-18-Table" />
+              </svg>
+              <div>No rows found</div>
+            </div>
+          {/if}
         </div>
       {/if}
     </div>
@@ -458,6 +470,13 @@
     justify-content: flex-start;
     align-items: center;
     user-select: none;
+    border-top: var(--table-border);
+  }
+  .spectrum-Table-headCell:first-of-type {
+    border-left: var(--table-border);
+  }
+  .spectrum-Table-headCell:last-of-type {
+    border-right: var(--table-border);
   }
   .spectrum-Table-headCell--alignCenter {
     justify-content: center;
@@ -576,16 +595,19 @@
     border-top: none;
     grid-column: 1 / -1;
     background-color: var(--table-bg);
+    padding: 40px;
   }
   .placeholder--no-fields {
     border-top: var(--table-border);
   }
+  .placeholder--custom {
+    justify-content: flex-start;
+  }
   .wrapper--quiet .placeholder {
     border-left: none;
     border-right: none;
   }
   .placeholder-content {
-    padding: 40px;
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: column;
     justify-content: center;
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/DataTable.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/DataTable.svelte
index 9132fc1c89..6a1befd7e4 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/DataTable.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/DataTable.svelte
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   import Table from "./Table.svelte"
   import { TableNames } from "constants"
   import CreateEditRow from "./modals/CreateEditRow.svelte"
-  import { Pagination } from "@budibase/bbui"
+  import { Pagination, Heading, Body, Layout } from "@budibase/bbui"
   import { fetchData } from "@budibase/frontend-core"
   import { API } from "api"
 
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
   $: enrichedSchema = enrichSchema($tables.selected?.schema)
   $: id = $tables.selected?._id
   $: fetch = createFetch(id)
+  $: hasCols = checkHasCols(schema)
+  $: hasRows = !!$fetch.rows?.length
 
   const enrichSchema = schema => {
     let tempSchema = { ...schema }
@@ -47,6 +49,20 @@
 
     return tempSchema
   }
+
+  const checkHasCols = schema => {
+    if (!schema || Object.keys(schema).length === 0) {
+      return false
+    }
+    let fields = Object.values(schema)
+    for (let field of fields) {
+      if (!field.autocolumn) {
+        return true
+      }
+    }
+    return false
+  }
+
   // Fetches new data whenever the table changes
   const createFetch = tableId => {
     return fetchData({
@@ -104,40 +120,73 @@
     disableSorting
     on:updatecolumns={onUpdateColumns}
     on:updaterows={onUpdateRows}
+    customPlaceholder
   >
-    <CreateColumnButton on:updatecolumns={onUpdateColumns} />
-    {#if schema && Object.keys(schema).length > 0}
-      {#if !isUsersTable}
-        <CreateRowButton
-          on:updaterows={onUpdateRows}
-          title={"Create row"}
-          modalContentComponent={CreateEditRow}
-        />
-      {/if}
-      {#if isInternal}
-        <CreateViewButton />
-      {/if}
-      <ManageAccessButton resourceId={$tables.selected?._id} />
-      {#if isUsersTable}
-        <EditRolesButton />
-      {/if}
-      {#if !isInternal}
-        <ExistingRelationshipButton
-          table={$tables.selected}
+    <div class="buttons">
+      <div class="left-buttons">
+        <CreateColumnButton
+          highlighted={$fetch.loaded && (!hasCols || !hasRows)}
           on:updatecolumns={onUpdateColumns}
         />
-      {/if}
-      <HideAutocolumnButton bind:hideAutocolumns />
-      <!-- always have the export last -->
-      <ExportButton view={$tables.selected?._id} />
-      <ImportButton
-        tableId={$tables.selected?._id}
-        on:updaterows={onUpdateRows}
-      />
-      {#key id}
-        <TableFilterButton {schema} on:change={onFilter} />
-      {/key}
-    {/if}
+        {#if !isUsersTable}
+          <CreateRowButton
+            on:updaterows={onUpdateRows}
+            title={"Create row"}
+            modalContentComponent={CreateEditRow}
+            disabled={!hasCols}
+            highlighted={$fetch.loaded && hasCols && !hasRows}
+          />
+        {/if}
+        {#if isInternal}
+          <CreateViewButton disabled={!hasCols || !hasRows} />
+        {/if}
+      </div>
+      <div class="right-buttons">
+        <ManageAccessButton resourceId={$tables.selected?._id} />
+        {#if isUsersTable}
+          <EditRolesButton />
+        {/if}
+        {#if !isInternal}
+          <ExistingRelationshipButton
+            table={$tables.selected}
+            on:updatecolumns={onUpdateColumns}
+          />
+        {/if}
+        <HideAutocolumnButton bind:hideAutocolumns />
+        <ImportButton
+          tableId={$tables.selected?._id}
+          on:updaterows={onUpdateRows}
+        />
+        <ExportButton
+          disabled={!hasRows || !hasCols}
+          view={$tables.selected?._id}
+        />
+        {#key id}
+          <TableFilterButton
+            {schema}
+            on:change={onFilter}
+            disabled={!hasCols || !hasRows}
+          />
+        {/key}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+    <div slot="placeholder">
+      <Layout gap="S">
+        {#if !hasCols}
+          <Heading>Let's create some columns</Heading>
+          <Body>
+            Start building out your table structure<br />
+            by adding some columns
+          </Body>
+        {:else}
+          <Heading>Now let's add a row</Heading>
+          <Body>
+            Add some data to your table<br />
+            by adding some rows
+          </Body>
+        {/if}
+      </Layout>
+    </div>
   </Table>
   {#key id}
     <div in:fade={{ delay: 200, duration: 100 }}>
@@ -162,4 +211,20 @@
     align-items: center;
     margin-top: var(--spacing-xl);
   }
+  .buttons {
+    flex: 1 1 auto;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: row;
+    justify-content: space-between;
+    align-items: center;
+    flex-wrap: wrap;
+  }
+  .left-buttons,
+  .right-buttons {
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: row;
+    justify-content: flex-start;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: var(--spacing-m);
+  }
 </style>
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/Table.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/Table.svelte
index 81edb39667..85b271dee8 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/Table.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/Table.svelte
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
   export let rowCount
   export let type
   export let disableSorting = false
+  export let customPlaceholder = false
 
   let selectedRows = []
   let editableColumn
@@ -117,10 +118,10 @@
 </script>
 
 <Layout noPadding gap="S">
-  <div>
+  <Layout noPadding gap="XS">
     {#if title}
       <div class="table-title">
-        <Heading size="S">{title}</Heading>
+        <Heading size="M">{title}</Heading>
         {#if loading}
           <div transition:fade|local>
             <Spinner size="10" />
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@
         <DeleteRowsButton on:updaterows {selectedRows} {deleteRows} />
       {/if}
     </div>
-  </div>
+  </Layout>
   {#key tableId}
     <div class="table-wrapper">
       <Table
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@
         {customRenderers}
         {rowCount}
         {disableSorting}
+        {customPlaceholder}
         bind:selectedRows
         allowSelectRows={allowEditing && !isUsersTable}
         allowEditRows={allowEditing}
@@ -153,7 +155,9 @@
         on:editrow={e => editRow(e.detail)}
         on:clickrelationship={e => selectRelationship(e.detail)}
         on:sort
-      />
+      >
+        <slot slot="placeholder" name="placeholder" />
+      </Table>
     </div>
   {/key}
 </Layout>
@@ -176,6 +180,7 @@
     flex-direction: row;
     justify-content: flex-start;
     align-items: center;
+    margin-top: var(--spacing-m);
   }
   .table-title > div {
     margin-left: var(--spacing-xs);
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateColumnButton.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateColumnButton.svelte
index abf7e25d2a..8644ee86da 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateColumnButton.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateColumnButton.svelte
@@ -2,10 +2,21 @@
   import { ActionButton, Modal } from "@budibase/bbui"
   import CreateEditColumn from "../modals/CreateEditColumn.svelte"
 
+  export let highlighted = false
+  export let disabled = false
+
   let modal
 </script>
 
-<ActionButton icon="TableColumnAddRight" quiet size="S" on:click={modal.show}>
+<ActionButton
+  {disabled}
+  selected={highlighted}
+  emphasized={highlighted}
+  icon="TableColumnAddRight"
+  quiet
+  size="S"
+  on:click={modal.show}
+>
   Create column
 </ActionButton>
 <Modal bind:this={modal}>
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateRowButton.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateRowButton.svelte
index 2a31d02375..1676a5b23c 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateRowButton.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateRowButton.svelte
@@ -4,11 +4,21 @@
 
   export let modalContentComponent = CreateEditRow
   export let title = "Create row"
+  export let disabled = false
+  export let highlighted = false
 
   let modal
 </script>
 
-<ActionButton icon="TableRowAddBottom" size="S" quiet on:click={modal.show}>
+<ActionButton
+  {disabled}
+  emphasized={highlighted}
+  selected={highlighted}
+  icon="TableRowAddBottom"
+  size="S"
+  quiet
+  on:click={modal.show}
+>
   {title}
 </ActionButton>
 <Modal bind:this={modal}>
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateViewButton.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateViewButton.svelte
index 297d120ede..0133b5bd79 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateViewButton.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/CreateViewButton.svelte
@@ -2,10 +2,18 @@
   import { Modal, ActionButton } from "@budibase/bbui"
   import CreateViewModal from "../modals/CreateViewModal.svelte"
 
+  export let disabled = false
+
   let modal
 </script>
 
-<ActionButton icon="CollectionAdd" size="S" quiet on:click={modal.show}>
+<ActionButton
+  {disabled}
+  icon="CollectionAdd"
+  size="S"
+  quiet
+  on:click={modal.show}
+>
   Create view
 </ActionButton>
 <Modal bind:this={modal}>
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/ExportButton.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/ExportButton.svelte
index d8502c7d3e..093ca33182 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/ExportButton.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/ExportButton.svelte
@@ -3,11 +3,18 @@
   import ExportModal from "../modals/ExportModal.svelte"
 
   export let view
+  export let disabled = false
 
   let modal
 </script>
 
-<ActionButton icon="DataDownload" size="S" quiet on:click={modal.show}>
+<ActionButton
+  {disabled}
+  icon="DataDownload"
+  size="S"
+  quiet
+  on:click={modal.show}
+>
   Export
 </ActionButton>
 <Modal bind:this={modal}>
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/HideAutocolumnButton.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/HideAutocolumnButton.svelte
index 3d74188ee4..e9b042a653 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/HideAutocolumnButton.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/HideAutocolumnButton.svelte
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@
   }
 </script>
 
-<ActionButton icon="MagicWand" primary size="S" quiet on:click={hideOrUnhide}>
-  {#if hideAutocolumns}Show auto columns{:else}Hide auto columns{/if}
+<ActionButton
+  icon={hideAutocolumns ? "VisibilityOff" : "Visibility"}
+  primary
+  size="S"
+  quiet
+  on:click={hideOrUnhide}
+>
+  Auto columns
 </ActionButton>
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/TableFilterButton.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/TableFilterButton.svelte
index c07b11237b..cf9e4b1358 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/TableFilterButton.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/buttons/TableFilterButton.svelte
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
   export let schema
   export let filters
+  export let disabled = false
 
   const dispatch = createEventDispatcher()
   let modal
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@
   icon="Filter"
   size="S"
   quiet
+  {disabled}
   on:click={modal.show}
   active={tempValue?.length > 0}
 >