diff --git a/app/client/components/DetailView.js b/app/client/components/DetailView.js
index 9cd34461..ba0eaa58 100644
--- a/app/client/components/DetailView.js
+++ b/app/client/components/DetailView.js
@@ -259,8 +259,7 @@ DetailView.prototype.buildFieldDom = function(field, row) {
     dom.autoDispose(isCellActive),
     kd.cssClass(function() { return 'detail_theme_field_' + self.viewSection.themeDef(); }),
     dom('div.g_record_detail_label', kd.text(field.displayLabel)),
-    // TODO : show the real description
-    dom('div.g_record_detail_description', kd.text("Description testing")),
+    dom('div.g_record_detail_description', kd.text(field.description)),
     dom('div.g_record_detail_value',
       kd.toggleClass('scissors', isCopyActive),
       kd.toggleClass('record-add', row._isAddRow),
diff --git a/app/client/models/entities/ViewFieldRec.ts b/app/client/models/entities/ViewFieldRec.ts
index 68578fd4..30b5b0c0 100644
--- a/app/client/models/entities/ViewFieldRec.ts
+++ b/app/client/models/entities/ViewFieldRec.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export interface ViewFieldRec extends IRowModel<"_grist_Views_section_field">, R
   origCol: ko.Computed<ColumnRec>;
   colId: ko.Computed<string>;
   label: ko.Computed<string>;
+  description: ko.Computed<string>;
 
   // displayLabel displays label by default but switches to the more helpful colId whenever a
   // formula field in the view is being edited.
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ export function createViewFieldRec(this: ViewFieldRec, docModel: DocModel): void
   this.origCol = ko.pureComputed(() => this.column().origCol());
   this.colId = ko.pureComputed(() => this.column().colId());
   this.label = ko.pureComputed(() => this.column().label());
+  this.description = ko.pureComputed(() => this.column().description());
 
   // displayLabel displays label by default but switches to the more helpful colId whenever a
   // formula field in the view is being edited.
diff --git a/app/client/ui/FieldConfig.ts b/app/client/ui/FieldConfig.ts
index bba473a0..12726392 100644
--- a/app/client/ui/FieldConfig.ts
+++ b/app/client/ui/FieldConfig.ts
@@ -95,11 +95,34 @@ export function buildDescriptionConfig(
   cursor: ko.Computed<CursorPos>,
 ) {
   const editedDescription = Observable.create(owner, '');
+  const saveDescription = async (val: string) => {
+    await origColumn.description.saveOnly(val);
+    editedDescription.set('');
+  }
+
+  // We will listen to cursor position and force a blur event on
+  // the text input, which will trigger save before the column observable
+  // will change its value.
+  // Otherwise, blur will be invoked after column change and save handler will
+  // update a different column.
+  let editor: HTMLTextAreaElement | undefined;
+  owner.autoDispose(
+    cursor.subscribe(() => {
+      editor?.blur();
+    })
+  );
 
   return [
     cssLabel(t("DESCRIPTION")),
     cssRow(
-      cssTextArea(editedDescription, {})
+      editor = cssTextArea(fromKo(origColumn.description),
+        { onInput: false },
+        { placeholder: t("If necesary, describe the column") },
+        dom.on('input', (e, elem) => {
+          editedDescription.set(elem.value);
+          saveDescription(elem.value)
+        }),
+      )
     ),
 
   ];
diff --git a/app/client/ui/RightPanel.ts b/app/client/ui/RightPanel.ts
index 04778f1a..50416ee3 100644
--- a/app/client/ui/RightPanel.ts
+++ b/app/client/ui/RightPanel.ts
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ export class RightPanel extends Disposable {
             dom.create(buildNameConfig, origColumn, cursor, isMultiSelect),
           ),
           cssSection(
-            dom.create(buildDescriptionConfig, origColumn, cursor, isMultiSelect),
+            dom.create(buildDescriptionConfig, origColumn, cursor),
           ),
           cssSeparator(),
           cssSection(
diff --git a/app/common/schema.ts b/app/common/schema.ts
index 7e0912a1..ea2cc587 100644
--- a/app/common/schema.ts
+++ b/app/common/schema.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { GristObjCode } from "app/plugin/GristData";
 
 // tslint:disable:object-literal-key-quotes
 
-export const SCHEMA_VERSION = 35;
+export const SCHEMA_VERSION = 36;
 
 export const schema = {
 
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ export const schema = {
     isFormula           : "Bool",
     formula             : "Text",
     label               : "Text",
+    description: "Text",
     untieColIdFromLabel : "Bool",
     summarySourceCol    : "Ref:_grist_Tables_column",
     displayCol          : "Ref:_grist_Tables_column",
@@ -239,6 +240,7 @@ export interface SchemaTypes {
     isFormula: boolean;
     formula: string;
     label: string;
+    description: string;
     untieColIdFromLabel: boolean;
     summarySourceCol: number;
     displayCol: number;
diff --git a/app/server/lib/initialDocSql.ts b/app/server/lib/initialDocSql.ts
index b986c9b1..eab77b4c 100644
--- a/app/server/lib/initialDocSql.ts
+++ b/app/server/lib/initialDocSql.ts
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ export const GRIST_DOC_SQL = `
 PRAGMA foreign_keys=OFF;
 BEGIN TRANSACTION;
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_DocInfo" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "docId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "peers" TEXT DEFAULT '', "basketId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "schemaVersion" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "timezone" TEXT DEFAULT '', "documentSettings" TEXT DEFAULT '');
-INSERT INTO _grist_DocInfo VALUES(1,'','','',35,'','');
+INSERT INTO _grist_DocInfo VALUES(1,'','','',36,'','');
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_Tables" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "tableId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "primaryViewId" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "summarySourceTable" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "onDemand" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "rawViewSectionRef" INTEGER DEFAULT 0);
-CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_Tables_column" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "parentId" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "parentPos" NUMERIC DEFAULT 1e999, "colId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "type" TEXT DEFAULT '', "widgetOptions" TEXT DEFAULT '', "isFormula" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "formula" TEXT DEFAULT '', "label" TEXT DEFAULT '', "untieColIdFromLabel" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "summarySourceCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "displayCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "visibleCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "rules" TEXT DEFAULT NULL, "recalcWhen" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "recalcDeps" TEXT DEFAULT NULL);
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_Tables_column" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "parentId" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "parentPos" NUMERIC DEFAULT 1e999, "colId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "type" TEXT DEFAULT '', "widgetOptions" TEXT DEFAULT '', "isFormula" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "formula" TEXT DEFAULT '', "label" TEXT DEFAULT '', "description" TEXT DEFAULT '', "untieColIdFromLabel" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "summarySourceCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "displayCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "visibleCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "rules" TEXT DEFAULT NULL, "recalcWhen" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "recalcDeps" TEXT DEFAULT NULL);
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_Imports" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "tableRef" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "origFileName" TEXT DEFAULT '', "parseFormula" TEXT DEFAULT '', "delimiter" TEXT DEFAULT '', "doublequote" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "escapechar" TEXT DEFAULT '', "quotechar" TEXT DEFAULT '', "skipinitialspace" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "encoding" TEXT DEFAULT '', "hasHeaders" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0);
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_External_database" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "host" TEXT DEFAULT '', "port" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "username" TEXT DEFAULT '', "dialect" TEXT DEFAULT '', "database" TEXT DEFAULT '', "storage" TEXT DEFAULT '');
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_External_table" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "tableRef" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "databaseRef" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "tableName" TEXT DEFAULT '');
@@ -43,14 +43,14 @@ export const GRIST_DOC_WITH_TABLE1_SQL = `
 PRAGMA foreign_keys=OFF;
 BEGIN TRANSACTION;
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_DocInfo" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "docId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "peers" TEXT DEFAULT '', "basketId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "schemaVersion" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "timezone" TEXT DEFAULT '', "documentSettings" TEXT DEFAULT '');
-INSERT INTO _grist_DocInfo VALUES(1,'','','',35,'','');
+INSERT INTO _grist_DocInfo VALUES(1,'','','',36,'','');
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_Tables" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "tableId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "primaryViewId" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "summarySourceTable" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "onDemand" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "rawViewSectionRef" INTEGER DEFAULT 0);
 INSERT INTO _grist_Tables VALUES(1,'Table1',1,0,0,2);
-CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_Tables_column" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "parentId" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "parentPos" NUMERIC DEFAULT 1e999, "colId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "type" TEXT DEFAULT '', "widgetOptions" TEXT DEFAULT '', "isFormula" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "formula" TEXT DEFAULT '', "label" TEXT DEFAULT '', "untieColIdFromLabel" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "summarySourceCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "displayCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "visibleCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "rules" TEXT DEFAULT NULL, "recalcWhen" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "recalcDeps" TEXT DEFAULT NULL);
-INSERT INTO _grist_Tables_column VALUES(1,1,1,'manualSort','ManualSortPos','',0,'','manualSort',0,0,0,0,NULL,0,NULL);
-INSERT INTO _grist_Tables_column VALUES(2,1,2,'A','Any','',1,'','A',0,0,0,0,NULL,0,NULL);
-INSERT INTO _grist_Tables_column VALUES(3,1,3,'B','Any','',1,'','B',0,0,0,0,NULL,0,NULL);
-INSERT INTO _grist_Tables_column VALUES(4,1,4,'C','Any','',1,'','C',0,0,0,0,NULL,0,NULL);
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_Tables_column" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "parentId" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "parentPos" NUMERIC DEFAULT 1e999, "colId" TEXT DEFAULT '', "type" TEXT DEFAULT '', "widgetOptions" TEXT DEFAULT '', "isFormula" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "formula" TEXT DEFAULT '', "label" TEXT DEFAULT '', "description" TEXT DEFAULT '', "untieColIdFromLabel" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "summarySourceCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "displayCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "visibleCol" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "rules" TEXT DEFAULT NULL, "recalcWhen" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "recalcDeps" TEXT DEFAULT NULL);
+INSERT INTO _grist_Tables_column VALUES(1,1,1,'manualSort','ManualSortPos','',0,'','manualSort','',0,0,0,0,NULL,0,NULL);
+INSERT INTO _grist_Tables_column VALUES(2,1,2,'A','Any','',1,'','A','',0,0,0,0,NULL,0,NULL);
+INSERT INTO _grist_Tables_column VALUES(3,1,3,'B','Any','',1,'','B','',0,0,0,0,NULL,0,NULL);
+INSERT INTO _grist_Tables_column VALUES(4,1,4,'C','Any','',1,'','C','',0,0,0,0,NULL,0,NULL);
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_Imports" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "tableRef" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "origFileName" TEXT DEFAULT '', "parseFormula" TEXT DEFAULT '', "delimiter" TEXT DEFAULT '', "doublequote" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "escapechar" TEXT DEFAULT '', "quotechar" TEXT DEFAULT '', "skipinitialspace" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0, "encoding" TEXT DEFAULT '', "hasHeaders" BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0);
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_External_database" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "host" TEXT DEFAULT '', "port" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "username" TEXT DEFAULT '', "dialect" TEXT DEFAULT '', "database" TEXT DEFAULT '', "storage" TEXT DEFAULT '');
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "_grist_External_table" (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, "tableRef" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "databaseRef" INTEGER DEFAULT 0, "tableName" TEXT DEFAULT '');
diff --git a/sandbox/grist/migrations.py b/sandbox/grist/migrations.py
index f04ad057..b58031b8 100644
--- a/sandbox/grist/migrations.py
+++ b/sandbox/grist/migrations.py
@@ -1188,3 +1188,11 @@ def migration35(tdset):
     ))
 
   return tdset.apply_doc_actions(doc_actions)
+
+
+@migration(schema_version=36)
+def migration36(tdset):
+  """
+  Add description to column
+  """
+  return tdset.apply_doc_actions([add_column('_grist_Tables_column', 'description', 'Text')])
diff --git a/sandbox/grist/schema.py b/sandbox/grist/schema.py
index 9a7d5014..8679b8fb 100644
--- a/sandbox/grist/schema.py
+++ b/sandbox/grist/schema.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import six
 
 import actions
 
-SCHEMA_VERSION = 35
+SCHEMA_VERSION = 36
 
 def make_column(col_id, col_type, formula='', isFormula=False):
   return {
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ def schema_create_actions():
       make_column("isFormula",    "Bool"),
       make_column("formula",      "Text"),
       make_column("label",        "Text"),
+      make_column("description",  "Text"),
 
       # Normally a change to label changes colId as well, unless untieColIdFromLabel is True.
       # (We intentionally pick a variable whose default value is false.)