Understand Drop down field

The Drop Down field enables your users to select a value from a predefined set of choices that are displayed in a dropdown menu.

When to use this field?

You may consider the following pointers to determine when to use a drop down field:

• Opt to use a drop down field if the data that you want to enable your users to enter spans a defined set of choices, and only one of these choices can be present per entry (or record).
• The radio field also enables your users to select a value from a predefined set of choices. Where the drop down and radio fields differ is the way the choices are displayed when your users access them on a web-browser: in a dropdown menu and as radio buttons, respectively. (They look the same when accessed from a phone or tablet)
• If you want to enable your users to select multiple values, you must opt to adding a multi select or checkbox field to your form.
• If you want to create a dynamic picklist, i.e., if you want to provide an initial set of choices to select from, but want to accommodate the growth of this set, then you must opt to using a single-select lookup field.

Character limits

A choice displayed by the drop down field contain up to 255 characters. In other words, the drop down field can store an input that has up to 255 characters.

Features

• You can manage the choices that the drop down field displays:
  • You can add or import choices, edit a choice, and delete a choice
  • Define the order in which the choices are displayed: You can either arrange the choices manually in the required order, or enable them to be displayed in the alphabetical order
  • Rename the values provided as choices in your drop down field
• Set an initial value: Initial value for a drop down field refers to the choice that your users will see preselected when they access your form. Setting an initial value does not restrict your users from removing it or selecting a different choice from the dropdown.

• Allow the entry of another choice: Instead of selecting one of the predefined choices, you can enable your users to type an input (that has a maximum of 255 characters) in the drop down field. This enables your users with the option to enter a more appropriate input in the drop down field. When your users access the such a drop down field, Other will be displayed as the last choice in it. When your users select Other​, an input box will appear where they can type the required input.

• Search and auto-complete: When your users access your form from a web browswer, they can search the drop down field for the required choice by typing in it. When they type, the choices that contain the typed text appear. This saves time and effort as compared to scrolling through the list of choices.
• Customize the field name and field link name of this field
• Make it mandatory for your users to enter an input in this field
• Enable showing this field only to the app’s admin (and hide it from other users)
• Change this field's type
• Set this field’s size
• Enable displaying a tooltip message when your users hover their mouse on this field