Dynamic Form Data Sources

Dynamic Form Data Sources

When designing forms and you need to display a list of options in-app, a Choices field is the tool to use. Where you can add a static list of options (Display/Answer values) or link a data source to drive the field’s options.

However, this requires the options to exist when designing a form.

With the introduction of Dynamic Form Data Sources and the ability to use field-captured data to drive a Choices field’s options via formula (including Data Source and Table fields), truly dynamic options are now possible that don’t require an existing static list or prepopulated data source.

Firstly, A basic understanding of the field types that can be configured to use Dynamic Form Data Sources might be beneficial:


Set up a Dynamic Form Data Source in a few steps:

  1. Additional Form fields (Options)
    Basically, ensure your form has fields to capture data or pull data from an external system, that you intend to be options.
  2. Data List (Options List)
    Create a list of the form field data captured or from an external system.
    A list of data is represented with multiple values separated by a bar/pipe character (‘|’).
    i.e. Option 1|Option 2|Option 3…More information on the formula can be found here:
    Creating a Formula
    Formula Cheat Sheet

    Note, the data lists created in Step 2 can also be created directly in Step 3, in the Formula Data columns formula builders.
  3. Data Source field (Dynamic Data Source)
    Add a Data Source field to your form’s design. Under the field’s property “Data Source”, tick the option “Formula Data”.
    You’ll be presented with two columns (initially but can add more) where you can reference your data list(s) via formula.
    This becomes the Dynamic Data Source based on field-captured data as options, that can now be linked to and populate Choices/Table fields.
  4. Choices/Table field (Dynamic Options)
    Now that you’ve set up a Dynamic Data Source (above), simply link/bind the desired fields that can be populated from a Data Source as normal to the Formula Data data source.

Data Sources with “Formula Data” selected may not appear inside a repeatable page or a table.

 

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