Apricot offers a variety of option fields that can be added to any form for data collection. To view the available fields, click here.
The Lookup List feature allows you to create centralized lists of values that can be easily reused across multiple option fields and forms. For example, rather than manually typing the same options (ex. "Yes", "No", "Unknown") for multiple radio button fields, Administrators can type out the list once and apply it to various option fields. This simplifies the form maintenance required to keep your data up-to-date and ensures consistency in your data.
Follow the steps listed below to learn how to populate the same values for option fields across your fields or forms.
Step 1: Create a new Lookup List
In the Administrator tab, expand the Form Designer category of the navigation bar and select "Lookup Lists". The next page will display categories of existing Lookup Lists in your database; you can expand a category to edit an existing Lookup List here.
Note: When editing a Lookup List, form fields that use the list will automatically be updated to reflect the current options when creating or editing records. However, if an option is edited or removed, existing records that selected the original option will retain the old value as it was saved in the record.
Select "Create New Lookup List" from the Lookup List Actions palette, then choose whether to create a Simple or Masked Lookup List:
Simple Lookup Lists consist of only a display value for each option. This is the text that users will see when the options are presented in a dropdown, radio button, or other option field.
Masked Lookup Lists contain both a display value and a backend value for each option. The backend value is the hidden, numeric value that provides a standardized, sortable way to store the data in the record. This is particularly useful for option fields that need to be analyzed or compared, such as ratings or scoring scales, and allows for more robust reporting.
Note: Backend values for Masked Lookup Lists or any masked option field must be numeric and must be unique to each option in the list.
Select which category the new Lookup List should be located in, name the list something that easily identifies what values are found in the list, then click "+ Create".
Step 2: Enter your display values
The next page lets you type in the display values you want in the Lookup List. You can use the Tab or Enter keys on your keyboard to navigate to the next row after typing an option.
To add multiple rows to your list at once, click "Add Rows" at the top of the section. You can position the rows at the top or bottom of your list, then type in the number of rows you'd like to add. Click "Add Rows" to close the pop-up window, then select "Save Lookup List" from the Lookup List Actions palette to confirm the options.
Note: Empty rows will not be displayed when the Lookup List is added to a form.
Step 3 (optional): Enable Bulk Entry
If there are many values you want to copy from an external source and paste into a Lookup List, you can select "Enable Bulk Entry" in the Lookup List Actions palette to open a text box to paste your options in bulk.
Note: The options entered in the Bulk Entry text box will replace any values entered under the Display Value header once you save the Lookup List with the pasted options.
Each line of text in the text box will be saved as its own option in a Simple Lookup List; you can drag the corner of the text box to see more lines of text.
Note: To enter values in bulk for Masked Lookup Lists, you'll need to separate the display value from the backend value with a "pipe" character ( | ) within the same line of text.
Select "Save Lookup List" from the Lookup List Actions palette to generate separate Display Value rows for each line of text entered in the box.
Step 4 (optional): Reorder your options
Once the Lookup List contains every value you want to include, you can reorder the list a few different ways:
Click the arrows to the right of the Display Value header once to order the options alphabetically.
Click the arrows again to order the options in reverse alphabetical order.
Click and hold the gray box to the right of the option you want to move and drag it to the desired location.
Save the Lookup List again once you've finished making adjustments to the list.
Step 5: Add the Lookup List to a field
Open the form you want to use the Lookup List for in the Form Designer. Add a new field from the Option category in the Field Choices palette or click the gear icon next to an existing option field to open its properties.
Check the "Use Lookup List" box to make a dropdown menu appear, then select the Lookup List you want to use for the field.
Select Apply at the bottom of the Field Properties window to save your changes. Opening the field's properties again will display an "Edit Lookup List" button next to the dropdown that navigates you to the Lookup List page to make additional changes to the list.
Once you've added the appropriate Lookup Lists to your fields, publish the form to immediately apply these changes for data entry.
Step 6 (optional): Convert field choices into a Lookup List
If you have existing option fields with Field Choices manually entered within the Field Properties, you can choose to copy and paste these options into a new Lookup List.
Open the field's properties, then click "Bulk Entry" at the bottom of the Field Choices section to view the options in a text box.
Highlight the text and copy it, then repeat Step 1 to paste the options into a new Lookup List.
You can then go back into the field and follow Step 5 to add the Lookup List with the same options to the field.