How to create a list provided by a Data Source in the response form

About this article

This article will explain how to allow the user to select an answer from a fixed list originating from the data sources in the response form so it can be utilized to populate the smart template. 

• How to allow selecting an answer from a fixed list the response form 
• Dropdown question examples

Prerequisites

How to allow selecting an answer from a fixed list the response form

When building the response form, the Dropdown question can be utilized to allow the user to pick from an existing list of answers originating from data sources. Creating a Dropdown question can be achieved by following these steps: 

1. In the Template Designer, navigate to the Form tab
2. Click Add question 
3. Select Dropdown in the Type dropdown
4. Enter the Question title
   This will be displayed to end-user and will guide them to provide the relevant answer
5. Select the Data source
   The data source containing the list of answers necessary for the question
6. Select the Label column
   The column of the data source that should be displayed to end-users when answering the question (reference schema fields cannot be used for the Label column).
7. Optionally, set additional settings to the question
   • Required: Enable this option if the user should be prevented from finalizing the generation of the template if the input is missing. An asterisk will be displayed in the response form to indicate that the question is mandatory. 
   • Filter options: Narrow down the list based on other dropdown questions from the response form or based on user profile fields. This section will only be displayed if the dropdown is eligible for filtering. 
   • Reference name: Will be prepopulated based on the question title. The reference name will be displayed when utilizing the form responses smart field and is also the Name utilized in the binding syntax.  
   • Default value: Prepopulate the question with one of the answers from the list. The answer will be editable by the end-user. 
   • Related column for Update: Select the data source column used for Update to refer to, when changes were made to the document in the background (e.g. by third party software).
   • Spacing before: Edit the space between the question and the elements above it in the response form (none, medium, or large).
   • Space after: Edit the space between the question and the elements below it in the response form (none, medium, or large).
   • Helptext prefix: Add additional help text above the question to guide the user when filling in the response form of the expected answer.
   • Helptext postfix: Add additional help text below the question to guide the user when filling in the response form of the expected answer.
   • Hide if no interaction: Enable this option if the question should be hidden when no user interaction is required by the end-user, this is commonly used in conjunction with filtering.
   • Auto select first option: Enable this option to prepopulate the question with the first option available in the list. 
   • Share value: Enable this option if the same question will be utilized in the response form of dynamic text elements or slides that would be inserted when generating a document or a presentation. The answer to this question will be reused to avoid prompting the user with redundant questions.
8. Click Add to form
   
   • The Dropdown question will be added to the response form 
   • The question will be displayed in the form responses smart field using its Reference name 
   • Reference name of the question can be utilized in binding syntax to achieve more complex use cases using the Custom text binding smart field or to set template settings and properties.

Dropdown question examples

Required dropdown to specify the classification of the template

Create a Dropdown question using " Classification:" as the Question title, linking to the DocumentClassification data source, and displaying the name column of the DocumentClassification data source. 

DocumentClassification data source:

Filter the Product question based on the Category 

Create two different Dropdown questions

1. "Category:" as the Question title, linking to the Categories data source, and displaying the name column of the Categories data source. 
2. "Product:" as the Question title, linking to the Products data source, displaying the name column of the Categories data source, and filtered based on the Category question. 

Products and Categories data sources:

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