Cascading Dropdown Fields allow one dropdown field to filter the options in another dropdown based on a user’s selection.
This will help filter long lists, prevent invalid combinations, and improve data accuracy.
Cascading dropdown fields do require a properly structured Public Data Source.
Example: If your Data Source contains:
| Classification | Type of Work |
|---|---|
| Classified | Account Clerk |
| Certificated | Classroom Sub Teacher |
When a user selects Certificated in the first dropdown, only Classroom Sub Teacher will appear in the second dropdown.
If you have not created one yet, see: How to Create and Manage Data Sources
How to Set Up Cascading Dropdown Fields
Step 1: Before setting up cascading drop-downs, confirm:
- A Public Data Source has been created by a Form Admin
- The Data Source contains properly mapped relationships (for example, Classification → Type of Work)
- Both dropdown fields will reference the same Data Source
Step 2: Add the Parent Dropdown Field
Add a Dropdown field to your form
Under Enter Choices, select Use Data Source
Select the Data Source
Choose the column that will be the parent field (for example, Classification)
Select Add dependent field to add the second dropdown field
Select the new Dependent Dropdown
Select the dependent column (for example, Type of Work)
The second dropdown will now dynamically filter based on the parent selection.
How to Set Up Cascading Dropdowns in a Table
If you are configuring cascading dropdowns inside a table:
Setup both dropdown fields in the table first.
Configure each to use the same Data Source
Edit the dropdown that should be filtered
Select the parent dropdown field to control the filtering