Dropdowns are List properties that are formatted with a data type of Dimension and can be manually adjusted. Dependent dropdowns filter the items that are suggested in one dropdown depending on what is selected in another dropdown. This article discusses how to configure dependent dropdowns in Lists.
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What is a dependent dropdown?
Dropdowns are list properties that are formatted with a data type of Dimension and can be manually adjusted. Dependent dropdowns filter the items that are suggested in one dropdown depending on what is selected in another dropdown.
For example, you might connect a Region and Country property together. When a Member selects a Region, the Country dropdown can be limited to Countries in that Region. You can also do the reverse, so when you select a Country, only the associated region will be selected.
When using the dropdown it display two sections: "Suggested options" with relevant items based on related properties' selections, and "All options" with all available items. The rule works both ways – if it maps items from property A to property B, it also works in reverse, from property B to property A.
Here is an example where we have three properties formatted with a City, Country, and Region List. It doesn’t matter which property you select City, Country, or Region which ever you choose, the dropdown will show suggested items based on the established connection and works in any direction.
How to set up dependent dropdowns?
Setting up dependent dropdowns is a two step process. The first step is to establish a configuration Metric that shows the connection between the dropdowns. The second step is to map the dimensions to the location where the dropdowns will be used.
Step 1 - Setting up a configuration Metric
When setting up a configuration Metric to be used with dependent dropdowns, there are two major criteria. The first criteria is that the Metric must be set to a boolean data type. The second is that the Metric’s structure must contain the exact same Dimensions as the properties you wish to connect. The Metric must establish a relationship between a minimum of two dimensions. Once the Metric is set up, it can be used for multiple different connections.
For example, if you wanted to set up a connection between a City, Country, and Region. Your Metric must contain those dimensions, it can not contain any extra dimensions.
Each Property can only be mapped once so if you have a connection between City and Country and another connection from Country and Region, these should all be included in the same Metric. This is because in step 2, you’ll map the properties and once you map Country, it can not be mapped a second time.
Once you set up your Metric, you want to set the boolean value to TRUE for each connection. This can be done manually or with a formula.
When entering data in your Metric, BLANK cells are treated the same as FALSE, meaning that for an item to be displayed in the suggestion options, it needs to be set to TRUE for the corresponding matching dimension items
For example, here you can see the Boolean for cell of New York, USA, and North America, is set to true. Once set up, if a Member selects USA, for Region they will have North America suggested as the Region. For the Cities, they will have New York, and Los Angeles because both are selected under USA.
Step 2 - Setting up dropdown connections
Once the Metric is set up, you now need to map it to the List properties
- Navigate to the List you set up dropdowns for
- Open Block settings by clicking on the cog wheel in the top right corner
- Select the Dependent dropdown menu option
- Click Connect Properties and select your Metric from Step 1.
You will only see Metrics that are eligible for use with this list. Eligible Metrics must be boolean formatted. The Metric’s structure must match dimensions that are being used as dropdowns in List Properties.
- After selecting a Metric, you will see the Metric’s dimensions listed next to List Properties selector. Match each Dimension to the property to be used as a Dropdown.
Each dimension must be mapped to a property. Each property must be set up with that dimension being used as its data type. For example, if you use Metric with Country and City, you must have two properties, both using a Dimension data type, one using Country and another using City.
While you can use a Metric multiple times to establish connections, once a Property is mapped, it can not be mapped again.
Editing dropdown connections
After a connection is established, you can continue to fill or adjust the data in the Metric that was used to configure the connection. It will not affect any inputs that were used in the dropdowns.
However, if the configuration Metric dimensions are adjusted or the data type changes, this will break the connection.