Lookup field

The Lookup fields allow your form users to select or look up values from a nominated data source within Advanced Forms while submitting their answers.

Featuring a range of Lookup field types and optional settings, lookups can be configured to cater to different data input requirements.

For example, you can use a Lookup field to enable form users to look up specific details (such as an employee ID) and pre-populate related details from a separate source form (for example, their name, email address, department, and more).

Types of lookups

Three types of lookups allow form users to look up values in different ways:

Lookup type	Description
Specific Value	The form user enters a specific value to perform the lookup. This lookup supports the automatic population of other fields in the same form when looking up a specific value.
Auto-Suggest	The form user is presented with suggestions of possible values while typing. This lookup supports the automatic population of other fields in the same form when a value is selected from the list.
Drop-down List	The form user selects from a drop-down list of all possible values. This lookup type supports two functions: * Automatic population of other fields in the same form when a value is selected from the list. * Cascading filtering of list values when using multiple lookup fields.

Lookup type

Description

Specific Value

The form user enters a specific value to perform the lookup.

This lookup supports the automatic population of other fields in the same form when looking up a specific value.

Auto-Suggest

The form user is presented with suggestions of possible values while typing.

This lookup supports the automatic population of other fields in the same form when a value is selected from the list.

Drop-down List

The form user selects from a drop-down list of all possible values.

This lookup type supports two functions:

* Automatic population of other fields in the same form when a value is selected from the list.

* Cascading filtering of list values when using multiple lookup fields.

Using lookups

In most scenarios, using a Lookup field will require two forms:

The source form that acts as a centralized database for collecting and storing the data values.
The master form where the lookup is performed.

Create a database using a source form

Firstly, you will need to create a source form that will be used to collect and store the required data that the master form will reference.

Create a form.
Add all the fields your database requires.
Save and view the form.

Alternatively, if the lookup data is all contained within the same form, you can skip to adding a lookup field to your form.

Email address and Address field types are not supported in the Lookup feature.

+ We recommend using Short answer fields in your source form instead.

Collect data

In the following example, a source form called Staff ID database has been created, which we will use to collect employee information. Data can be collected through manual entry of forms, bulk CSV upload (contact Advanced Forms support to enable), or API.

To collect data through manual entry:

Complete the fields in your source form.
Click Submit.
Repeat these steps for all new entities.

View/edit form submissions

If you need to review or edit submitted responses, go to Dashboard your source form View Responses.

Create your master form

Now, build the form that will be used to perform the lookups and receive form responses.

This form will contain the Lookup field(s) referencing the source form.

Create a form.

For example, Staff Register.

Add a Lookup field to your form.

For example, Staff ID Lookup.

Select the lookup type.

For example, specific value.

Select the Source Form.

For example, Staff ID Database.

Select the Source Field.

For example, Staff ID.

Use the lookup options to configure how you want the lookup to function.
Add any additional fields that may be required for populating matching fields after lookup or for cascading lookups.
Click Save and view the form.

We recommend using the same field names as your source form to ensure successful field matching when using lookups to autopopulate other fields in your master form.

Lookup options explained

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Lookup option	Description
Automatically populate other fields after lookup	Automatically populate the fields in your master form (that match the source form) when the lookup is performed. For example, when a form user looks up a Staff ID, the following four fields (First Name, Last Name, Email, and Department) will automatically populate with the corresponding data values for matching fields in the source form.
Answer must exist in the lookup source	Ensure the lookup answer corresponds with an existing data value in the source form responses.
Hide lookup result message	Hide the result message when the form user (successfully or unsuccessfully) performs a lookup in the master form.
Enable Fuzzy search to increase results by adding close matches.	Increase search results by including close matches (applies to auto-suggest lookups only)
Cascade filter answers based on another lookup field	Create a tiered hierarchy of two or more drop-down list lookup fields (such as categories and subcategories) where a form user’s selection in one lookup field will determine the list of options in another. For example, if a form user selects Freezers in a field called Category, the following field Subcategory will display a filtered list of options for that category. For example, Chest, Upright, and so on.

Lookup option

Description

Automatically populate other fields after lookup

Automatically populate the fields in your master form (that match the source form) when the lookup is performed.

For example, when a form user looks up a Staff ID, the following four fields (First Name, Last Name, Email, and Department) will automatically populate with the corresponding data values for matching fields in the source form.

Answer must exist in the lookup source

Ensure the lookup answer corresponds with an existing data value in the source form responses.

Hide lookup result message

Hide the result message when the form user (successfully or unsuccessfully) performs a lookup in the master form.

Enable Fuzzy search to increase results by adding close matches.

Increase search results by including close matches (applies to auto-suggest lookups only)

Cascade filter answers based on another lookup field

Create a tiered hierarchy of two or more drop-down list lookup fields (such as categories and subcategories) where a form user’s selection in one lookup field will determine the list of options in another.

For example, if a form user selects Freezers in a field called Category, the following field Subcategory will display a filtered list of options for that category.

For example, Chest, Upright, and so on.

Examples

If you are interested in learning how lookups could be used in your organization, please head over to our lookup examples:

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