Creating Filtered Dropdown Menus

Custom Objects also give the powerful ability to create Dynamic Dropdown fields that provide different choices depending on the value set in another field.

Creating the Custom Objects

To create a dynamic dropdown, you'll need two Lookup-type Custom Objects, and one of the Custom Objects needs to have the second Custom Object available as a custom lookup field. Below, we can see an example using Department and Cost Center:

Custom Object 1 will define how the options in the Dynamic Dropdown are determined:

Custom Object 2 will be used to define the fields available dynamic dropdown itself.

Once your Custom Objects have been successfully created, you'll need to create records in each field. For Fi In the examples above, we have three departments, and six cost centers associated with those cost centers. With the above configuration, we'll be able to configure our Assets so that, when the department is set on the Asset, you'll only be able to select Cost Centers with that Department. 

Creating the Dynamic Dropdown

Now that your custom objects have been created, you're reach to configure the Dynamic Dropdown itself. From the customization page of the Module of your choice (e.g. Assets, Users) click the add button, and create a field for your first Custom Object, selecting the custom object you just created as the data type.

Note: On the Display option page for this field, you should select "Regular."

With that created, click add again to create your second Custom Object. This time, select the second Custom Object you created and in the Display Option page and set the Display Option to Filtered Dropdown.  You'll then be prompted to define the field type of the option you wish to filter off of, then select the field name that will be used to determine which fields appear in your filtered dropdown.

Once those have been set, your filtered dropdown will have been created.

Paired Fields

Custom Objects also allow for the creation of paired fields, which provide users with the ability to create custom fields that describe other fields, such as units for measurements or denominations for currencies. 

Creating a Paired Field

In order to create a paired field, you must first create a lookup custom object that defines the field you wish to create, and populate it with the options would like in your paired dropdown, for example a Units field with kg and lbs as options.

Once you've created your custom object and options, navigate to the module you wish to create the paired field in, and select customization. From the customization screen, create your field, for example "Weight" with the desired parameters (such as data type, uniqueness, etc), and save. This field should NOT use the custom object type you created above, as it will serve as the "Base Field," where you enter data.

Once you've saved your base field, create a new field, and when setting a data type, select the previously created Custom Object Type (e.g. "Units). With that selected, navigate to the Display Option tab of the customization page, select "Paired Fields" as the display option, and select the previously created base field as the available field for pairing.