Using drop-down lists

If a field has a down arrow to the right of the box, it indicates that a drop-down list is available. The drop-down list allows you to select from a set of valid values.

These lists:

• ensure consistent data is used
• can save you a lot of time.

In the example below, the Year Level field has a drop-down list associated with it.

When you click on the arrow to the right of the field, the available choices are displayed.

Selecting entries

To select the required entry, either click on the one you want or use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move up and down the list. When the one you want is highlighted, press Enter to select it.

You can also type in the abbreviated form of an entry. For example, if you type 3 in the Year Level field, Synergetic automatically finds the closest match to this, which is 3 / Year 3. When the correct entry is displayed, press Enter to choose it.

Lookup tables

The majority of drop-down lists have an associated lookup table; which stores all the valid values for the field. For example, the Year Level field has a lookup table associated with it called luYearLevel. If the lookup table entry does not exist, then you need to create it.

It is up to your organisation to decide who can maintain these lookup table entries. Some organisations choose to:

• Have the system administrator update all tables.
• Delegate this responsibility to the experts in each area. For example, the person managing debtors is able to maintain the debtors-related lookup tables and so on.

Last modified: 4/10/2012 11:47:21 AM