Custom Fields: Common Input Types are the controls that determine how users enter and select data when you build a custom field in SmartSimple. Each input type presents a different control in edit mode, such as a text box, a set of checkboxes, or a file upload. Each also shows its stored value as text in view mode.
Choosing the right input type keeps data consistent, guides users toward valid entries, and shapes how information is reported and reused across the system. The selection, text box, and upload input types are covered below, including how each one behaves.
Who: Global administrators and system administrators
When to Use Custom Fields: Common Input Types
Use Custom Fields: Common Input Types when:
- Responses must come from a fixed list of values, using a selection type such as Checkboxes or Radio Buttons.
- Entries need format validation, using a text box type such as Email, Number, or Phone Number.
- Records must store images, documents, or media files, using an Upload type.
How Input Field Types Work
Most input types present an interactive control in edit mode and show the saved value as text in view mode. For example, a Checkboxes field shows selectable boxes in edit mode and the selected values separated by semicolons in view mode. These input types are available when you create or edit a custom field.
Several selection types let the value stored in the field differ from the value shown to the user. The stored value stays consistent across languages, while the displayed value can change, which supports translation and reporting.
Selection Field Types
Selection field types present a set of values for users to choose from.
Lookup - Autocomplete Options - Presents a collection of values in an Ajax lookup box. It supports selecting more than one value and can look up values from an external source.
Select Many - Checkboxes - Presents values as checkboxes so users can select multiple values. View mode shows the selected values separated by semicolons.
Select One - Radio Buttons - Presents values as radio buttons so users select a single value.
Text Box Field Types
Text box field types capture typed entries, and several apply formatting or validation.
Text Box - Date - Lets users select a date from a calendar.
Text Box - Date and Time - Lets users select a date and time using a calendar and hour and minute sliders.
Text Box - Email - Captures an email address and validates the format when the record is saved.
Text Box - Number - Controls how numeric values display, including number format and precision.
Text Box - Phone Number - Captures a phone number and applies automatic formatting.
Text Box - Text Multiple Lines - Captures one or more lines of text and supports up to 16,777,215 characters.
Text Box - Text Single Line - Captures a concise single line of text.
Upload Field Types
Upload field types store files on a record.
Upload - Image - Displays an uploaded image, with optional height and width limits and a maximum file size of 1 GB.
Upload - Multiple Files Storage - Stores multiple files in a single field, including documents, media, and generated files, and supports indexing, merging, and a media library.
Resources
For more information about custom field input types, see: