Dynamic Lookups Made Easy: Append Drop-Downs Like a Pro

Introduction:  When working with lookup fields, users often encounter a limitation: the dropdown only displays predefined options. But what happens when you need to enter a value that isn’t listed? That’s where appending a dropdown field to lookup results comes in. This enhancement empowers users to add new values on the fly, ensuring flexibility without sacrificing usability.

With a simple JavaScript tweak, the newly entered value is automatically selected by default—while still allowing users to choose any other option if needed. This approach streamlines data entry, reduces friction, and keeps your forms dynamic and user-friendly.

Test Version: Laserfiche Forms Professional Version 12.0.2503.10388

Setup: Download codes from Bait and Tackle.

Append Drop-down Field to Lookup Results - Modern Designer

1. Add a Drop-Down field to your form.

2. Add a Single Line Field for text input.   This field is used for free-form text. Suggestions are included only for demo purposes.

3. Add a second Single Line Field to store the input value.

This field should remain visible for the demo but hidden in a production form.

4. Insert the Day 11 script into the JavaScript editor.

Open the JavaScript panel in Modern Designer and paste the code from Day 11 Bait and Tackle library.

5. Update field IDs and LookupRule ID.

Adjust all fieldId values and the LookupRuleID in the script to match your form’s configuration.

6. In the live version, write the stored value to the Lookup Table.

This ensures user-entered text becomes available as selectable options in the Drop-Down field.