Dropdown

The Dropdown block allows you to present users with a list of predefined options so they can pick the one that applies. This keeps inputs consistent and avoids errors from free-text fields. Dropdowns are widely used in apps for structured data entry — such as selecting a department, choosing a product category, or marking a status.

In addition to simple lists, dropdowns can also be linked together to create dependent (nested) dropdowns, where one dropdown’s options change based on what is selected in another.

Help Video

Use Cases

• Standardised inputs: Collecting fixed categories like Department, Site, Role, Project Type.
• Simplified choices: When you want users to pick only from allowed options instead of typing their own.
• Conditional flows: Building nested dropdowns, where the choices in one dropdown depend on another selection (explained further in Advanced Options).

Editing the Block

When you add a Dropdown block and click on it, the right panel opens where you can configure it:

Label

This is the name that users see for the field. A clear label makes it easy for them to know what to select.
Example: “Select Site” or “Choose Department.”

Description

Additional text shown below the field. Use this if you want to give instructions or clarify how the dropdown should be used or leave it blank.

Example: Select the appropriate option.

This is how the Dropdown block with the label and the description will look to the end user.

Options

This is where you enter the list of available choices. Each option must be entered on a new line.
Example:

Site A

Site B

Site C

When the app runs, these will appear as selectable items in the dropdown.

Default Value

If you want the dropdown to always start with one option already selected, you can enter it here.
Example: If “Site A” is the most common, set it as the default so users don’t have to select it every time.

Required

Enable this toggle if the user must select something before submitting the form. If left off, the field can be skipped.

Advanced Options

Dependency Fields

This lets you link dropdowns together to create nested dropdowns. A nested dropdown means the list of options in one dropdown depends on what the user selected in another.
Example:

• Dropdown 1: Country (India, USA)

• Dropdown 2: City (Delhi, Mumbai, New York, Chicago, etc.)

Here, the City options will only show choices relevant to the Country selected.

For detailed steps to set this up, see the Nested Dropdowns Guide.

Allow Multiple Selections

By default, users can only select one option. If you enable this, they can select more than one option at the same time.

Display this field if

Use this option to show or hide the field under specific conditions. It accepts the standard Clappia formulae, similar to conditional sections or in the ‘Calculations & Logic’ block.

1. Type @ to get a list of all the fields you have added in the app and select the relevant field or type @ followed by the field name.

2. Use these field variables to write spreadsheet-like formulae for conditional display of the field in the app.

Retain value if hidden

This option appears once a condition is set in the Display this field if option. Enable this setting if you want the field's value to be retained even when the field is hidden. This is useful for preserving user input in cases where the field may temporarily disappear based on conditions.

Example: If the field is hidden based on user selection but you still need to keep the entered value for future reference or calculations, enable this option to ensure the data is retained.

Allow Value to Be Changed After Initial Submission

This option is enabled by default.

• If this toggle is on: users can edit their choice after submitting by navigating to the Submissions tab. You can also give conditions on when the submissions can be edited by typing it in the box below the toggle.
  
• If this toggle is off: the value becomes locked after submission and cannot be changed.

Block Width (Desktop and Mobile)

This changes how wide the dropdown field looks on the screen:

• On Desktop, you can set it to 100%, 75%, 50%, or 25% of the row.
• On Mobile, you can set it to 100% or 50%.

Variable Name

After saving your configuration, the system automatically assigns a Variable Name to the dropdown field. This variable name is used when:

• Writing formulas,
• Creating workflow conditions,
• Designing PDFs,
• Or when referring to this field in other app blocks.

You can change the variable name to something short and meaningful.