Data entry fields – multi-select tick boxes

RefTracker does NOT provide a function that allows the client to select more than one item from a list, such as is provided by multi-select tick boxes. The reason this is not provided is that they would produce a “one to many” relationship in regard to that field, and a one to many relationship would require an entirely different type of statistical analysis, severely complicating the simple to use statistics that RefTracker currently provides.

If you need to include a function in your form where users can select multiple values (multi-select), it is important that you understand what the data will be used for.  We recommend the following approaches:

If you need to obtain statistics about the different choices made –

When statistics are required in relation to the choices made, the best way to set up your form is to include user-defined code tables with Yes and No entries in each, for each item in the multi-select list. Present them in a separate division for clarity, with a text area for inclusion of any supplementary descriptions, if appropriate.  Here’s and example of this sort of setup:

Another alternative is to review your list of multi-select items.  Sometimes there are only a few combinations possible and a single drop down list containing a list of all possible combinations is the best approach e.g.

Item X
Item Y
Item Z
Item X and Y
Item X and Y and Z 

If you do not need statistics about the different choices made –

If you do not need statistics about the choices, then its a matter of providing enough instructions to the client, for them to be able to clearly provide all the information that you need, in a text area.  Here’s an example where all the options are listed in a note, so the client knows exactly the information that needs to be provided, or the information that can be selected from.

Here’s another way it could be achieved via good instructions:

This option works really well, especially on mobile phones.  Variations on this theme might be:
– include all the options in the text area, in the field note, so that if they are deleted by mistake, the user can still see the full list.
– or, if your options need long descriptions, put them all on separate lines, but be sure to start each line with an identifiable character, such as a number, so that they can be easily identified as separate entries if the user removes the new lines.