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Troubleshooting Field Filtering

Michael Stephenson avatar
Written by Michael Stephenson
Updated this week

Overview

Below is a quick, step‑by‑step guide you can follow any time a drop‑down (Majors, Terms, Degrees, Campuses, or Schools) isn’t showing the choices you expect.

Quick Reminder: Filters read the live answers a student gives and compare them to the relationships you build in Available For. A mismatch at either point is what hides the options. Fix the relationship or the filter settings, publish, retest, and your drop‑down should snap back to life.


1. Confirm the Field Can be Filtered

Only the five data‑source families below can filter each other. If the drop‑down you’re troubleshooting isn’t one of them, filtering won’t work:

  • Majors

  • Terms

  • Degrees

  • Campuses

  • Schools

  • Student Type


2. Check the “Available For” Relationships in Data Sources

Filtering relies on the relationships you define in each item’s Available For panel.

  1. Go to Data Management › Data Sources.

  2. Open the data source that should appear in the drop‑down (e.g., Majors).

  3. Edit the option that’s missing and verify that its Available For values include the selections the student made earlier (e.g., the right Term or Degree).

  4. If you need to update many records, download the list, edit it in bulk, and re‑upload.


3. Verify Filter Settings on the Form/Application Field

Inside the form or application builder:

  1. Open the field that should receive the filtering (e.g., Major).

  2. In Field Options, toggle Use Filters ON.

  3. Decide which switch to use:

    • Filter available options? – trims this drop‑down based on a previous answer.

    • Filter another field? – uses this answer to trim a later field.

  4. In Field, choose the controlling field (the one answered earlier).

  5. In Dimension, choose the matching data‑source name (it usually mirrors the field you picked).

Tip: Field and Dimension names should almost always match (Term ↔ Terms, Campus ↔ Campuses, etc.). Mismatches are the #1 cause of empty drop‑downs.


4. Check the Field Order on the Form/Application

The controlling field must appear before the field it filters. If the order is reversed, the filter has nothing to read, and the drop‑down will appear empty.


5. Save & Retest

  1. Save changes.

  2. Publish the form or application.

  3. Use a fresh incognito window to test (caches can hold on to an old version).


Still not working?

Quick Diagnostics Chart

What to look for

Why it matters

Fix

Blank “Available For” on the option

No relationship = option is always hidden

Add the needed Term/Degree/Campus, etc.

Duplicate integration codes

Can cause mismatches in look‑ups

Ensure each item has a unique code

Repurposed data sources (e.g., Schools used for Concentrations)

Field/Dimension names might not match

Point Field to Concentrations and Dimension to Schools as documented

Old browser cache/autofill

Can show stale option lists

Hard refresh or use incognito

Troubleshooting Video Guide

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