Automatic filling from the table

When the respondent chooses an option of an auxiliary table question, the form knows the whole record behind it, and not only the displayed text. Mapping takes advantage of this: each field of the record can automatically fill another question of the form.

Example: the "Collaborator" question uses the "Collaborators" table. With the mapping below, when "Ana Souza" is chosen, the form fills in her employee ID, department and hire date on its own:

Table field	Question filled
Employee ID	"Collaborator employee ID" (Text)
Department	"Department" (Single selection)
Hire date	"Hire date" (Date)

This reduces typing, avoids mistakes and ensures that the collected data matches the register.

1. Configure the mapping

1. In the form editor, add the questions to be filled after the auxiliary table question;
2. Open the configuration of the auxiliary table question through the gear icon and go to the Mapping tab;
3. For each table field, choose the question that should receive it. Leave Do not map on the fields you do not need;
4. Click Save configuration.

The footer of the tab shows how many fields are mapped.

Mapping the table fields to other questions of the form

Which questions can be filled

The Mapping tab list only offers questions that can receive the value. A question can be filled when it:

• comes after the auxiliary table question in the form;
• is in the same group: both are regular questions or both are follow-up questions;
• is of a type that accepts a value. The following cannot be filled: Send files, Calculated field (script), Calculated field (formula), GPS, Signature, Photos images and Text recognition.

Other auxiliary table questions can be filled. Learn more.

If the form changes later and a mapped question no longer meets these rules (for example, it was moved before the auxiliary table question or removed), the Mapping tab warns you, and those mappings are discarded when you save. Moving or joining questions in a way that leaves a target in an invalid position is refused by the editor, with a message explaining why.

2. How filling works while answering

• The value is converted to the question type. Text goes as it is; numbers, dates and selection options follow the same rules as Text Recognition (OCR), in the section on how recognized texts are applied to questions. In a selection question, for example, the option with the same text as the field is checked;
• What the respondent typed is respected. If the person had already answered the target question on their own, their value is kept. Automatically filled values, on the other hand, are replaced by the latest fill;
• Changing the option updates the targets. When another record is chosen, the automatically filled questions receive the data of the new record. If the new record has no value in a field, the corresponding question is cleared;
• Targets on other pages are filled when the respondent reaches them;
• The respondent can fix it. Every automatically filled question remains editable;
• "Others..." option: choosing it fills no question, because there is no record behind it;
• Multiple selection: "With multiple selection, the fields are filled only while a single item is selected."

3. Filling another auxiliary table question

An auxiliary table question can also be the target of a mapping — or of Text Recognition (OCR). In this case, the form searches the options of the target question for the one whose displayed text is equal to the value received.

Example: the "Collaborators" table has the Unit field, with values such as "Curitiba". The "Unit" question of the form uses the "Units" table with the display template {name}. When Unit → "Unit" is mapped, choosing a collaborator from Curitiba checks the "Curitiba" option in the "Unit" question.

Comparison rules:

• Uppercase, lowercase and accents do not matter: "SAO PAULO" finds the option "São Paulo";
• The comparison is with the whole option text, built by the display template of the target question. If the template is {code} - {name}, the options look like "U01 - Curitiba", and neither "U01" nor "Curitiba" alone finds them. When planning the mapping, use a template in the target question that produces exactly the value received;
• Only the options offered by the target question count, with its filters. If the value exists in the table but is outside the filters, the option is not found;
• In Multiple selection, the target question ends up checked with the option found only.

Cascading fill

If the filled auxiliary table question also has a mapping, it is applied next. For example: "Collaborator" fills "Unit", and "Unit" fills "City" and "Unit manager". Everything is resolved at once, from a single choice.

What the respondent sees

While the option is being searched, the target question shows "Searching the option for the automatic fill…" and the buttons to go forward, go back and finish are blocked for a few moments, until the search ends.

If the option is not found, the question is left blank to be answered manually, and a notice appears:

Notice	When it appears	What to do
Option not found — "The following questions were not filled, because there is no matching option: ..."	No option of the target question has the text received. The notice lists the questions and the text searched for.	Choose the option manually. If it always happens, review the display template or the filters of the target question.
Automatic fill failed — "The options could not be searched. Check the connection and fill in these questions manually: ..."	The search failed, usually due to a lack of connection on the web version.	Check the connection and choose the option manually.

In Text Recognition (OCR), the auxiliary table questions that could not be filled appear in the summary of the recognition itself.

Next steps

• Learn more about answers and results;
• Learn more about the other configuration tabs.