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Utilizing Gravity Forms Drop Down Field Type as a Required Field

Modified on: Mon, Oct 8 2018 8:23 AM

Prerequisite Topics


 

Gravity Form fields can easily be configured to require a user response. (Link to Required Field documentation) Requiring a response in the drop-down field, however, is not quite as straightforward as other field types. The problem is that the drop-down field automatically selects the first option, and the form submission process cannot distinguish between the default selection and the user selecting the first option.

Drop Down Placeholder

Luckily, there is a straightforward fix for this. All you need to do is add a Placeholder to the field. You can add this on the "Appearance" tab of the Drop Down field options (see screen cap on right). This effectively adds a placeholder selection as the very first option in the drop-down list. The difference is that a value behind the selection is not present. This is an essential component to a required field. If the user does not select a new option, the required field will fail and the form will not be submitted until this is corrected.

For a working example of this, please see the Required Drop Down Field Example. There are two required fields on this form. The first does not utilize a placeholder. Notice that it passes the required field test even if a selection is not made. The second drop down does utilize a placeholder. This will always fail until the user makes a selection.