What They Are
A dynamic add field lets somebody add another copy of a group of fields — another contact, another item, another qualification.
Where to find it
Architect Panel → Forms:
- Dynamic Add Fields — the definitions, then View Fields on a row
- Conditional Forms — show and hide rules
- Line Item Builders — the builders, then View Line Fields on a row
What a definition holds
A name, the text and styling of the button that adds another, and whether field titles are shown on each repeat. The fields themselves are separate rows naming the field, its order, any styling and which row it sits on.
Fields are managed through View Fields on the definition’s row.
When repetition is right
- The number of entries is genuinely unknown — one contact or five.
- Each entry has the same shape.
- Entries are equal rather than ordered or dependent.
When it is not
If entries need their own history, permissions, workflow or reporting, they are records rather than repeated fields. A related datastore gives you all of that; a repeating group does not.
The question: would anybody ever want to search across just these entries? If yes, they should be records.
Do not use it to avoid designing
Three fields with different meanings crammed into one repeating group because it was quicker is a form that is harder to complete and data that is harder to use.
Show field titles on the first, not on every repeat
A setting worth thinking about. Repeating the labels on every entry is clear and produces a very long form; showing them once is compact and can leave somebody guessing on the eighth entry.
For two or three fields, once is usually right. For more, repeat them.
The button text matters
"Add" tells nobody what they are adding. "Add another contact" does, and it also implies what the group is for, which reduces the number of people who put the wrong thing in it.
Set a sensible starting state
One empty entry is usually right — it shows what is being asked without implying more is required. Starting with none means somebody has to discover the button.
Think about removal
People add entries by mistake. Being able to remove one, clearly, matters as much as being able to add it, and an entry that cannot be removed is one that gets submitted empty.
Worked example
An application form asks for previous addresses using a repeating group of four fields, with titles shown once, a button reading "Add another address", and one empty entry to start. Applicants add between one and five, and the average number completed rose after the button was renamed.
Recommendations
- Use records if entries need history, permissions or reporting.
- Name the button after what is being added.
- Start with one empty entry.
- Repeat titles once a group has more than three fields.