---
title: "Adding Outside Values to a Dropdown List"
slug: "adding-outside-values-to-a-drop-down-list"
tags: ["External Data", "Displaying Lists"]
updated: 2025-06-25T15:47:59Z
published: 2025-06-25T15:47:59Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.decisions.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adding Outside Values to a Dropdown List

## Overview

Only certain data types support outside valuesThe option to add outside values is only supported for**String lists.**It is not available for complex Entity data types such as Data Structures, FileData, or any etc data type comprised of multiple variables.

**Dropdown Lists**may accept external values not originally offered in its list.

Users may enter their own unique option that will be saved into the list to be available for selection in later Form runtimes.

An example may include a list of inventory items for purchase that the assigned user may add other items. Another may include displaying a list of accounts and adding another.

---

## Example

External Values are not supported in Mobile FormsBrowser Forms support this feature.

1. In a Designer Project, [create a Flow](https://documentation.decisions.com/v9/docs/creating-your-first-flow-2). It will automatically open in the Flow Designer.
2. In the Flow Designer, add [**Fetch Entities**](/v9/docs/retrieving-entities-with-the-fetch-entities-flow-step)****step from the Toolbox to the **Start**step.
3. For the Fetch Entities, change the **Type Name**to Account and set **Sort Field**to emailAddress. Rename the output to 'AllAccounts' for better clarity.
4. Next, connect the **Results** outcome of the **Fetch Entities** step to a **Show Form**step.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-25_11h41_12.png)
5. Select the Show Form step and create a new Form. It will automatically open in the Form Designer.
6. In the Form Designer, add a **Button**named 'Done' and a**Drop Down List** control from the**Toolbox > FAVORITES**section. Upon dragging it into the workspace, name it 'Email Address' and confirm with ENTER+SHIFT.
7. With the Drop Down List control selected, navigate to the **Properties** panel **> INPUT DATA****> Type** menu and change the type to **String [Text].**Locate the**List Input Source**menu and select**DataName.**  
Once the **List Items DataName**field appears, enter a name for the items in the drop-down list such as 'Accounts'. Enable the **Allow external values to be selected** Boolean.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2024-06-20_13h23_25.png)
8. Save and close the Form Designer to return to the Flow Designer.
9. Select the **Show Form** step, and set the Accounts input to a **Select From Flow** input mapping then choose the **AllAccounts.All EmailAddress**in the resulting window.  
  
Set the **Email Address** input to **Ignore**since input is for a user-entered email address.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-25_11h42_03.png)
10. Next, add another **Fetch Entities**step configured with **Account** as the **Type Name**. Enable the **Show Path For One Resul****t**boolean. Locate the **Fetch Criteria** selector then click ADD.  
  
In the **Add Fetch Criteria** window, select **emailAddress** from the **Field Name** menu. Click OK.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-25_11h43_05.png)
11. Navigate to **INPUTS > email Address** and change the mapping to **Select From Flow** then select **Email Address**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-25_11h44_46.png)
12. Connect the single **Result**path to the end step. For the **No Results** path, add a **Create Data** step.
13. In the **Properties**panel of this****Create Data****step, locate **DATA****> Data to Create** click SHOW EDITOR**.**Add data named **SelectedAccount** with an **Account** type. Click SAVE, then close.
14. Change the input mapping on the **Selected Account** input to **Build Data**. Change the **EmailAddress**input mapping to**Select From Flow** and select the user-inputted **Email Address**string.  
  
Click the**pencil icon**and locate and select **EmailAddress.**Click OK to confirm selection**.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-25_11h46_59.png)**
15. After the Create Data step, connect it to the end step.

---

## Debug

1. Click **Debug**in the top bar; this will automatically save the Flow. In the Debugger, click START DEBUGGING.
2. Select an existing email address and observe the Flow run successfully.
3. Create a new session and attempt to add a new drop-down list value and after the Flow completes, click **View Inputs and Outputs**on the **Create Data** step and notice the new input information.