---
title: "Handling Large Dropdown Lists"
slug: "using-typed-text-from-a-drop-down-component"
updated: 2025-06-23T13:47:42Z
published: 2025-06-23T13:47:42Z
---

> ## 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.

# Handling Large Dropdown Lists

## Overview

The Decisions Form designer offers a multitude of tools that can be used to collect information via user input from a Form. One such method is selecting data from a drop-down component; these data options can be static values or dynamically populated via a Flow. The following article will explain how a Flow can be used to dynamically populate a drop-down component with a large list utilizing user-typed Strings of text.

It is best practice to assume a large list contains more than 50 data options.

---

## Example

1. Create a Flow and add a Show Form step and create a new Form.
2. In the Form Designer, add a **Drop Down List** and a **Button**from the****FAVORITES section.
3. Select the Drop Down List; in the **Input Data >****Type**, select **All/Search**and search for**"Account".**PICK the first option.
4. Select **EmailAddress**from **Input Data > Display Field.**
5. Select **Flow**from **Input Data > List Input Source.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2024-07-30_12h58_54.png)**
6. ****Next, after selecting the****PICK FLOW ID****box, click****CREATE from the resulting****CREATE **or**PICK FLOW****dialog window**.**
7. Select Flow, name the Flow and click****CREATE.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2024-07-30_12h59_55.png)****
8. Add Input Data, configure one **String [Text]**type with the **Name** "TypedText".**![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-23_09h35_57.png)**
9. Add a Length Greater Than step from the Toolbox panel, and connect it to the**Start**step.
10. Select the Length Greater Than step and use a **Constant**mapping of "3" under **Inputs > Length.**
11. Using the**Select From Flow**mapping on**Inputs > Length**, choose the **String [Text]** from the **Start**step.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-23_09h37_43.png)
12. From **Toolbox >****FAVORITE STEPS**, pull and attach a **Fetch Entities** step to the '**True**' path from the previous step.
13. In the**Properties**panel, under******ENTITY FETCH DEFINITION****> Type Name,** select **Account**from the **All/Search**result.
14. Under **ENTITY FETCH DEFINITION > Fetch Criteria** select **ADD NEW**.
15. Under **Add Fetch Criteria > Field Name,**select **emailAddress**.
16. Under **Add Fetch Criteria > Query Match Type,** select **Contains**. Then click OK.
17. Using a **Select From Flow**mapping under**Inputs > Email Address,** select**String [Text]**.**![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-23_09h45_36.png)**
18. Connect the **Results**, **No Results**, and **False** lines to the **End s**tep.
19. With the **End**step selected, navigate to the **Properties**panel **> Pick From Current Data** section and enable the **EntityResults**checkbox.
20. **Save**and **Close**Flow Designer and the****Form Designer to return to the main Flow.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-23_09h46_59.png)

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## Debug

1. Select Debug in the top action panel. In the Debugger, click START DEBUGGING.
2. Begin typing letters corresponding to an option in the list; these options will populate under the drop-down component based on the number of letters entered.
3. Select Done to close the Form.