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Multiple Select Field

Create custom, predetermined, and default multiple choice values lists

Emma Montgomery avatar
Written by Emma Montgomery
Updated over 3 months ago

Plan Availability

All plan types

Permissions

Solution Creators and Workspace Administrators: Can create, modify, and manage Multiple Select fields.

Related Reading

SmartSuite Automation Actions

Single Select field

What Is the Multiple Select Field?

The Multiple Select field is an extension of the Single Select field, allowing users to select multiple options. It is key to managing data and driving workflows, enabling work to be grouped, filtered, tracked, and charted.

Adding a Multiple Select Field

From Grid View

  1. Click the + menu icon after the last column header or open the Column Menu by clicking on a column header's dropdown icon and then select "Add Field to the Right."

  2. Select "Multiple Select," and a window will open to configure the field. You can search the name for a quicker find.
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From Record View

  1. From an open Record View, click the + sign next to a current field to add a new field below.

  2. See a Multiple Select field being added in Edit Record View below.
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Single Select and Multiple Select fields can be easily converted into each other's field type.
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Customizing the Field

Solution Managers can:

  • Add custom values.

  • Select display formats.

  • Add colors to choices for better visualization.

Display Formats

Choose from the following display formats:

  1. Colored Pill: Ideal for fields with few value lists or when you want selections to stand out.

  2. Grey Pill with Color Dot: A balanced visual approach.

  3. Text Only: Best for fields with many choices.
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Dropdown or Checkboxes

Select the display type as either a Dropdown list or Checkboxes on the record.
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Required/Create New Choice Options

  • Mark the field as Required for users creating new records.

  • Allow users to create new choices sparingly to maintain data quality (e.g., in Customer Support, where reps may add incident categories).
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Check out articles on:

Note: Default values are used often in Single Select fields.
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Ordering Choices

  • Use Drag & Drop to reorder choices.

  • Sort alphabetically (ascending or descending).
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Create New Values on Paste

If permissions allow, new values can be created by pasting into Grid View. Separate values using:

  • Comma (,).

  • Semicolon (;).

  • Pipe (|).
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Adding Descriptions to Multiple Select Field

Add descriptions in the Advanced Settings page to:

  • Customize processes.

  • Clarify offerings
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Use Predefined Lists

Solution Managers can import global value lists via the advanced settings of the field.
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Default Multiple Select Values

Set default selections for all new records in your table to save time and maintain consistency.

Use the default option for Multiple (or Single) selects to quickly and easily set up a default selection that will be applied to all new records in your Table.
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Add Numeric Values to Choices for Calculations

Add numeric values to choices in the advanced settings for:

  • Calculating scores.

  • Using values in formulas.
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Example: Priority Score

In the "Priority Score" field of the Features Table, numeric values are used to assess:

  • Reach.

  • Value.

  • Confidence level.

  • Effort level.

These values are referenced by the Formula field to calculate a score between 0-3.

The formula field below provides an at-a-glance view of how the NUMERICVALUE function is used to pull the values above into a calculation.
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Learn more about how to use calculations with values in Select list fields within the Advanced Formulas section of the Formula Examples article.

Multi Selects in Automations

When mapping into a Multiple Select field in automations:

Practical Scenarios and Use Cases

1. Customer Support Issue Management

The Multiple Select field is perfect for categorizing customer issues or tracking preferred contact methods. For example, a customer support team could use this field to tag issues by type (e.g., technical, billing, or general) and preferred response methods (e.g., email or phone).
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2. Marketing Campaign - Content Formats

Marketing teams can utilize the Multiple Select field to track different content formats for campaigns such as blog posts, videos, and infographics. This helps ensure consistent tracking and execution.
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3. Industry-Specific Tables

SmartSuite's flexibility makes it easy to tailor workflows for industries. For instance, a restaurant managing catering events could use the Multiple Select field to track meal preferences, service types, or additional requests.
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