How to Update form drop down from excel spreadsheet?

I am trying to find a form software that allows me to prefill a drop down list from a shared excel spreadsheet. I am looking to update the spreadsheet with a list of names and the form automatically updates the drop down. Is this possible with Jotform?

Hi Jon,

Thanks for reaching out to Jotform Support. I’ll need a bit of time to look into this. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Hi Jon,

Currently, we can't use an Excel file in the dropdown element to update the dropdown options. The option is that you can use the Spreadsheet to Form Widget to import your data. Let me show you how to use it:

1. Create a spreadsheet with your data structured like you see below. Make sure that the column names in the spreadsheet match the field names on the form, and include a unique column, like an ID, so the data can be distinguished.

2. In Form Builder, click on the Add Form Element menu on the left side of the page.

3. Click on the Widgets tab, search for the Spreadsheet to Form widget and add it to your form.

4. In the menu on the right side of the page, upload your data file. (You can simply drag & drop your Excel file to the Upload File area.) 

5. Then, click on the Downward Arrow icon in the Access Code Column option and select the unique column.

6. You can also customize the texts used in the widget. After you complete everything, click on the Update Widget button at the bottom right of the menu.

For the Tech Name, use a short text element and enable read-only. Now, when people fill out your form and enter the unique code from the spreadsheet, the corresponding fields will automatically populate when they click Auto Complete Fields. Check out my screencast below to see how it works:

If there are new tech names to be added, you need to edit the spreadsheet and import it again.

Give it a try and let us know if you need any help.

Can we use an API instead of a spreadsheet? Looking for an automation option.

Hi Jon,

Currently, Jotform does not support directly updating dropdown options via an API in real time. Dropdown options are typically set manually in the Form Builder or through widgets like the Spreadsheet to Form widget, which requires uploading a spreadsheet file.

You can use Jotform's API to manage form submissions and data, but updating form field options dynamically via API is not a built-in feature at this time.

While the feature you’re looking for isn’t currently available at Jotform right now, we've gone ahead and escalated your request to our Developers. Exactly when or if it's developed depends on their workload, how viable it is, and how many other users also request it. If there are any updates, we’ll circle back to this thread and let you know. 

Let us know if you have any other questions.