Dependent fields is a feature in Folio that enables you to have sections, tables or other fields dependent on an answer selected in a single select, a multi-select or a hierarchy field. The dependent fields, sections or tables will not appear until the required answer is selected.
Dependent Field Rules
- Single select, Multi-select and Hierarchy fields can have answers with dependent fields.
- Lookup fields cannot have answers with dependent fields.
- Fields in tables cannot have answers with dependent fields.
- Dependent sections, tables and fields must always be below the field that created the dependency.
Setting up dependent fields
To set up dependent fields, go to the field whose answers you would like to set up dependencies for and click on the Dependent button next to the field name.
You will now see a matrix with all the answers that you can set up dependencies for across the top and all the sections, tables and fields that can be made dependent in the first column.
The dependency matrix allows you to set up dependencies for multiple answers in one go. To make an entire section, a table or a field dependent on an answer you can click on the appropriate checkbox under that answer, you may select more. Once you are done, click on the Update button to apply the dependencies :
You can also search for a particular Section, table or field Or a particular answer to make the dependency set up easier. 
Once the dependency is set then the dependent fields will only appear is the user selects the chosen answer:
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| If 'Goods' is selected, the Description of Goods fields appears. | If 'Services' is selected, the Description of Services Field appears. |
View Dependency
Dependent fields/sections/tables:
On the fields layout screen you will see the Dependent icon on all dependent sections/tables/fields. Hover on the Dependent icon to see the field and answer/s the field/section/table is dependent on. For example in the screenshot below the section Data Security/Privacy Incident Details is dependent on the answer ‘Data Security/Privacy Breach’ in the field ‘Type of Business Incident’:
If a field has answers with dependencies, the dependent button will alway display the number of sections/tables/fields that are dependent on that field. In Example below, there are 10 dependent fields on Type of Business Incident field:
To view the existing dependencies, click on the Dependent button and then on the Show Dependencies button, it will filter the modal to only show you the fields/sections/tables and answers which have dependencies:
Visibility of dependent fields
Folio allows you to set the visibility of dependent fields. However, one or more of the parent fields must be visible for dependent fields to be visible. If all the parent fields are hidden in a stage, the dependent fields will also be hidden.
Can dependent fields be mandatory?
Dependent fields can be mandatory, the mandatory setting is enabled if the dependent field is visible. If it is not visible, it will not be mandatory.
Unselecting an Answer that has dependent fields
Sometimes a user may unselect or change an answer that had dependent fields associated with it. When the new answer is saved any information that was in the previous answer's dependent fields will be removed.(For example: if you selected Goods and then had some text in Description of the Goods but then changed Supplier Contract Type to Services and then saved the text in Description of the Goods is removed)