Troubleshooting: Google Sheets Data Source: Multiselect Question Showing Blanks

• Question
• Answer

Question

Why is a multiselect question in my form showing blank options when I am pulling from a Google Sheets data source?

The image below is an example of how it may look in the Pronto Forms application if this issue is occurring for you:

Answer

ProntoForms reads data sources by row, then column. Therefore, if you're using a single data source document that has blank values in a row that has other values, it will show blank entries on the app for those 'null' values. For example, in our table below, we have six rows of data and three columns:

However, the app sees the incomplete values in the data source and assumes that blank values still have meaning, resulting in a blank display on the app. This can cause some confusion for mobile users.

There are two different ways to prevent blank options from popping up in the application:

1. Fill in the blank cells with the last answer you used for each column until they all have the same number of answers. For example:

   

   After changing the document to simulate the example above, please ensure you open the multiselect question in the form and select "hide duplicate answers". This way the duplicates in each row will be hidden, but will no longer display blank answers on the mobile device:

   

2. Create a different data source for each column. If you have columns that will have a different amount of answers you may just want to create a data source for each one.

Visit the ProntoForms Documentation Portal to find out more about Data Sources.