Understanding autopopulation

Autopopulation feeds data to fields in your application. By defining the data source for a UI element, you can provide your users with instant access to stored data, and help them complete data collection steps more efficiently.

When you create a form, field, or a control, you link it to a data source such as a property, data object, data page, clipboard page, or a report definition. The data source stores the information related to that element and defines what the users see when they interact with the UI of the application.

For example, a step in a Roadside Assistance application may require the user to enter the name of a tow company that performs support services. Instead of asking the user to enter the name manually, you can set up a picklist control that references a data object which stores the details of associated companies. In this case, the user sees a drop-down list populated automatically with the names of all available service providers. Because the choice is limited to records from a reliable database, the user is less likely to make data entry mistakes, which translates to higher process efficiency.