Show original field name on forms in edit mode where name was changed | Voters

Show original field name on forms in edit mode where name was changed

Andy Levesque

When changing the visible name of a field on a form, the original field name should be visible when in edit mode so as to know the origin of the field.

October 18, 2024

Jon Darbyshire

Hey Andy Levesque, thanks for your feedback! I have a few more questions for you:

Can you provide an example of a situation where the current setup has caused confusion or errors?
Are there specific fields where this feature is more necessary than others?
How often do you find yourself needing to know the original name of a field?

Andy Levesque

Hi Jon, field names may translate differently depending on the user. As a simple example, a table may have a field of “requestor,” but the form will ask for their name in a “your name” field. UX practices and subcultures in the organization can drive various names for the same fields depending on audience. 
If solutions are maintained by multiple people, one person may have given the field new name, but the next person will not know where that field maps unless they submit a record, which is not ideal. This is especially true if they are not familiar with the process and want to learn it by reviewing mappings. 
I found myself needing to reference the original field name when creating my first form, so I suspect this could be often valuable. It seems a good practice to maintain data integrity by ensuring a form editor knows the destination of the field they are editing.