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Using Taxonomies

A taxonomy is a reusable list of options a user can choose from when answering an information of type 'List'. Instead of typing a free answer, the user selects one or more predefined values. Defining the options once as a taxonomy and reusing it keeps answers consistent and avoids typos.

When to use a taxonomy

Use a taxonomy whenever the same set of options is, or could be, used by more than one piece of information. For example, a 'Countries' taxonomy can be the option list for both 'Country of Residence' and 'Nationality'. If a list of options is only ever used in one single place, a taxonomy still works, but the benefit of reuse is what makes them worthwhile.

Keys and labels

Every value in a taxonomy has a key and a label. The key is what Atfinity stores and what you get when you reference the value in RuLa (for example category_b). The label is the readable text shown to the user (for example 'Category B - Elevated Risk').

When you reference a taxonomy value in a calculated field or a document, you receive the key by default. Put a $ in front of the reference to get the label instead:

cr.risk_classification    # returns the key,  e.g. category_b
cr.$risk_classification   # returns the label, e.g. Category B - Elevated Risk

See The value of my calculated field has a strange format for more on this.

Controlling which values appear in a dropdown

An information does not have to offer every value of its taxonomy. In the information's 'General' tab, the 'Options' section has a 'Show all values' setting:

  • When set to Yes, the dropdown offers every value of the taxonomy.
  • When set to No, you specify exactly which values are shown.

This lets several pieces of information share one taxonomy while each offers a different subset of its values. If you add a value to a taxonomy and it does not appear in a dropdown, this setting is the first thing to check — see Why are some options missing in a dropdown?.

Tip

Because a taxonomy is shared, editing its values affects every information that uses it. Before removing or renaming a value, check where the taxonomy is used so you do not break another part of the configuration.