Forms & AppearanceQuestion Types
Nested Selection
Configure hierarchical dropdown selections
The Nested Selection element lets respondents choose from hierarchical dropdown options—selecting a parent category first, then drilling down into child options. Use it when you need structured, multi-level choices—such as "Select your department and the main function you use in the application", "Choose your region and office", or "Pick a product category and subcategory"—that you can analyze and visualize in charts.
When to use
- Department and function selection within an organization
- Region and location hierarchies
- Product or service category trees
- Any question where options are logically grouped under parent categories
Customization options
When editing a Nested Selection question, you can configure the following properties:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Question Text | The main question displayed to the respondent (required). |
| Description | Optional helper text or context below the question (up to 100 characters). |
| Placeholder Text | The text shown in the dropdown before a selection is made. Default: "Select an option". |
| Error Message | The message shown when validation fails (e.g. required field not filled, invalid selection). Keep it clear and actionable for better user experience. Default: "Please complete this required question". |
| Required field | When enabled, the respondent must make a selection before submitting the form. |
| Show parent labels in selection | When enabled, the selected option displays its parent label(s) in the dropdown for clarity (e.g. "Parent Option 1 › Child Option A"). |
| Dropdown Options | The hierarchical list of choices (required). Each option has a Label (what respondents see), Option Hint Text (optional helper text), and Value (what gets stored). Use "+ Add Option" to add top-level options, the "+" icon next to an option to add child options, or the trash icon to remove an option. Options can be expanded or collapsed to manage the hierarchy. |
Managing dropdown options
- Add Option — Creates a new top-level parent option.
- Add Child Option — Adds a nested option under the selected parent. Use the expand/collapse arrow to reveal child options.
- Label — The text displayed to respondents in the dropdown.
- Option Hint Text — Optional hint shown below the label to provide additional context.
- Value — The value stored for analytics and reporting.
Viewing responses
Nested selection responses appear in the Response Summary for your form. You can view them as bar charts or pie charts, filter by time period or user segment, and track trends over time.
How is this guide?