Edit Lookup Table Subset

This screen is used to define a subset for a lookup table.

A subset is a specific sub collection of one or several entries from the lookup table. Each subset also has a unique name to identify it.

Enter the name of the subset into the Subset Name field.

Then, select which entries of the lookup table are to be elements of this subset by using drag & drop: Use the mouse to drag an entry from the Available Entries list to the Entries Selected for this Subset list. To remove an entry from the subset, drag & drop it in reverse, from the Entries Selected for this Subset list back to the Available Entries list.

Each subset must have at least one element. Also, the lookup table default entry is always an element of every subset. Therefore, it is not available on this screen.

Click [OK] to save your changes.

A lookup table subset can later be used in the definition of a single or multiple select profile field of a list group or subscriber list. In the course of the definition of such a field, a lookup table is assigned to the field. The lookup table defines the values that are available for this single/multiple select profile field.

Normally, all entries from the lookup table would be available once the lookup table has been assigned. However, if only some of the values are supposed to be available, then you can first define these values in a subset on this screen here, and then specify in the profile field definition (after you have selected the lookup table) that only this subset is supposed to be used by the profile field. If you do this, then the profile field will only offer the entries from the selected subset as available choices to the user.

If you have several different subsets in a lookup table, then you can even define the profile field in such a fashion that the displayed subset depends on the current subscriber choice in yet another profile field. For example:

Imagine a list that is marketing various online services in the United States, where each subscriber is supposed to be able to individually decide which services he/she is interested in and which not. The easiest solution for this would be to set up a lookup table called "Services" with an entry for each available service. Then, include a multi-select profile field in the list so that each subscriber can pick exactly those services he is interested in.

However, assume that for legal reasons some of these services can not be offered in certain states. In the above scenario, all subscribers would still be able to pick from all entries in "Services"; therefore, we would potentially send offers about certain services to subscribers that live in a state where these services are not available in the first place.

Here lookup table subsets come to the rescue: First, we need a second lookup table called "States", which lists all states in the USA. Then, we add another profile field (single-select in this case) to the list, which uses the "States" lookup table.

Next, we define several subsets in the "Services" lookup table, where each subset groups together the services that are available in certain states. At worst, we would have to define one subset per state (if the available services in all states are different). However, more likely many states have the same group of available services, so for each of these groups, we create on subset (with a meaningful name).

Finally, we edit the definition of the existing multiple-selection field so that it does not always display all of the "Services" entries, but only a subset. And, the subset that is displayed depends on the new "State" single-select field. Simply put, the state that is selected will determine what services are available for selection, which means that a subscriber can never select a service that is not available in his/her state.

Drag & Drop

If you want to drag & drop several items at once, then you can do this by first selecting several items in the source list. Do so by holding down SHIFT and/or CTRL while selecting items in the list (SHIFT and/or the Command key on MacOS X): Holding down SHIFT will have the effect that all items between the clicked item and the last selected item will become selected. Holding down CTRL (the Command key on MacOS X) will have the effect that the selection state of the clicked item is toggled (an unselected item becomes selected and a selected item becomes unselected), while all other already selected items remain selected.

If you have started a drag & drop operation and want to cancel it (i.e. you are currently dragging an item but have changed your mind and no longer want to drop it into the target list), then you can do so by simply dropping the item either back into the source list from where you dragged it or on any other area of the page outside of the intended target list of the item.