Can you populate a Choice column using values from a single line of text from another list using InfoPath 2013?

Question

Currently i'm trying to populate a Choice column in List A with data from a single line of text in List B.

List A has the InfoPath form and contains 2 choice columns, Choice column #1 allows you to select a main topic, then Choice column #2 should populate with choices that are based on the single line of text in List B.

My logic is the 2nd list has 4 entries, each entry matches the 4 choices you can select from Choice column #1 on List A. So you select your main topic, InfoPath uses a data connection and populates Choice column #2 by filtering List B {ListA Choice #1 = ListB Title}

The connection works, however it passes in the single line of text as one comma limited line of text and doesn't break it down in multiple choices. I've tried different delimiting syntax and tried using a multi-line text column but nothing seems to want to work.

I've also dabbled with other techniques, such as using rules to hard code the choices for choice column #2 but again delimiting the options is proving tricky.

Any help is much appreciated.

Answer 1

What you describe is called "cascading dropdown" and can be done in Infopath by using data connections to the lists involved.

If you google the keywords "sharepoint infopath cascading drop down list" you will find many results on how to do this with InfoPath.

My concern is that even though SharePoint online currently still supports InfoPath, you can't take this as a given for the next few years. Microsoft will support InfoPath in on-premises installations until 2026, but there is no such commitment for SharePoint online.

I strongly advise against using InfoPath solutions in SharePoint online because you don't really know how much longer Microsoft will support it.

Look into Power Apps and Flow as alternatives.