Forms and Fields: Connected List

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to create a Connected List and apply it to a Form

Forms and Fields: Connected Lists

Connected Lists represent a valuable feature designed to optimize the expense management process. By establishing dependencies between various lists, this functionality ensures users select appropriate and validated combinations of invoice-related data. The result is enhanced data integrity, improved compliance with organizational policies, and a more efficient experience for both invoice submitters and approvers.

To access this tab, select the Connected Lists tab on the Forms and Fields page.

The image displays a software screen titled “Forms and Fields” with the form type set to “Payment Request Allocation.” The Connected Lists tab is selected. A toolbar beneath the tabs shows three buttons labeled New, Modify, and Remove. A table appears below the toolbar with columns for List Definition Name, List Name, Connected List Hierarchy, and Used On. The table contains one row showing an entry named “Org Structure – (ALLOC),” linked to a list named “Org Structure.” The hierarchy column displays three connected list items: “Custom 01 – Company,” “Custom 02 – Region,” and “Custom 03 – Department.” The Used On column shows that the list is used on the “CVI – Invoice Allocation Form.”

Note

Connected lists are only available for the Employee, Header, Line, and Allocation form types.

Create a Connected List

Defining a new connected list involves a structured, five-phase process that ensures effective data organization and management within the system. The process is as follows:

  1. Select a List: Choose the primary list you want to use and assign a descriptive name to the connected list definition.
  2. Select Fields: Determine which fields from the selected list will be included in the connected list definition.
  3. Configure Fields: Adjust the properties of each field to ensure they function as intended within the connected list.
  4. Preview: Review the fields and their configurations to see how the connected list definition will appear and function with the applied changes.
  5. Assign to Forms: Choose the specific forms where the new connected list will be available for users.

Review the following steps to learn how to configure a connected list.

Steps

  1. On the Connected List tab, select New.

    The image displays a screen titled “Forms and Fields” with the form type set to “Employee.” The Connected Lists tab is selected. A toolbar below the tabs shows three buttons labeled New, Modify, and Remove. The table beneath the toolbar is empty and shows column headers for List Definition Name, List Name, Connected List Hierarchy, and Used On.

  2. The Select a List page appears, displaying all available lists. Select the desired list.

    The image displays a screen titled “Connected List Definition.” A list of available lists appears under the heading “List Name.” The first row is highlighted and shows the name “*ORG STR Comp >CC.” Additional list options appear below it, including Airport Codes, Audit Group, Class of Service, Employee Groups, Fuel Type, Invoice Groups, and Miscellaneous Expense. Five numbered steps appear across the top of the screen, labeled Select a List, Select Fields, Configure Fields, Preview, and Assign To Form.

  3. Enter the Connected List Definition Name and then select Next.

    Note

    The Connected List Definition Name must be unique.
    The image displays a screen titled “Connected List Definition.” A table lists available connected lists with two columns labeled List Name and Levels. The row for “*ORG STR Comp >CC” is highlighted and shows a level value of 3. Other list names, such as Airport Codes, Audit Group, Class of Service, Employee Groups, Fuel Type, Invoice Groups, Public Transport, and Miscellaneous Expense, each display a level value of 1. Below the table, a text field labeled “Connected List Definition Name” contains the text “Emp Level Org Str.” A Cancel button appears on the left, and a blue Next button appears on the right.

  4. The Connected List Definition page appears, with eligible fields populating the left pane. In the left pane, select the desired fields. To select multiple fields, use Shift+click or Ctrl+click.

    Note

    The number of fields selected must equal the number of levels in the list.
    The image displays a screen titled “Connected List Definition.” The step indicator at the top highlights Step 2, labeled “Select Fields.” A list of available fields appears under the heading “Available Fields.” Several rows are visible, including custom fields such as Custom 10 through Custom 20. Four fields named “Org Unit 1,” “Org Unit 2,” “Org Unit 3,” and “Org Unit 4” are highlighted together in the list. A vertical scroll bar appears on the right side of the panel.

  5. The selected fields appear in the right pane. Select Next.

    The image displays a screen titled “Connected List Definition” showing Step 2, labeled “Select Fields.” The screen is divided into two panels. The panel on the left lists available fields with several rows visible, and the highlighted row shows “Org Unit 4.” A vertical scroll bar appears on the right side of the list. The panel on the right is labeled “Selected Fields” and displays three selected field names: Org Unit 1, Org Unit 2, and Org Unit 3. At the bottom of the screen, three buttons appear: Cancel, a blue Previous button, and a blue Next button.

  6. The Configure Fields page appears. In the left pane, select the desired field. The attributes available for editing appear in the right pane. Edit the attributes as needed and then select Next.

    The image displays a screen titled “Connected List Definition” showing Step 3, labeled “Configure Fields.” The screen is divided into two sections. The left section lists selected fields: Org Unit 1 – Company, Org Unit 2 – Department, and Org Unit 3 – Cost Center. The right section is labeled “Select Level Properties” and displays editable settings for the highlighted field. These settings include the field name, data type, and default value type. A section labeled “Access Rights” appears below with dropdown menus showing permission options for roles such as Employee Role, Employee Administrator Role, and Sponsor Role. A Cancel button, a blue Previous button, and a blue Next button appear at the bottom of the screen.

    Review the following table to learn more about the field attributes.

    FieldDescription
    Field NameThe field label displayed on the form.
    Data TypeThe data type of the selected field.
    Default Value TypeChoose whether the copy-down functionality automatically populates the field.
    • Copy-Down: Copy-down allows the information entered in a field by an employee to be automatically entered into duplicate fields on other pages. This option takes precedence over other methods of pre-populating fields, such as the Exchange Rates feature.

      If you select this option, you must also select the copy down source. This tells Concur Invoice which form type to use for the duplicate field. For example, if you want to copy down the Country Code, the copy-down source will be Employee. Therefore, Concur Invoice will look to the Country Code field on the employee form type and duplicate the entered information automatically.

    • None: Indicates this field does not use copy-down functionality.
    • Constant: The first field in the connected list can also be configured as a constant; this allows you to enter a default value that will always be entered for the employee when that selected field appears.
    Field Default ValueOnly appears when Constant  is selected in the Default Value Type field (first connected list field only). Enter the constants that appears.
    Copy Down SourceOnly appears when Copy Down is selected in the Default Value Type field. Select the source of the copied down data.
    FieldOnly appears when Copy Down is selected in the Default Value Type field. Select the field the data will be copied down from.
    Access RightsSelect the access rights to the field for different user roles.

  7. The connected list preview displays. The set of connected list fields function as they will on the form they are assigned to. This allows you to validate that the connected fields appear in the correct order and include the expected list item values. If the fields appear correct, select Next. Otherwise, select Previous to return to a previous step and make changes.

    The image displays a screen titled “Connected List Definition” showing Step 4, labeled “Preview.” Three dropdown fields appear at the top of the preview area: Org Unit 1 – Company, Org Unit 2 – Department, and Org Unit 3 – Cost Center. Each dropdown shows a selected value with parentheses indicating associated codes. A panel on the right shows a search option labeled “Type to search by,” with radio buttons for Text and Code. A list of available codes appears below the search options, including 2001, 2002, and 2003. At the bottom of the screen are three buttons: Cancel, a blue Previous button, and a blue Next button.

  8. The Assign to Forms page displays a list of all forms for the selected form time. Select the check box for the desired form(s) and then select Done.

    The image displays a screen titled “Connected List Definition.” Step 5, labeled “Assign to Forms,” is active. A table lists form names, and the first form, “US Employee Information – AP,” is selected with a checkmark. A second form, “Default Employee Information,” appears below it and is not selected. At the bottom of the screen, a Cancel button, a blue Previous button, and a blue Done button are visible.

Result

The configured connected list appears on the Connected Lists tab.

The image displays a screen titled “Forms and Fields” with the form type set to “Employee.” The Connected Lists tab is selected. One connected list entry appears in the table. The entry shows the list definition name “Emp Level Org Str.” The List Name column shows “*ORG STR Comp >CC.” The Connected List Hierarchy column lists three items: Employee Org Unit 1 – Company, Employee Org Unit 2 – Department, and Employee Org Unit 3 – Cost Center. The Used On column shows “US Employee Information – AP.” Buttons labeled New, Modify, and Remove appear above the table.

Summary

  • Connected Lists enforce valid, dependent field combinations for better data integrity and policy compliance.
  • Create in five phases: Select List, Select Fields, Configure Fields, Preview, then Assign to Forms.
  • Use a unique Definition Name; select fields equal to list levels, then configure field attributes.
  • Preview to validate field order and values; go back to adjust if anything looks incorrect.

Reference

TopicLink
Forms and FieldsSAP Help Portal

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