Select Field

The Select Field provides a dropdown-style interface for choosing options from a predefined list as an enumeration.

Admin Panel screenshot of a Select field

To add a Select Field, set the type to select in your Field Config:

1import type { Field } from 'payload'
2
3export const MySelectField: Field = {
4  // ...
5  type: 'select',
6  options: [
7    // ...
8  ]
9}

Config Options

Option	Description
`name` *	To be used as the property name when stored and retrieved from the database. More
`options` *	Array of options to allow the field to store. Can either be an array of strings, or an array of objects containing a `label` string and a `value` string.
`hasMany`	Boolean when, if set to `true`, allows this field to have many selections instead of only one.
`label`	Text used as a field label in the Admin Panel or an object with keys for each language.
`unique`	Enforce that each entry in the Collection has a unique value for this field.
`validate`	Provide a custom validation function that will be executed on both the Admin Panel and the backend. More
`index`	Build an index for this field to produce faster queries. Set this field to `true` if your users will perform queries on this field's data often.
`saveToJWT`	If this field is top-level and nested in a config supporting Authentication, include its data in the user JWT.
`hooks`	Provide Field Hooks to control logic for this field. More details.
`access`	Provide Field Access Control to denote what users can see and do with this field's data. More details.
`hidden`	Restrict this field's visibility from all APIs entirely. Will still be saved to the database, but will not appear in any API or the Admin Panel.
`defaultValue`	Provide data to be used for this field's default value. More
`localized`	Enable localization for this field. Requires localization to be enabled in the Base config.
`required`	Require this field to have a value.
`admin`	Admin-specific configuration. See the default field admin config for more details.
`custom`	Extension point for adding custom data (e.g. for plugins)
`enumName`	Custom enum name for this field when using SQL Database Adapter (Postgres). Auto-generated from name if not defined.
`dbName`	Custom table name (if `hasMany` set to `true`) for this field when using SQL Database Adapter (Postgres). Auto-generated from name if not defined.
`interfaceName`	Create a top level, reusable Typescript interface & GraphQL type.
`typescriptSchema`	Override field type generation with providing a JSON schema
`virtual`	Provide `true` to disable field in the database. See Virtual Fields

* An asterisk denotes that a property is required.

Admin Options

To customize the appearance and behavior of the Select Field in the Admin Panel, you can use the admin option:

1import type { Field } from 'payload'
2
3export const MySelectField: Field = {
4  // ...
5  admin: { 
6    // ...
7  },
8}

The Select Field inherits all of the default options from the base Field Admin Config, plus the following additional options:

Property	Description
`isClearable`	Set to `true` if you'd like this field to be clearable within the Admin UI.
`isSortable`	Set to `true` if you'd like this field to be sortable within the Admin UI using drag and drop. (Only works when `hasMany` is set to `true`)

Example

collections/ExampleCollection.ts

1import type { CollectionConfig } from 'payload'
2
3export const ExampleCollection: CollectionConfig = {
slug: 'example-collection',
fields: [
  {
    name: 'selectedFeatures', // required
    type: 'select', // required
    hasMany: true,
    admin: {
      isClearable: true,
      isSortable: true, // use mouse to drag and drop different values, and sort them according to your choice
    },
    options: [
      {
        label: 'Metallic Paint',
        value: 'metallic_paint',
      },
      {
        label: 'Alloy Wheels',
        value: 'alloy_wheels',
      },
      {
        label: 'Carbon Fiber Dashboard',
        value: 'carbon_fiber_dashboard',
      },
    ],
  },
],
30}

Custom Components

Field

Server Component

1import type { SelectFieldServerComponent } from 'payload'
2import type React from 'react'
3
4import { SelectField } from '@payloadcms/ui'
5
6export const CustomSelectFieldServer: SelectFieldServerComponent = ({
7  clientField,
8  path,
9  schemaPath,
10  permissions,
11}) => {
12  return (
13    <SelectField
14      field={clientField}
15      path={path}
16      schemaPath={schemaPath}
17      permissions={permissions}
18    />
19  )
20}

Client Component

1'use client'
2import type { SelectFieldClientComponent } from 'payload'
3
4import { SelectField } from '@payloadcms/ui'
5import React from 'react'
6
7export const CustomSelectFieldClient: SelectFieldClientComponent = (props) => {
8  return <SelectField {...props} />
9}

Label

Server Component

1import React from 'react'
2import { FieldLabel } from '@payloadcms/ui'
3import type { SelectFieldLabelServerComponent } from 'payload'
4
5export const CustomSelectFieldLabelServer: SelectFieldLabelServerComponent = ({
6  clientField,
7  path,
8}) => {
9  return (
10    <FieldLabel
11      label={clientField?.label || clientField?.name}
12      path={path}
13      required={clientField?.required}
14    />
15  )
16}

Client Component

1'use client'
2import React from 'react'
3import { FieldLabel } from '@payloadcms/ui'
4import type { SelectFieldLabelClientComponent } from 'payload'
5
6export const CustomSelectFieldLabelClient: SelectFieldLabelClientComponent = ({
7  field,
8  path,
9}) => {
10  return (
11    <FieldLabel
12      label={field?.label || field?.name}
13      path={path}
14      required={field?.required}
15    />
16  )
17}

See what others are building with Payload.

"Payload has transformed the way our clients manage content. It's an indispensable tool for any modern agency."

Deploy your entire stack in one place with Payload Cloud.

Microsoft chose Payload to tell the world about AI.

Select Field

Config Options

Admin Options

Example

Custom Components

Field

Server Component

Client Component

Label

Server Component

Client Component

Tabs Field