# Select Field

Source: https://payloadcms.com/docs/fields/select

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

![Shows a Select field in the Payload Admin Panel](https://payloadcms.com/images/docs/fields/select.png)

_Admin Panel screenshot of a Select field_

To add a Select Field, set the `type` to `select` in your [Field Config](/docs/v3/fields/overview.md):

```ts
import type { Field } from 'payload'

export const MySelectField: Field = {
  // ...
  // highlight-start
  type: 'select',
  options: [
    // ...
  ],
  // highlight-end
}
```

## Config Options

| Option                 | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **`name`** \*          | To be used as the property name when stored and retrieved from the database. [More details](/docs/v3/fields/overview.md#field-names).                                                                                                                                                                         |
| **`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. This creates a database-level unique index on the field's path. [More details](/docs/v3/database/indexes.md#unique-fields).                                                                                                      |
| **`validate`**         | Provide a custom validation function that will be executed on both the Admin Panel and the backend. [More details](/docs/v3/fields/overview.md#validation).                                                                                                                                                   |
| **`index`**            | Build an [index](/docs/v3/database/indexes.md) 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](/docs/v3/authentication/overview.md), include its data in the user JWT.                                                                                                                                                         |
| **`hooks`**            | Provide Field Hooks to control logic for this field. [More details](/docs/v3/hooks/fields.md).                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| **`access`**           | Provide Field Access Control to denote what users can see and do with this field's data. [More details](/docs/v3/access-control/fields.md).                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **`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 details](/docs/v3/fields/overview.md#default-values).                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| **`localized`**        | Enable localization for this field. Requires [localization to be enabled](/docs/v3/configuration/localization.md) in the Base config.                                                                                                                                                                         |
| **`required`**         | Require this field to have a value.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **`admin`**            | Admin-specific configuration. See the [default field admin config](/docs/v3/fields/overview.md#admin-options) 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](/docs/v3/database/postgres.md)). 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](/docs/v3/database/postgres.md)). Auto-generated from name if not defined.                                                                                                                           |
| **`interfaceName`**    | Create a top level, reusable [Typescript interface](/docs/v3/typescript/generating-types.md#custom-field-interfaces) & [GraphQL type](/docs/v3/graphql/graphql-schema.md#custom-field-schemas).                                                                                                                     |
| **`filterOptions`**    | Dynamically filter which options are available based on the user, data, etc. [More details](#filteroptions)                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| **`typescriptSchema`** | Override field type generation with providing a JSON schema                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| **`virtual`**          | Provide `true` to disable field in the database, or provide a string path to [link the field with a relationship](/docs/v3/fields/relationship.md#linking-virtual-fields-with-relationships). See [Virtual Fields](https://payloadcms.com/blog/learn-how-virtual-fields-can-help-solve-common-cms-challenges) |

_\* An asterisk denotes that a property is required._

> **Important:** Option values should be strings that do not contain hyphens or
> special characters due to GraphQL enumeration naming constraints. Underscores
> are allowed. If you determine you need your option values to be non-strings or
> contain special characters, they will be formatted accordingly before being
> used as a GraphQL enum.

### filterOptions

Used to dynamically filter which options are available based on the current user, document data, or other criteria.

Some examples of this might include:

- Restricting options based on a user's role, e.g. admin-only options
- Displaying different options based on the value of another field, e.g. a city/state selector

The result of `filterOptions` will determine:

- Which options are displayed in the Admin Panel
- Which options can be saved to the database

To do this, use the `filterOptions` property in your [Field Config](/docs/v3/fields/overview.md):

```ts
import type { Field } from 'payload'

export const MySelectField: Field = {
  // ...
  // highlight-start
  type: 'select',
  options: [
    {
      label: 'One',
      value: 'one',
    },
    {
      label: 'Two',
      value: 'two',
    },
    {
      label: 'Three',
      value: 'three',
    },
  ],
  filterOptions: ({ options, data }) =>
    data.disallowOption1
      ? options.filter(
          (option) =>
            (typeof option === 'string' ? options : option.value) !== 'one',
        )
      : options,
  // highlight-end
}
```

> **Note:** This property is similar to `filterOptions` in
> [Relationship](/docs/v3/fields/relationship.md) or [Upload](/docs/v3/fields/upload.md) fields, except that the
> return value of this function is simply an array of options, not a query
> constraint.

## Admin Options

To customize the appearance and behavior of the Select Field in the [Admin Panel](/docs/v3/admin/overview.md), you can use the `admin` option:

```ts
import type { Field } from 'payload'

export const MySelectField: Field = {
  // ...
  admin: {
    // highlight-line
    // ...
  },
}
```

The Select Field inherits all of the default admin options from the base [Field Admin Config](/docs/v3/fields/overview.md#admin-options), 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`) |
| **`placeholder`** | Define a custom text or function to replace the generic default placeholder                                                                 |

## Example

```ts
import type { CollectionConfig } from 'payload'

export 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',
        },
      ],
    },
  ],
}
```

## Custom Components

### Field

#### Server Component

```tsx
import type { SelectFieldServerComponent } from 'payload'
import type React from 'react'

import { SelectField } from '@payloadcms/ui'

export const CustomSelectFieldServer: SelectFieldServerComponent = ({
  clientField,
  path,
  schemaPath,
  permissions,
}) => {
  return (
    <SelectField
      field={clientField}
      path={path}
      schemaPath={schemaPath}
      permissions={permissions}
    />
  )
}
```

#### Client Component

```tsx
'use client'
import type { SelectFieldClientComponent } from 'payload'

import { SelectField } from '@payloadcms/ui'
import React from 'react'

export const CustomSelectFieldClient: SelectFieldClientComponent = (props) => {
  return <SelectField {...props} />
}
```

### Label

#### Server Component

```tsx
import React from 'react'
import { FieldLabel } from '@payloadcms/ui'
import type { SelectFieldLabelServerComponent } from 'payload'

export const CustomSelectFieldLabelServer: SelectFieldLabelServerComponent = ({
  clientField,
  path,
}) => {
  return (
    <FieldLabel
      label={clientField?.label || clientField?.name}
      path={path}
      required={clientField?.required}
    />
  )
}
```

#### Client Component

```tsx
'use client'
import React from 'react'
import { FieldLabel } from '@payloadcms/ui'
import type { SelectFieldLabelClientComponent } from 'payload'

export const CustomSelectFieldLabelClient: SelectFieldLabelClientComponent = ({
  field,
  path,
}) => {
  return (
    <FieldLabel
      label={field?.label || field?.name}
      path={path}
      required={field?.required}
    />
  )
}
```