Lock a field with a rule

A field can be locked always, or only while a rule is true. For example, lock the owner once the pole is marked as verified, or lock a field while the linked plant pole belongs to another owner. Crews still see a locked field’s value. They can’t change it until the rule stops being true.

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Lock a field always

1. Open the template and select the field.
2. Open When it’s editable.
3. Tick Read-only.
4. Save the template.

A field filled by an Auto binding under Auto-fill is always read-only. The box shows set by Auto-fill. Switch the binding to Suggest to make the field editable again.

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Lock a field while a rule is true

1. Open the template and select the field.
2. Open When it’s editable. Leave Read-only off. While it is on, the field is always locked.
3. Under Or lock it conditionally, choose one (Never means no conditional lock):
   • Only when…: build a condition from the record’s fields. It can also read a linked object, see Rules that read a linked object.
   • Expression: a formula that returns true while the field should be locked, for example:
     data.verified === 'Yes'
     
4. Save the template.

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What crews see

• While the rule is true, the value is shown read-only. Its ⓘ popover says “Locked when …”.
• When the rule stops being true, the field is editable again straight away.
• A rule that is broken, or an expression that stops with an error, leaves the field editable and shows a rule issue.

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What a lock doesn’t do

• It only stops people typing. Calculated values and suggestions still fill the field.
• A hidden field stays hidden. Locking doesn’t show it.
• The lock applies in the Cloneable web and iOS forms. It isn’t a check on data that arrives from imports or integrations.