---
title: "Configuring Data Source Settings"
url: "https://help.formsfly.com/en/article/configuring-data-source-settings"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-08-12T14:17:34.702Z"
---

# Configuring Data Source Settings

Basic, App Functionality, Advanced, and Connector options can be configured on the Data Source Settings page.

* * *

Accessed by clicking on the **Settings** link when hovering over a data source on the Data Source page, or when viewing the rows of a data source on the top-left area of the Data Source Rows page.

You can also view any screens or folders the data source is linked to and limit the number of rows the data source can contain.

* * *

## Basic Settings

### Name

This name will show in the various screen designers. You should try to be descriptive so you can easily identify one **Data Source** from another.

Default Sort Order

Controls how rows of the **Data Source** will appear in Form screens in **Choices** fields as well as **Tables**.

-   **None** will display the rows of your **Data Source** in the same order in which they appear in the data source, unsorted either alphabetically or numerically.
-   **Ascending** will sort the data in ascending alphanumeric order based on the column you select.
-   Similarly, **Descending** will sort the data in descending order alphanumeric order based on the column you select.

* * *

## App Functionality 

### Default Row Display

Controls how rows of the **Data Source** will appear on your app by default.  
Elements of **Default Row Display** are used in **Form** screens in **Choices** field types.

-   **Thumbnails** are used only in **Choices** fields set to the **List of Data** type.  
    They require your **Data Source** to have a column with a **Data Type** of **Image** and will appear to the left of each of the selections.
-   **Labels** are the default label displayed in the **Choices** fields.  
    If you specify a label here, in the data source settings, you won’t need to individually specify the display settings in each **Choices** field that uses this **Data Source**.
-   **Subtitles**, similar to **Thumbnails**, only work with **Choices** fields set to the **List of Data** type.  
    Fairly self-explanatory – they appear as subtitles under your **Labels**.

* * *

### Default User Interaction

Specifies an interaction that can occur due to the user tapping on a row of this **Data Source**.  
e.g., dialing a number, viewing a web link, opening a **Doc**, **Screen**, **Map**, etc.  
You can also pass a column value into the interaction, which is handy if, for example, you are opening a **Detail** screen for the chosen row.

### Filter Rows To App

Specify a user-based condition to ensure that the user downloads a smaller subset of rows. This will improve app performance and speed up data syncing.

It’s useful for very large data sources containing information that isn’t all relevant to a user.

Enter a true/false formula to control which rows will be downloaded by the app for use in forms. 

e.g.  `USERMETA('Site') ={{this[1]}}`

### Apply Filters to All Linked Screens

By default, search filter options on the app apply to all screens linked to the same data source and must be cleared. When disabled, each linked Listing or Mapping screen can apply its own set of filters and will not automatically carry over.

* * *

## Advanced Options

### External ID

An optional field that you can use to store an identifier. This is required for [Data Source formula](https://help.formsfly.com/en/article/functions-and-formulae) use, and if you intend to add data to or retrieve data from this **Data Source** using the **API**, it can be helpful when trying to link/track this Data Source against a similar entity in an external system.

### Restrict To Group

Restrict access to a specific user group.

### Validate Column Data

When checked, it will validate each column against its specified **Data Type**: **Text**, **Number**, **Date/Time**, etc.

* * *

## Connector

Use a Connector to automatically load rows directly from other systems. More information on Connector types can be found under **Data Source Connectors**.

* * *

## Further Information

-   [Adding a New Datasource](https://help.formsfly.com/en/article/adding-a-new-data-source)
-   [Editing Data Sources](https://help.formsfly.com/en/article/editing-data-sources)
-   [Using Image Columns](https://help.formsfly.com/en/article/using-image-columns)