How Does the "Other" Option Work on Form Questions in Vome?

How Does the "Other" Option Work on Form Questions in Vome?

Overview

When you build screening questions on a form, you can now add an "Other" choice to two question types: Single selection (multiple choice) and Checkbox. The "Other" option lets a user who does not fit any of your predefined answers select "Other" and type their own free-text response.

This gives you flexibility on your forms without having to predict every possible answer in advance.

1. Which question types support the "Other" option?

The "Other" option is available only on two question types:

  • Single selection (multiple choice)
  • Checkbox

It is not available on text, date, timeslot, address, number, email, website, boolean, allocation, or powered-select questions.

2. How do I enable the "Other" option?

When you are building or editing a Single selection or Checkbox question, look directly beneath the list of response options. You will find a toggle labeled "Allow an 'Other' option," with a helper icon next to it.

Turn on the toggle. Once enabled, the question will display an additional "Other" choice after your predefined options when a user fills out the form.

This toggle only appears for the two supported question types. It is hidden for all other types.

3. Can I limit how much a user types in the "Other" field?

Yes. After you turn on "Allow an 'Other' option," a field labeled "Max characters for 'Other' response" appears.

  • Enter a whole number greater than zero to cap the length of the free-text response.
  • Leave it blank if you do not want any limit.

If you enter zero, a negative number, or a non-numeric value, the system will reject it with a validation message when you try to save.

The limit is enforced both while the user is typing and when the form is submitted.

4. How does "Other" behave on a Single selection question?

On a Single selection question, "Other" appears as one more radio option at the end of your predefined choices. Because only one answer is allowed, selecting "Other" deselects any other option. A free-text field then appears beneath the options for the user to type their response.

5. How does "Other" behave on a Checkbox question?

On a Checkbox question, "Other" appears as one more checkbox at the end of your predefined choices. The user can select "Other" on its own or together with any of your predefined options. A free-text field appears beneath the options once "Other" is checked.

6. Is the user required to type something if they pick "Other"?

Yes. If a user selects "Other," the free-text response becomes required as part of that selection. If they select "Other" but leave the text field empty, the form will not submit, and they will see a message asking them to enter their "Other" response.

If they type more than the character limit you set, the submission is also rejected with a message stating the maximum number of characters allowed.

7. Does "Other" work on mobile and in the application flow?

Yes. The behavior is consistent across the web form, the web Opportunity application flow, and the mobile application flow.

On mobile, the predefined options are listed, "Other" is added at the end, and the free-text field appears beneath the list once "Other" is selected.

On the web, if you have chosen the alternate "autocomplete" display style (a searchable dropdown), "Other" appears as a selectable entry in the dropdown, and the free-text field appears beneath the dropdown once "Other" is chosen.

8. How does the "Other" answer appear when I review a submission?

When you review a submitted form, the answer shows an "Other" entry followed by the user's typed text, presented as "Other:" joined with their response.

  • On a Checkbox answer, the "Other" entry appears alongside any predefined options the user also selected.
  • If the user selected "Other" but provided no text, only the "Other" label is shown.

Answers that do not use "Other" display exactly as before, listing the selected predefined options.

9. Will this affect my existing questions?

No. Existing questions that do not have "Other" enabled are unaffected. Their options and answers continue to behave exactly as they did before. You only see the "Other" choice and the free-text field on questions where you have turned the option on.

    • Related Articles

    • How should I organize recruitment on Vome?

      🧭 How should I organize recruitment on VOME? ✨ Overview For most organizations, the Forms module is the best place to start recruitment on VOME. In many cases, the first form a volunteer submits becomes the main entry point into the recruitment ...
    • Form Submission Policies on Vome

      1. What is a Form Submission Policy? A Form Submission Policy is a configurable rule that prompts a user to submit a specific form at a specific moment in their user journey. It ensures that required documentation, such as waivers, agreements, ...
    • How do Sites work on Vome?

      What is a “Site” in Vome? A Site is a location or sub-unit of your organization—such as a campus, branch, department, or program. Sites help you manage visibility and access to specific content, ensuring the right admins and volunteers see the right ...
    • How do Form statuses work?

      Form statuses on Vome are visible to admins only. Volunteers cannot see their form status and will not be notified if the form status changes. You can update form statuses as an internal applicant tracking system for the admin team managing the ...
    • How Do Claim Hours Form Policies Work for Opportunities on Vome?

      Overview A Claim Hours Form Policy lets an Administrator require Users to complete a form before their claimed hours are accepted for an Opportunity. This is useful for collecting a waiver, a sign-off, or other check-out information at the moment a ...