Designing the Graphical User Interface › Guidelines for Window and Dialog Box Design › Entry Fields

Entry Fields

An entry field is a control into which the user types information on windows and dialog boxes.

Note: A hidden field defines an import view of data to an export view of data without the data being placed on the window.

The following list explains guidelines for fields:

• Use margin boxes around all entry fields.
• Place the most important fields first (top left) and the least often accessed last (bottom right).
• Place logically related fields into a group box (a margin box is drawn around the collection of fields) and label the group box. For more information, see Group Boxes.

  For example, if a customer address is in four separate fields, these fields can be assembled into a group box labeled Customer Address.

• Follow the guidelines for field prompts.
• Display-only fields:
  • Change the color to the same as the background of the window and do not use a margin box around the field. This helps to avoid confusion between the prompt text and the field text.
  • Use a vertical separation between fields of 10 pixel elements. The maximum separation should be no more than 15 pixel elements.
  • Left-align text fields (have values start in the same position from the left).
  • Use decimal alignment for decimal fields.
• Identify mandatory entry fields using these techniques:
  • Disabling or enabling options
  • This can be confusing to the user if there are too many and they cannot easily determine how to enable an object.
  • Use bold text on prompts.
  • Be aware that this will take up more space, and mixing fonts can really slow down the user and make the window less appealing.
• Provide assistance within the application.
• Place separate group boxes around mandatory fields.
• If an attribute has an exhaustive, finite list of permitted values, use radio buttons, a check box, or a drop-down list box rather than an entry field. This gives guidance on the permitted values for the field and avoids the entering of incorrect values.

More information:

Field Prompts