Record Lookup Values

Lookup data refers to the items that appear in selection and drop-down lists in Ohio SACWIS. It consists of categories and values, where a category can have one or more values.  For example, if "State" is a category, the names of the 50 states are the values of that category. Only active values appear in the application’s drop-down lists.

Lookup values cannot be deleted, but they can be made inactive.  (See Deactivate a lookup value.) Once implemented, any changes to lookup values affect all related and selection and drop-down lists in the application. Lookup values are maintained only by a State system administrator.


Do not change the value in the Code field on an existing record. This value is hard-coded in the system's business rules.

Record lookup values as follows:

  1. Click the Administration tab at the top of the screen.

  2. Click the Maintenance tab.

  3. Click the Lookup Data link in the menu on the left. The Category Search screen appears.

  4. Enter your search criteria. You can use the wildcard feature. (See Search screens for more assistance.)

  5. Click Search. The system displays the categories that match the name you entered.

  6. Click the Edit link for the category you want to update. The Category Details screen appears, with the list of values that apply to that category.

  7. Click the Edit link next to the value you want to update, or  click Add Lookup Value to create a new value. The Lookup Values screen appears.

  8. Complete all of the fields on this screen.

    What you enter in the Short Description field is the value that will appear in the application's selection list or drop-down menu. This value and the code must be unique within this category.

  9. Click Save. You are returned to the Category Details screen.

  10. Click Save. You are returned to the Category Search screen.