Description replaces Display name as the field label in form views

AppSheet AppSheet Q&A
1

When both Display name and Description are set on a column, form views show the
Description as the field label and the Display name is not visible anywhere.

This is documented, but it is surprising in practice: most tools treat a
description as helper text shown under the field, not as the label itself.

We had written explanatory sentences in Description, expecting them to appear
as small helper text. Instead, the forms showed full sentences where short
labels were expected, and the Display names we had configured never appeared.

Expected: Display name is the label; Description is supporting text.

Actual: in form views, Description overrides Display name.

Steps to reproduce:

  1. On any column, set Display name to “Property Name”.
  2. Set Description to “A name you choose for this land.”
  3. Open the form view for that table.

Result: the field label reads “A name you choose for this land.”

Suggestion: showing both — the label from Display name and the Description
beneath it — would match what most users expect, and would make Description
usable for its apparent purpose.

2

Works as intended. It’s been this way since at least 2016, the very early days.

3

When there is both Display Name and Description, the description behaves like display name and blocks the display name.

4

Correct, as intended. Your expectations are wrong.

5

funny :slight_smile: