> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.agenticflow.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.agenticflow.ai/workflows/workflow-inputs/select-dropdown.md).

# Select Dropdown

The **Select** control (also known as a dropdown) is an input component that lets a user choose a single option from a list that you define.

## When to Use

Use the Select control when you want to restrict a user's choice to a specific set of options. This is useful for:

* Selecting a category (e.g., `Marketing`, `Sales`, `Support`).
* Choosing an action to perform (e.g., `Summarize`, `Translate`, `Rewrite`).
* Setting a specific mode or parameter (e.g., `Fast`, `Balanced`, `High Quality`).

## How to Add

1. From your workflow's **Build** page, click on **+ Add Input**.
2. Select **Select** from the list of available controls.

## Configuration

* **Title:** The main label for the dropdown field.
* **Description:** Optional helper text to provide more context.
* **Options:** This is where you define the items that will appear in the dropdown. Add one option per line.
* **Variable Name:** The name used to access the user's selected value.
* **Optional/Required:** A toggle to specify if the user must make a selection.

## Setting a Default Value

You can pre-select one of the options as the default:

1. Add all your desired options to the **Options** list.
2. From the dropdown menu in the control, select the option you want to be the default.
3. Click the settings icon (⚙️) at the bottom right of the control.
4. Select **Set Current Value as Default**.

## Accessing the Value

You access the selected option using its variable name in double curly braces `{{}}`. For example, if the variable name is `analysis_type`:

* You can use `{{analysis_type}}` in a prompt or parameter field.
* You can use it as the input to a **Switch Node** to route the workflow down different paths based on the user's selection.

### Example

**Goal:** Allow a user to choose a language and then translate a piece of text into that language.

1. **Add a Select Control:**
   * Title: "Target Language"
   * Variable Name: `target_language`
   * Options:

     ```
     Spanish
     French
     German
     ```
2. **Add a Long Text Input:**
   * Title: "Text to Translate"
   * Variable Name: `source_text`
3. **Add an OpenAI MCP Node:**
   * **Action:** `Chat`
   * **Prompt:** \`Translate the following text into {{target\_language}}:

     {{source\_text}}\`

Now, when a user runs the workflow, they can pick a language from the dropdown, and that choice will be used to generate the correct translation prompt.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.agenticflow.ai/workflows/workflow-inputs/select-dropdown.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.