Hierarchical Lists for Matter Categorization

Hierarchical Lists allow administrators to build clear, multi-level categorization structures such as:
Region → Country, Legal Domain → Sub-Domain, Division → Department, and more. This feature helps contributors select accurate categories and ensures consistent reporting across the Matter module.

✨ What Are Hierarchical Lists?

Hierarchical Lists replace flat dropdowns with multi-level selections. Instead of selecting a single list value, users navigate through multiple levels (e.g., Level 1 → Level 2 → Level 3). This ensures better structure, clarity, and data consistency.

• Admins can create, import, edit, and structure lists across multiple levels.
• Contributors select values using a cascading selector for fast and reliable choices.
• Matter categorization becomes standardized across teams and countries.

✋ Who Can Use Hierarchical Lists?

Administrators can:

• Create new hierarchical lists
• Add multiple levels of values
• Import a list from a supported file format
• Reorder values using drag-and-drop
• Export lists if needed

Contributors can:

• Select list values when creating or editing a Matter
• Navigate multi-level structures to find the correct category

✍ Creating a New Hierarchical List

To create a new list:

• Go to Settings → Matter Management → Reference Lists
• Click Add list ⭐
• Enter a List name (this field is mandatory ✋)
• Click Confirm

Good to know: New lists appear in alphabetical order. Hover state and automatic focus are enabled according to the final UI specifications.

✍ Adding Values (Levels) to a List

Once your list is created, you can add multiple levels:

• Type a value in the Entry field
• Click Add to insert it into the list
• Click any existing value to add sub-values under it
• Use drag-and-drop to reorder values ⛹️‍♀️

Tip: A value cannot be removed if it is used in a Matter. A tooltip explains why deletion is disabled ☝.

✂️ Editing or Reordering Entries

You can reorganize the hierarchy at any time:

• Edit names from the action column
• Drag and drop items to reposition them
• Reorder levels while preserving parent/child relationships

The design system’s drag-and-drop component ensures smooth manipulation with clear hover states.

⚡ Importing a Hierarchical List

You can import larger lists instead of creating values manually.

Supported file formats

• .xlsx only (CSV/XLS are out of scope ❌)

File guidelines

• Maximum file size: 15 MB ❗
• Maximum label length: 128 characters
• One column per level (e.g., Level 1, Level 2, Level 3)
• No duplicate column names

Steps

• Click Import
• Select your .xlsx file
• Upload to generate the hierarchy

If the file is invalid or too large, a clear error toast is displayed. No list is created when errors occur ⛔.

⚡ Exporting a List

You can export any hierarchical list for review or migration.

• Click Actions → Export
• The list downloads as an .xlsx file

❗ Limitations & Known Behaviors

• Search inside the cascader is not supported due to technical constraints ❄️
• Tooltip support on selected values will come in a future design system update
• Some UI improvements (e.g., hover behaviors) follow design system limitations
• The export feature does not currently include custom list fields in the Matter table (future enhancement)

✨ Best Practices

• Keep labels short and clear to avoid overflowing visual displays
• Use consistent naming across levels (e.g., singular or plural)
• Test large structures before deploying to production
• Assign clear responsibilities for list maintenance

❓ FAQ

Can I delete a list used in a Matter?

No ⛔ — if a list or value is used in an existing Matter, deletion is disabled. A tooltip explains why.

What happens if I import invalid data?

An error toast appears and no empty list is created to avoid confusion.

Can I rename a list?

Yes — list names are editable and mandatory. An asterisk indicates required fields.

Can I reorder levels?

Yes! Drag-and-drop allows full reordering of items and sub-items ⛹️‍♂️.

☕ Need Help?

If you need assistance with Hierarchical Lists, feel free to contact your administrator or DiliTrust support team. We're here to help ✌