SharePoint modern list form with optional lookup column couldn't be cleared/reset

Iron Contributor

Is there a way to clear i.e. reset the value to blank for an optional lookup column. We have a list with lookup column. This column is set as optional. However, while creating new item as well as updating an existing item, if a User selects an option in Lookup column, user can't clear that option. There is no way to reset the column value back to blank.

 

Issue only occurs in modern experience.

6 Replies
Seems to be a bug...did you try to update the column using the quick edit option in the list?

Yep...Can do in Quick edit view by deleting the selected value for lookup column. However, this isn't a user friendly solution at all.

 

Imagine a user filling-out a big form to create a new list item. If this user by accident or intentionally selects a value for lookup column then there will be no way to clear this value unless the user cancels the form and start again or save it anyway and ask an admin/power user to clear it for him.

 

 

Try adding a blank to the lookup list and order so its at the top.

 

This will allow the user to select effectively a blank :)

<rant>Bug, as usual, from Microsoft modern UI. I can't understand why Microsoft chooses to use their customers as software testers, as if we had nothing else to do. And I can't understand why we, customers, tolerate this behaviour from Microsoft. </rant>

 

Anyway, I managed to workaround this problem by selecting the list item, clicking quick edit. Then SharePoint displays the list as a grid, where I can type "delete" key and remove the option. Hope this helps. 

It looks more like they "forgot" to add this functionality to this type of column.
Either way, they should add it ASAP...

@Gurdev Singh We just opened a support ticket with MS Support and we were told this is not supported in modern UI. It's a simple function that has been working on classic SP for many years and now they tell us not supported instead of trying to get a fix from development team.