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# How Arrayed Data Works

A data array contains a list of values. Each of these values is an element in the array. Arrayed data elements are identified by both data ID and index. All fields that are to contain values from a given array have the same data ID. The index value tells the program which element in the array contains the value for that specific form field. When a user enters a value in that field, it is placed in that element in the array. When data that has already been entered is placed in the form, the value in that element is placed in the field.

Arrayed data has two major advantages:

- It is cleaner for the form designer. When you use arrayed data for lists or tables, you need fewer data IDs because you only use one data ID for each list or column. Traditional forms require a different data ID for each field in the list, making data IDs more confusing and harder to keep track of.

- Because the arrayed data structure corresponds more directly to today’s tabular databases, it makes it easier for your programmer to write data to or retrieve data from a database. Data in tabular databases is stored in columns (the data elements) and rows (the values), so it can be read and written directly.

If you think you would like to use arrayed data, check with your programmer or vendor to find out if your end-user application can support it.