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# Single option or tags: how to classify your records
- URL: https://blog.jestor.com/single-option-or-tags-classify-data/
- Published: 2026-09-16T18:50:09.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-16T18:50:09.000Z
- Author: Bruno Bannach

Choosing between **single option or tags** comes down to one question: can a record belong to more than one category at the same time? In **Jestor**, a single option field allows exactly one value per record, while a tag field allows several.

## Why this small decision has large consequences

Classification fields are what your reports group by. Choose single option where the reality is multiple and people will pick one value and lose information. Choose tags where the reality is exclusive and your totals will double count.

Neither error is obvious on day one. Both surface months later when someone notices the numbers do not add up.

Where each one belongs:

- Status of a supplier: exclusive, so single option
- Services a supplier provides: multiple, so tags
- Priority of a task: exclusive, so single option
- Skills of a candidate: multiple, so tags

## Comparing the two field types

| Aspect            | Single option           | Tags                              |
| ----------------- | ----------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Values per record | Exactly one             | One or several                    |
| Typical use       | Status, stage, priority | Categories, skills, segments      |
| Reporting         | Clean totals per value  | Records counted in several groups |
| Color coding      | Supported per value     | Supported per value               |
| Editing options   | Rename and recolor      | Rename and recolor                |

## Step by step to configure either one

1. **Add a column** and choose single option or tags, according to the rule above.
2. **Name the field** after what it classifies, such as status or category.
3. **Create the values**, keeping the list short enough that people read it.
4. **Assign a color to each value**, which makes tables and boards scannable.
5. **Edit values as needed**, since both the name and the color can be changed later.
6. **Remove unused values** before the list grows beyond what anyone uses.

## Why short option lists win

A field with thirty values gets used as a free text field: people pick whatever is closest and the classification stops meaning anything. Keeping the list short forces the taxonomy to be real, and the reports that depend on it stay trustworthy.

- **Exclusive versus multiple:** the choice that determines your reporting
- **Color per value:** status readable at a glance
- **Editable after creation:** names and colors can be adjusted
- **Reliable grouping:** charts and filters read from a controlled list

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can I change a single option field into tags later?

Plan the choice up front, since the classification logic and existing data depend on it. See [jestor.com](https://www.jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com).

### Can I change the color of an option?

Yes. Both the name and the color of each value can be edited.

### Which one should I use for status?

Single option, since a record has exactly one status at a time.

## Video Tutorial: Step by Step

With **Jestor**, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way, all without code and powered by **AI**. Discover Jestor at [jestor.com](https://www.jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com) and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.