Single Select or Tags: Which Field Type Should You Use?

Choosing between a single select or tags field comes down to one question: can a record have more than one of these values at the same time? If yes, use tags. If no, use single select.

Why the wrong choice causes problems later

Field types are easy to change early and painful to change once thousands of records exist.

A status field that turns out to need two values at once
Tags used for status, so records end up both active and inactive
Filters that behave unexpectedly because the type was wrong
Boards that cannot be built, since a card must sit in one column

Comparing the two

Aspect	Single select	Tags
Values per record	Exactly one	Several at once
Typical use	Status, phase, priority	Attributes, categories, characteristics
Drives a Kanban	Yes	No
Example	Active, inactive, temporarily blocked	Recurring, international

How to configure it in Jestor

Add a column in Jestor and search for the field type you need.
For a single select, add the values and edit each one's name and colour.
Mark the field mandatory where a record cannot exist without it — a supplier always has a status.
Enable log metrics on the field to track time in each phase and movement between stages.
For tags, add the attributes a record may carry several of.

Why choose Jestor for data structure?

Jestor lets you enable timing metrics directly on a single-select field, which is what makes SLA tracking per phase work later without any extra configuration.

Colours set on the field values carry through to boards and charts, so a status shown in red on a table appears red everywhere else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a record have two tags?

Yes, that is the point of a tag field.

Should status be mandatory?

Usually yes, since a record rarely makes sense without one. See jestor.com.

What are log metrics on a field?

They track time in each phase and movement between stages.

Video Tutorial: Step by Step

Check out other practical tutorials on the Jestor YouTube channel.

Get to know Jestor

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 and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.

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