Understanding Choice Fields and Checkbox Values

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 104 views

Introduction

SharePoint is a powerful platform for creating and managing collaborative environments. With the help of REST API, developers can interact with SharePoint data programmatically. In this article, we will explore how to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields using REST API in SharePoint.

Understanding Choice Fields and Checkbox Values

Before we dive into the REST API, let's understand how choice fields and checkbox values work in SharePoint. A choice field is a type of field that allows users to select one or more values from a predefined list. Checkbox values are used to represent the selected values in a choice field.

REST API Basics

REST API is a set of protocols for interacting with web servers. In SharePoint, REST API is used to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on list items. To use REST API in SharePoint, you need to know the following:

Site URL: The URL of the SharePoint site where the list is located.
List Name: The name of the list where the choice field is located.
Field Name: The name of the choice field.
Item ID: The ID of the list item where the choice field is located.

Getting Multiple Checkbox Values from Choice Field using REST API

To get multiple checkbox values from a choice field using REST API, you can use the following REST endpoint:

https://<site_url>/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('<list_name>')/items(<item_id>)/fields('<field_name>')

Replace <site_url> with the URL of the SharePoint site, <list_name> with the name of the list, <item_id> with the ID of the list item, and <field_name> with the name of the choice field.

Here's an example of how to get multiple checkbox values from a choice field using REST API:

GET https://example.sharepoint.com/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('My List')/items(1)/fields('My Choice Field')

The response will be in JSON format, which will contain the selected checkbox values.

Setting Multiple Checkbox Values to Choice Field using REST API

To set multiple checkbox values to a choice field using REST API, you can use the following REST endpoint:

https://<site_url>/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('<list_name>')/items(<item_id>)

Replace <site_url> with the URL of the SharePoint site, <list_name> with the name of the list, and <item_id> with the ID of the list item.

Here's an example of how to set multiple checkbox values to a choice field using REST API:

PATCH https://example.sharepoint.com/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('My List')/items(1)

In the request body, you need to specify the selected checkbox values in the following format:

{
  "fields": {
    "My Choice Field": {
      "__metadata": {
        "type": "SP.FieldMultiChoiceValue"
      },
      "Value": [
        "Value 1",
        "Value 2",
        "Value 3"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace My Choice Field with the name of the choice field, and Value 1, Value 2, and Value 3 with the selected checkbox values.

Example Use Case

Let's say you have a SharePoint list called "My List" with a choice field called "My Choice Field". The choice field has three options: "Value 1", "Value 2", and "Value 3". You want to get the selected checkbox values from the list item with ID 1 using REST API.

Here's an example of how to get the selected checkbox values using REST API:

GET https://example.sharepoint.com/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('My List')/items(1)/fields('My Choice Field')

The response will be in JSON format, which will contain the selected checkbox values:

{
  "d": {
    "__metadata": {
      "type": "SP.FieldMultiChoiceValue"
    },
    "Value": [
      "Value 1",
      "Value 2"
    ]
  }
}

Now, let's say you want to set the selected checkbox values to the list item with ID 1 using REST API. You can use the following REST endpoint:

PATCH https://example.sharepoint.com/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('My List')/items(1)

In the request body, you need to specify the selected checkbox values in the following format:

{
  "fields": {
    "My Choice Field": {
      "__metadata": {
        "type": "SP.FieldMultiChoiceValue"
      },
      "Value": [
        "Value 1",
        "Value 2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace My Choice Field with the name of the choice field, and Value 1 and Value 2 with the selected checkbox values.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored how to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields using REST API in SharePoint. We covered the basics of REST API, including the site URL, list name, field name, and item ID. We also provided examples of how to get and set multiple checkbox values using REST API.

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields using REST API in SharePoint.

References

SharePoint REST API
Choice Field
Checkbox Values
Q&A: Getting and Setting Multiple Checkbox Values from/to Choice Fields using REST API in SharePoint =============================================================================================

Q: What is the REST API in SharePoint?

A: The REST API in SharePoint is a set of protocols for interacting with web servers. It allows developers to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on list items programmatically.

Q: How do I get multiple checkbox values from a choice field using REST API?

A: To get multiple checkbox values from a choice field using REST API, you can use the following REST endpoint:

https://<site_url>/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('<list_name>')/items(<item_id>)/fields('<field_name>')

Replace <site_url> with the URL of the SharePoint site, <list_name> with the name of the list, <item_id> with the ID of the list item, and <field_name> with the name of the choice field.

Q: How do I set multiple checkbox values to a choice field using REST API?

A: To set multiple checkbox values to a choice field using REST API, you can use the following REST endpoint:

https://<site_url>/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('<list_name>')/items(<item_id>)

Replace <site_url> with the URL of the SharePoint site, <list_name> with the name of the list, and <item_id> with the ID of the list item.

Q: What is the format of the request body when setting multiple checkbox values using REST API?

A: The request body should be in the following format:

{
  "fields": {
    "My Choice Field": {
      "__metadata": {
        "type": "SP.FieldMultiChoiceValue"
      },
      "Value": [
        "Value 1",
        "Value 2",
        "Value 3"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace My Choice Field with the name of the choice field, and Value 1, Value 2, and Value 3 with the selected checkbox values.

Q: What is the response format when getting multiple checkbox values using REST API?

A: The response will be in JSON format, which will contain the selected checkbox values:

{
  "d": {
    "__metadata": {
      "type": "SP.FieldMultiChoiceValue"
    },
    "Value": [
      "Value 1",
      "Value 2"
    ]
  }
}

Q: Can I use REST API to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields in a SharePoint list?

A: Yes, you can use REST API to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields in a SharePoint list.

Q: Are there any limitations or restrictions when using REST API to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields?

A: Yes, there are some limitations and restrictions when using REST API to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields. For example, you need to have the necessary permissions to access the SharePoint list and the choice field.

Q: Can I use REST API to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields in a SharePoint list that is not in the same site collection?

A: Yes, you can use REST API to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields in a SharePoint list that is not in the same site collection. However, you need to use the site URL and list name of the remote site collection.

Q: Can I use REST API to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields in a SharePoint list that is not in the same tenant?

A: No, you cannot use REST API to get and set multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields in a SharePoint list that is not in the same tenant. You need to use the SharePoint Graph API or the SharePoint REST API with the tenant URL.

Conclusion

In this Q&A article, we covered some common questions and answers related to getting and setting multiple checkbox values from/to choice fields using REST API in SharePoint. We hope this article has been helpful in answering your questions and providing you with a better understanding of how to use REST API to interact with SharePoint data.