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Show Reason When Rejected

This conditional show/hide uses a SharePoint formula to show a Reason field only when the status is Rejected. Applied as a conditional show/hide formula on the form, it reveals or hides the field based on what the user selects - note this uses SharePoint's JavaScript-style formula syntax, not the classic Excel-style one.
Built with
Features
Choice Column, Conditional Show/Hide
Category
Formulas

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How It Works

  • What it does: Shows or hides the Reason field depending on the Status.
  • When it shows: The Reason field appears when Status is Rejected, so someone can explain why.
  • When it’s hidden: For any other status the field stays off the form. This affects the form only – it doesn’t block saving.

Common Use Cases

  • Capturing rejection reasons
  • Approval workflows
  • Cleaner forms
  • Conditional detail fields

Details

  • Formula Type: Conditional Show/Hide
  • Formula Category: Status & Progress

Required Columns

Display nameColumn type
StatusChoice

Prerequisites

  1. Create the column the formula reads: Status
  2. Add or edit a few items so there is data for the formula to work with

How to Apply the Formula

  1. Open the list and choose Edit form (or New/Edit form, then Edit)
  2. Select the field you want to control, then choose Edit conditional formula (Show/hide field)
  3. Paste the formula below – note the [$InternalName], == and && syntax
  4. Save the form, then test it by changing the trigger field

Formula

=if([$Status] == 'Rejected', 'true', 'false')

Common Questions About Show Reason When Rejected Formula

What does this formula do?

Reveal a field on a choice. It runs on the form, showing or hiding the field based on the trigger value.

Which columns do I need to set this up?

You need: Status (Choice). The formula reads these to produce its result.

Why is this formula syntax different from the others?

Show/hide formulas use SharePoint’s JavaScript-style syntax – [$InternalName], == for equals, && for and – rather than the Excel-style syntax used by calculated columns and validation.

If LookBook 365 is code-free and out-of-the-box, why does this example use a formula?

A SharePoint formula is native, declarative configuration, not custom development. It only works with the item’s own fields and simple logic – it cannot run scripts, reach external services, or change other data, and nothing is deployed to your tenant. It keeps working through Microsoft updates. If you would rather not set this up yourself, this is exactly the kind of thing I configure for clients.

Show Reason When Rejected Formula Example
Show Reason When Rejected Formula Example