The Horizontal and Vertical display setting in Gatheroo controls how the answer options in a Multi-Choice or Single Select field are laid out for your end client.
Choosing the right layout can make your request easier to read and faster to complete.
What Is the Display Setting?
By default, the options in a Multi-Choice or Single Select field are stacked vertically, one option per line. You can switch to a horizontal layout, where options appear side by side across the screen.
The display setting is a visual preference only.
It does not change how responses are collected, stored, or reported.
Which Field Types Use This Setting?
The Horizontal / Vertical display setting is available on two field types:
- Multi-Choice: allows the client to select one or more options
- Single Select: allows the client to select exactly one option
It is not available on other field types.
How to Change the Display Layout
- Open the request and navigate to the section containing your Multi-Choice or Single Select field.
- Click the settings icon on the field.
- In the field settings panel, look for the Display option and choose either Horizontal or Vertical.
- Save your changes.
The layout change will be reflected immediately when the request is previewed or viewed by an end client.
When to Use Horizontal vs Vertical
Vertical (default) works best when:
- You have more than four or five options
- Option labels are longer and need more space
- You want a clean, easy-to-scan list format
Horizontal works best when:
- You have a small number of short options (e.g. Yes / No, True / False, 1 / 2 / 3)
- You want to save vertical space in the request
- The options are visually comparable side by side
Tips
- If your options include longer text, horizontal layout may look crowded on smaller screens.
- Test your request on a mobile device if your clients typically access Gatheroo from their phone.
- Horizontal layout can work particularly well for rating scales or simple binary choices.
Questions We Are Often Asked
What is the difference between horizontal and vertical display in Gatheroo?
The horizontal display shows options for a Multi-Choice or Single Select field side by side across the page, while vertical display stacks them one per line.
The choice is purely visual, it does not affect how responses are collected or stored.
When should I use horizontal layout for my fields?
Horizontal layout works best when you have a small number of short options such as Yes / No, or a simple A / B / C choice.
If your options are longer phrases or you have more than 4 or 5 choices, vertical is usually cleaner and easier to read, especially on mobile.
Can I change the display setting after a client has started filling in their request?
Yes, changing the display setting on a field in Gatheroo only affects the visual layout.
It does not reset or remove any answers a client has already provided.
You can switch between horizontal and vertical at any time without affecting the underlying data.
Other Questions We Commonly Answer
How do I control how options are displayed in a form, side by side or stacked?
Most form tools let you choose between horizontal layout (options displayed side by side in a row) and vertical layout (options stacked one above the other).
Horizontal works well for short options with limited choices; vertical is easier to read when options are longer or there are more of them.
In Gatheroo, you can switch between horizontal and vertical display on fields like Multi-Choice and Single Select.
What is the best layout for a multiple choice question in a client form?
For short labels (e.g. Yes / No, or a few single words), horizontal layout looks clean and is easy to scan.
For longer option text or more than 4 or 5 options, vertical is much easier to read, especially on mobile.
When in doubt, vertical is the safer choice for accessibility and usability.