[AX] Provide a Quicker New Element Workflow from Related Element Fields

[kylecotter]

I think it’d be a useful AX improvement to add a shortcut for creating a new entry by means of a secondary button or similar instead of having to trigger the modal first and then click “new entry” when using a related entry field. For times when you know you want to relate new content and not something already existing.

We’re using more and more a paradigm consisting of related entries and slide-overs vs. nested field approaches (e.g not super table within matrix etc) and this would streamline that content creation process for content editors where the workflow is - create a new “Page” entry and use a related Entries field for (primarily) creating new “Component” entries, and selecting existing entries is a secondary added bonus.

[brandonkelly]

Agree that makes sense – similar to how Assets fields have an “Upload files” button beside the “Add an asset” button.

[kylecotter]

I'd imagine that same scenario comes up in the traditional flow of "Add an entry" -> Modal -> "New entry"?

What if the entry were allowed to be created and added to the field, but creates a validation error on save of the parent indicating the related element doesn't meet the selection criteria?

e.g. similar to

[brandonkelly]

I'd imagine that same scenario comes up in the traditional flow of "Add an entry" -> Modal -> "New entry"?

No, because those entries aren’t automatically added. If the resulting entry doesn’t match the selection criteria, it won’t show up in the modal window te begin with.

[kylecotter]

Ah, gotcha. I’d argue that could be a double-edged AX flow too.

If a Content editor creates entry via modal -> forgets to set one field that makes that entry match the selection criteria -> has no way of finding that again without going out to the main Entries page.

[brandonkelly]

Agree, it’s not perfect. Ideally we come up with a better solution for both.

[thupsi]

A reasonable compromise that I can think of is that the New element button would only be an option when creating a relations field that has no conditions OR has conditions that do not pose a problem.

For example if only relations from certain sections are allowed, then the New element button could be a dropdown button like in the entry index pages (new entrytype1, new entrytype2 etc).

That way relation fields that don't have complex conditions would still benefit from the faster workflow.

[brandonkelly]

Craft 5.8.0 is out with inline search for relation fields, and inline entry creation for Entries fields (#17497) 🎉