# Option vocabulary Source: /ux/style-and-usage/option-vocabulary.md - Summary: One concept has one list of options, in lifecycle order, with its default and its colours, in every select that shows it. - Status: Adopted, since 2026-10-02 - Principles: Fewest inputs, Maximum intuition, One way - Surfaces: Screen, Form ## When to use Use it whenever you add, rename or reorder the options of a single or multiple select, or show one select in a second place such as a form, a board or a chart. ## When not to use The option names follow [capitalization](/ux/style-and-usage/capitalization.md), and their colours follow [colour](/ux/style-and-usage/colour.md). ## How it works ### Use one vocabulary per concept in every select A concept such as a person stage or an activity result has one list of options. Every select that shows the concept uses that list, with the same labels, in every form, board and route that writes it. Pass: put every select that writes one concept side by side; their options match label for label. Replace this: Answered in one form, Call answered in the other With this: Answered in both ### List options in lifecycle order Options run in the order a record moves through them, from the first stage to the closing outcomes. The form, the board and the filter show that same order. Pass: read the options from top to bottom; each one comes after the stage before it, Won and Lost come last, and the board's stacks run in the same order. Stages on a pipeline board. Do: The stacks run Lead, Qualified, Proposal sent, Closed-won, Closed-lost: the order a deal moves through. Don't: hilos runs In Progress, In Review, Todo, Backlog, Done: Todo after In Review and Backlog before Done. Image: /ux/sources/dont-hilos-board-order.webp ### Keep person stages and deal stages in separate selects Where a person stands and where a deal stands are two concepts. Each one has its own select and its own list. Pass: no select offers a person stage and a deal stage in the same list. ### Prefill the default where the references prefill it When the reference products start a select on a value, ours starts on the same kind of value. When they leave it blank, ours stays blank. Pass: a new deal arrives with Stage set to Lead, and a select the references leave blank starts blank. The stage when a record enters a pipeline. Do: Attio fills Stage with Prospecting, the first stage, when a record is added to the list. Image: /ux/sources/attio-add-to-list-prefilled.webp Don't: The same form with Stage blank, so every record needs one more pick. ### Give every option its colour Each option carries a colour, set by the rules in [colour](/ux/style-and-usage/colour.md). An option without a colour reads as missing data. Pass: open the select's settings; no option is left on the default grey unless grey is its chosen colour. A status select in a table cell. Do: folk gives each Status option its own colour, under Select an option or create one. Image: /ux/sources/folk-status-options-colours.webp Don't: Tana's status options Inbox, In Progress, Completed and Later all share one grey. Image: /ux/sources/dont-tana-status-grey.webp ### Record the vocabulary you chose when the references disagree When the reference products share no list, pick one, and write down which product it was copied from and why. A list no product shares is never replaced on the strength of a single option in common. Pass: every select whose references show no majority has a note naming the product copied and the reason. ## Research The rules come from the reviewer's CRM usability comparison (2026-09-29/30). It asks to "Use one person-stage vocabulary in every CRM selector." (comparison, line 734) and to "Use the same Result labels in both logging routes." (comparison, line 833). The labels in the Answered example above are made up. It also asks to "Keep person stages separate from deal stages." (comparison, line 735). The order rule comes from the comparison's deal stage tables (comparison, lines 750 to 783). Attio runs Lead, In Progress, Won, Lost. folk runs Lead, Qualified, Proposal sent, Closed-won, Closed-lost. The comparison asks to "Use the same deal-stage order in the form and board." (comparison, line 770). A board shows its stages as stacks in that same lifecycle order. The default rule copies Attio's Add to list form, which fills Stage with Prospecting, and the comparison's "Prefill Lead for new deals." (comparison, line 769). Our CRM and Attio start the deal stage blank (comparison, lines 775 to 776). For person stages, folk starts blank (comparison, lines 739 to 745), so we prefill nothing there. The colour rule copies folk's Status select, where every option has a colour. The rule on recording the choice comes from the comparison's no-majority cases. For person stages, "No exact-label majority is established." (comparison, line 745). For deal stages, "Lead is shared by Attio/Folk; there is no shared full sequence." (comparison, line 779). For sources, "Only Referral is an exact shared option here." and "Do not rename all options from a two-field comparison." (comparison, lines 806 to 807). No screenshot backs this rule. ### Sources - [Attio add to list, prefilled owner and stage](https://mobbin.com/screens/797ff398-0d2b-4b7c-8ff7-560ac3d2bf84) - [folk status select with option colours](https://mobbin.com/screens/469251cb-95b8-4a35-ba5d-6727682e3175) - [hilos board, column order](https://mobbin.com/screens/43913a72-1e2f-4fba-8518-c63556c92e43) - [Tana status select](https://mobbin.com/screens/7169e4f9-157e-405c-bcc8-9b46d30d4530)