bcquality/microsoft/knowledge/ui/show-caption-on-editable-fields.md
Jesper Schulz-Wedde b6da405376 Improve partner onboarding and documentation navigation
Lead with a complete plugin quick start and add task-oriented usage, troubleshooting, customization, and contribution guides. Preserve the broader plugin framing, correct conflicting contract guidance, support Agents folder reviews, and align repository validation. Convert existing sample references to clickable links without changing knowledge rules.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
2026-09-09 17:25:29 +02:00

1.5 KiB

bc-version domain keywords technologies countries application-area
all
ui
show-caption
editable
accessibility
label
instructional-text
al
w1
all

ShowCaption on editable fields

Description

ShowCaption must remain true (the default) on editable fields unless the field matches one of the officially supported "magic patterns". Fields are editable by default. Setting ShowCaption = false on an editable field is almost always an accessibility bug: without a visible caption, screen reader users lose the label that identifies the field, and sighted users lose a visual cue.

A field whose Editable property is a Boolean expression (e.g. Editable = IsEditable) is dynamically editable and must be treated as a form field — ShowCaption = false on such a field is also a violation.

Best Practice

Leave ShowCaption at its default on editable fields. If a caption would be visually redundant, rely on one of the documented magic patterns (group-labeled first child, repeater column, PromptDialog prompt input) rather than removing the caption.

See sample: show-caption-on-editable-fields.good.al.

Anti Pattern

The InstructionalText property on a field renders as HTML placeholder text and is not a substitute for a caption — it disappears once the user types and is not reliably announced by screen readers.

See sample: show-caption-on-editable-fields.bad.al.