Fields

MDS offers a variety of form field components, including text inputs, data inputs, and selects. As they share multiple characteristics, we use this page to describe them all in one place.

Anatomy

Anatomy

Item

Element

Description

Component

Optional?

1

Label

Indicates to the user what content they need to enter in the field.

 

 

2

Required marker

Indicates that entering data is required to move further in the flow.

 

Yes

3

Tooltip info

Provides non-essential additional information to help the user enter correct data.

Bare Icon Button

Yes

4

Container

The interactive area for the user to input the data. The content of the container is specific to each component.

 

 

5

Placeholder text

Provides examples of data or required content format.

 

Yes

6

Inline error icon

Indicates error when a Field is set to Inline property.

Icon

 

7

Helper Message

Provides additional information to help the user enter correct data, e.g., required password format.

 

Yes

8

Error Message

Indicates error and explains how to fix it.

Icon

 

9

Character counter

Indicates the ratio between characters entered and the set limit.

 

Yes


Specification

States

Style/State/Default
Style/State/Hover
Style/State/Focus
Style/State/Active
Style/State/Error
Style/State/Error Character count
Style/State/Disabled
Style/State/Read only

Item

State

Description

1

Default

A default resting state when a user does not interact with it.

2

Hover

The user is hovering over the input with the mouse.

3

Focus

User used tab to identify the input or clicked on it.

4

Active

The user is actively entering data into the field

5

Error

The entered data is invalid, or a required text input has not been filled in. The user needs to edit the content to submit or save the data.

6

Character limit exceeded error

The entered data exceeds the maximum number of characters allowed. The user needs to edit the content to be able to submit or save the data.

7

Disabled

When another field needs to be filled first because there is logic between them, e.g., the end date cannot be entered before the start date is filled in.
⚠️ This state is not accessible: does not meet contrast requirements and won’t be read by screen readers.

8

Read-only

The user is not allowed to edit the data in the form, e.g., they don’t have the rights, or the data comes from a third-party tool.

 

Sizing

Fields are available in four sizes: small, medium, large, and extra-large. Please refer to the Usage tab for guidelines on when to use each size.

Style / Sizing / Extra Large
Style / Sizing / Small
Style / Sizing / Large
Style / Sizing / Medium

Element

Property

Value

Token

Container: small

height

32px

sizing.400

Container: medium

height

40px

sizing.500

Container: large

height

48px

sizing.600

Container: extra large

height

56px

sizing.700

 

Spacing

Style/Spacing

Element

Property

Value

Token

Container: small, medium

margin-top, margin- bottom

4px

spacing.50

Container: large, extra large

margin-top, margin-bottom

8px

spacing.100

Help Icon Button

size

24px×24px

size: small

 

margin-left

16px

spacing.200

Error message

margin-top

4px

spacing.50

Error Icon

size

16px×16px

size: small

 

margin-right

8px

spacing.100

Character counter

margin-left

16px

spacing.200