About assigning labels and values to form controls

The words you choose for the labels and values of the controls on your form are the words that will be returned to you when someone completes your form on the Web and clicks the Submit button.

For many controls, you can use the same words for the labels and values as those used on the form itself. For example, you add two list boxes to your form. One is labeled "Dogs" and contains a list of dog breeds. The other is labeled "Cats" and contains a list of cat breeds. You assign each control its own label and each item in the two lists its own value. If someone selects the values Collie and Tabby, the data you receive will be:

Dogs: Collie

Cats: Tabby

Sometimes a control's value represents a "selected" or "not selected" state. For example, you add a check box with the text label, "Click this box to receive our catalog." You assign the label Catalog and the value Yes to represent the check box in a checked state. If someone clicks the check box, you receive "Catalog: Yes" as your data. If the check box remains unselected, you receive "Catalog:" as your data.