> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.avonnicomponents.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.avonnicomponents.com/flow/tutorials/components/combobox/add-a-create-new-action-to-a-combobox.md).
# Add a Create New Action to a Combobox
Add a New contact action inside a Combobox dropdown that opens a short flow, so agents create a missing contact without leaving the case screen.
A support agent logging a case searches for the caller in a Contact combobox. When the caller is not in Salesforce yet, leaving the screen to create the contact loses the case in progress. A **New contact** action inside the dropdown opens a short flow in a dialog, prefilled with what the agent typed, then refreshes the list so the agent can pick the new contact.
The New contact action shows while the agent searches.
## Before you start
* A Contact combobox with a **Query** data source on Contact and **Show Search** on. [Search Large Lists in a Combobox](/flow/tutorials/components/combobox/search-large-lists-in-a-combobox.md) sets it up. In this tutorial its API Name is `Contact_Picker`.
* An active screen flow that creates the contact, for example `New_Contact`:
* a Text variable `lastName`, **Available for input**;
* a screen with First Name, Last Name (default value `{!lastName}`) and Email;
* a **Create Records** element for the Contact;
* a Text variable `newContactId`, **Available for output**, that holds the new record Id.
## Steps
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
### Add the action to the dropdown
1. In the **Properties** tab, open the **Actions** group and add an action.
2. Set **Label** to `New contact` and **Name** to `new_contact`. The interaction finds the action by its **Name**, so keep it unique.
3. Set **Icon Name** to `utility:add`.
4. Turn on **Display on Search**, so the action shows while the agent types a name.
The action's label, name, icon and when it shows.
Choose when the action shows:
| You want the action | Settings |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Always visible, pinned at the bottom of the list | **Position** `Bottom`, **Fixed** on |
| Only while the agent types | **Display on Search** on |
| Only when a search finds nothing | **Display on Search** on, then **Display When No Results** on |
**Position** and **Fixed** apply to an action that is always visible: the panel hides them once **Display on Search** is on. **Display When No Results** only appears after **Display on Search** is on.
{% hint style="warning" %}
When the agent clicks an action set to **Display When No Results**, the combobox also adds the typed text as a selected value. That suits a free-text list, not a record picker: the value becomes `Lena Park` instead of a Contact Id. For a contact, account or case picker, use **Display on Search** alone.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Open the New contact flow on click
1. In the **Interactions** tab, add an interaction under **Action Click**.
2. In **Target Name**, select the **New contact** action (the picker lists actions by label). Each action needs its own Action Click interaction.
3. Set the type to **Open Flow Dialog** and, in **API Name**, select your New contact flow (the picker lists flows by label).
4. Under **Input Variables**, add a row: **Name** `lastName`, **Type** **Text**, **Value** **Search Term**. The flow opens with the text the agent typed.
5. Set **Modal Header** to `New contact`.
Action Click opens the flow with the typed name and refreshes the list after.
See [Open Flow Dialog](/flow/component-builder/interactions-panel/open-flow-dialog.md) for the dialog size and footer options.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Refresh the list when the flow finishes
1. In the same interaction, under **On Finish**, add **Refresh Query**. **Components to refresh** already holds this combobox by default: keep it.
2. Optional: add **Show Toast** after it to confirm the contact was created.
**On Finish** runs only when the flow completes. If the agent closes the dialog, **On Close** runs instead, so the list stays as it was.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Reuse the new contact Id and the clicked action (optional)
* To use the new contact later in the flow, add a row under **Output Variables**: **API Name** `newContactId`, **Variable Number** `Variable 1`. After the dialog finishes, read it as `{!Contact_Picker.flowInteractionOutputVariables.variable1.textValue}`. [Flow Interaction Output Variables](/flow/component-builder/interactions-panel/flow-interaction-output-variables.md) explains the slots.
* The combobox output **Clicked Action Name** (`clickedActionName`) holds the **Name** of the action the agent clicked. With several actions, use it in a Decision after the screen.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Save and test
Save the flow and click **Debug** or **Run**. Interactions do not run in the Component Builder preview.
* Type a name that has no contact, for example `Lena Park`: **New contact** appears in the dropdown.
* Click it: the dialog opens with `Lena Park` in Last Name.
* Finish the flow: the dialog closes and the Contact combobox reloads. Search again and pick the new contact.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
## Troubleshooting
The action never shows in the dropdown
With **Display on Search** on, the action only shows during a search, so **Show Search** must be on. With **Display When No Results** on, it only shows when the search returns nothing.
Clicking the action does nothing
* You clicked it in the Component Builder preview, where interactions do not run. Test with **Debug** or **Run**.
* The Action Click interaction's **Target Name** points to another action. Select the right action by its label.
The dialog opens but Last Name is empty
* The input **Value** is a flow resource instead of **Search Term**.
* The flow variable is not **Available for input**, or its API name differs from the **Name** in the row.
* The agent clicked the action without typing anything: **Search Term** is empty.
The new contact is not in the list after the dialog closes
* **On Finish** has no **Refresh Query**.
* The agent closed the dialog before the flow finished, so **On Finish** did not run.
* The combobox query filters out the new record (an account filter the new contact does not match, for example).
The combobox shows a record Id instead of a name
This happens when the combobox starts with a value (a record Id passed in, or a value restored on Back) and one of its actions has **Display When No Results** on. Turn **Display When No Results** off and keep **Display on Search** on: the name shows, and the action still appears during a search.
## Related tutorials
* [Search Large Lists in a Combobox](/flow/tutorials/components/combobox/search-large-lists-in-a-combobox.md): the searchable Contact combobox this action sits in.
* [Use a Combobox Selection in a Query or Flow](/flow/tutorials/components/combobox/use-a-combobox-selection-in-a-query-or-flow.md): pass the picked contact to the rest of the flow.
* [Build Combobox Options](/flow/tutorials/components/combobox/build-combobox-options.md): choose the data source before adding actions.
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