Here's the goal: Column X is a drop-down choice. Column Y is a person. When Column X = A, Column Y needs to be B. I want to manage the Column X to Column Y mapping in a separate list for easy updates. How can I accomplish this, preferably without Visual Studio? In case that doesn't make enough sense here's more specific: Let's say THE LIST has 3 columns: Title, Program, and Manager. The column Program is a choice dropdown containing Program Alpha, Program Beta, and Program Omega. The column Manager is a person. Albert manages Alpha, Betsy manages Beta, and Oscar manages Omega. When a user creates a new list item, they don't know who manages what and they don't care. When they create the item, they choose a Program from the dropdown. What I want is the column Manager to autofill. There are about 20 of these. I currently do this through a nasty nested calculated field, but we need the ability to add more. I would like to create a separate list that just has 2 columns: Program A, Alfred. Program B, Betsy. That way, when I need to add a new program or changing the Program-Manager mapping, I just update that list.

There is a free solution out there. You will have to do some customizations but they are very simple. Here is a link to the solution. http://spservices.codeplex.com/documentation Let me know if you have any questions. Fairly easy to do. solution was done in JQuery

If at all possible, I need to do this without writing any code: just the GUI and Designer. It's an large enterprise infrastructure and I just control my little corner of it. Any "code" I write has to go through a bureaucratic code review process that takes weeks.

Hi, I think you are looking for a cascading dropdown list, there is a free tool in codeplux if you want you can just run that tool in the server and when ever you create a column in a list you will get cascading option. in our company also they dont allow the code so we used this tool (it is free). I think it is easy to do i will send the links to you I think this is help full to you follow this link to download the tool http://cascddlistwithfilter.codeplex.com/ follow this link for the detail steps http://sharepointsircar.blogspot.com/2009/02/cascading-dropdownlist-custom-field.html

One more Link http://blog.12thwave.com/?p=7

well it is code technically but you can implement the code using designer. not sure if that helps. You do not have to deploy code. Just store the code in a jquery in a doc library and add the little code through designer and you are all set.