Clearing Same Address Inputs on Uncheck

Question

I have a simple form where the user is given the standard, what is your location and is this (shipping/worksite/billing) location the same as the one listed scenario. By default if the user check the Same as checkbox. The text box contents are copied and the the inputs are disabled. When unchecked the boxes are re-enabled and the contents are cleared.

Is this clearing of the textboxs the appropriate action? Some in the office argue that the user might only want to change the address portion of the contents so the initial address contents should remain the same.

Answer 1

" the user might only want to change the address portion of the contents so the initial address contents should remain the same." seems more logical approach for user convenience.

In that case, user would need change minimum to fill the address.

Will make the user to think that (s)he is in control.

Answer 2

A bit of clarification . . . the user checks the Same As checkbox and the existing location information is copied into the shipping sections empty input fields. The shipping section fields are now disabled?

If that is the case, then maybe just don't disable the shipping sections fields? That way users could then make any necessary edits to the information prior to submitting.

Answer 3

I would build on sam’s idea: Don’t disable editing the copied-to field(s) (e.g., shipping address), but clear the checkbox if the user edits the field.

A slightly different interface: replace the “Same as” checkbox with a “Copy to” button.  When the button is clicked, (obviously) you copy the field data and disable the button.  If the user edits the field, re-enable the button.

Either way, it’s easy to see which locations are the same as the master and which ones aren’t.