Checkbox versus Yes/No picklist
Key Takeaway
Converting a picklist to a Checkbox is simple, but converting a Checkbox to any other data type can cause data loss. A yes/no field whose available values must depend on another field has to be a picklist.
A Checkbox field stores a simple true or false value. Users check a box to mark a true or false attribute of a record. A picklist lets users select a single value from a list that you define. A Yes/No picklist is a picklist whose values you set to Yes and No. Both can capture a yes-or-no answer, but they behave differently in filters, imports, and field dependencies, and in how safely you can change the field's data type later.
How Checkbox values are written
Checkbox values are written differently depending on the tool.
| Tool | Checked | Unchecked |
|---|---|---|
| Report and list view filters | True | False |
| Data Import Wizard and weekly export tool | 1 | 0 |