Value Lists vs. simple tables for validation

[arriflex]

The example, a serialized products table that includes a number of fields describing the product. In other DBs I would create individual tables for the descriptive fields related with an ID, or put them all in one related table linked with an ID and a type.

Filemaker appears to prefer using value lists for many things I might normally use tables. Is this one of them?

The end goal is to populate drop-down lists in a products portal with auto completion and the ability to use the tab key to commit the selection to the field.

The reason I'm having trouble doing things my more traditional way is because of this statement from the help file regarding auto-completion:

"Auto-complete is not supported in drop-down lists when the value list used is configured to use Also display values from second field, Show values only from second field, or Sort by second field."