diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.ts
index 8703a3af51..256e657474 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
   DYNAMIC_FORM_CONTROL_TYPE_GROUP,
   DYNAMIC_FORM_CONTROL_TYPE_INPUT,
   DYNAMIC_FORM_CONTROL_TYPE_RADIO_GROUP,
-  DynamicFormArrayModel,
+  DynamicFormArrayModel, DynamicFormControlEvent,
   DynamicFormControlModel,
   DynamicFormGroupModel,
   DynamicFormService, DynamicFormValidationService,
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import { DsDynamicInputModel } from './ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/ds-dynamic-inpu
 import { FormFieldMetadataValueObject } from './models/form-field-metadata-value.model';
 import { isNgbDateStruct } from '../../date.util';
 import { DYNAMIC_FORM_CONTROL_TYPE_RELATION_GROUP } from './ds-dynamic-form-ui/ds-dynamic-form-constants';
+import { CONCAT_GROUP_SUFFIX, DynamicConcatModel } from './ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/ds-dynamic-concat.model';
 
 @Injectable()
 export class FormBuilderService extends DynamicFormService {
@@ -54,6 +55,15 @@ export class FormBuilderService extends DynamicFormService {
           break;
         }
 
+        if (this.isConcatGroup(controlModel)) {
+          const concatGroupId = controlModel.id.replace(CONCAT_GROUP_SUFFIX, '');
+          // if (concatGroupId === findId) {
+          if (concatGroupId.includes(findId)) {
+            result = (controlModel as DynamicConcatModel).group[0];
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+
         if (this.isGroup(controlModel)) {
           findByIdFn(findId, (controlModel as DynamicFormGroupModel).group, findArrayIndex);
         }
@@ -247,6 +257,10 @@ export class FormBuilderService extends DynamicFormService {
     return model && ((model as any).type === DYNAMIC_FORM_CONTROL_TYPE_GROUP && (model as any).isCustomGroup === true);
   }
 
+  isConcatGroup(model: DynamicFormControlModel): boolean {
+    return this.isCustomGroup(model) && (model.id.indexOf(CONCAT_GROUP_SUFFIX) !== -1);
+  }
+
   isRowGroup(model: DynamicFormControlModel): boolean {
     return model && ((model as any).type === DYNAMIC_FORM_CONTROL_TYPE_GROUP && (model as any).isRowGroup === true);
   }
@@ -303,4 +317,76 @@ export class FormBuilderService extends DynamicFormService {
     return (tempModel.id !== tempModel.name) ? tempModel.name : tempModel.id;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Calculate the metadata list related to the event.
+   * @param event
+   */
+  getMetadataIdsFromEvent(event: DynamicFormControlEvent): string[] {
+
+    let model = event.model;
+    while (model.parent) {
+      model = model.parent as any;
+    }
+
+    const iterateControlModels = (findGroupModel: DynamicFormControlModel[], controlModelIndex: number = 0): void => {
+      let iterateResult = Object.create({});
+
+      // Iterate over all group's controls
+      for (const controlModel of findGroupModel) {
+
+        if (this.isRowGroup(controlModel) && !this.isCustomOrListGroup(controlModel)) {
+          iterateResult = mergeWith(iterateResult, iterateControlModels((controlModel as DynamicFormGroupModel).group));
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        if (this.isGroup(controlModel) && !this.isCustomOrListGroup(controlModel)) {
+          iterateResult[controlModel.name] = iterateControlModels((controlModel as DynamicFormGroupModel).group);
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        if (this.isRowArrayGroup(controlModel)) {
+          for (const arrayItemModel of (controlModel as DynamicRowArrayModel).groups) {
+            iterateResult = mergeWith(iterateResult, iterateControlModels(arrayItemModel.group, arrayItemModel.index));
+          }
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        if (this.isArrayGroup(controlModel)) {
+          iterateResult[controlModel.name] = [];
+          for (const arrayItemModel of (controlModel as DynamicFormArrayModel).groups) {
+            iterateResult[controlModel.name].push(iterateControlModels(arrayItemModel.group, arrayItemModel.index));
+          }
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        let controlId;
+        // Get the field's name
+        if (this.isQualdropGroup(controlModel)) {
+          // If is instance of DynamicQualdropModel take the qualdrop id as field's name
+          controlId = (controlModel as DynamicQualdropModel).qualdropId;
+        } else {
+          controlId = controlModel.name;
+        }
+
+        if (this.isRelationGroup(controlModel)) {
+          const values = (controlModel as DynamicRelationGroupModel).getGroupValue();
+          values.forEach((groupValue, groupIndex) => {
+            Object.keys(groupValue).forEach((key) => {
+              iterateResult[key] = true;
+            });
+          });
+        } else {
+          iterateResult[controlId] = true;
+        }
+
+      }
+
+      return iterateResult;
+    };
+
+    const result = iterateControlModels([model]);
+
+    return result;
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/form.actions.ts b/src/app/shared/form/form.actions.ts
index 3eb3fb2716..76d9fef253 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/form.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/form.actions.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { type } from '../ngrx/type';
 export const FormActionTypes = {
   FORM_INIT: type('dspace/form/FORM_INIT'),
   FORM_CHANGE: type('dspace/form/FORM_CHANGE'),
+  FORM_ADDITIONAL: type('dspace/form/FORM_ADDITIONAL'),
   FORM_REMOVE: type('dspace/form/FORM_REMOVE'),
   FORM_STATUS_CHANGE: type('dspace/form/FORM_STATUS_CHANGE'),
   FORM_ADD_ERROR: type('dspace/form/FORM_ADD_ERROR'),
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ export class FormInitAction implements Action {
     formId: string;
     formData: any;
     valid: boolean;
+    formAdditional: any;
   };
 
   /**
@@ -39,8 +41,8 @@ export class FormInitAction implements Action {
    * @param valid
    *    the Form validation status
    */
-  constructor(formId: string, formData: any, valid: boolean) {
-    this.payload = {formId, formData, valid};
+  constructor(formId: string, formData: any, valid: boolean, formAdditional?: any) {
+    this.payload = {formId, formData, valid, formAdditional};
   }
 }
 
@@ -52,7 +54,7 @@ export class FormChangeAction implements Action {
   };
 
   /**
-   * Create a new FormInitAction
+   * Create a new FormChangeAction
    *
    * @param formId
    *    the Form's ID
@@ -64,6 +66,26 @@ export class FormChangeAction implements Action {
   }
 }
 
+export class FormSetAdditionalAction implements Action {
+  type = FormActionTypes.FORM_ADDITIONAL;
+  payload: {
+    formId: string;
+    additionalData: any;
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Create a new FormSetAdditionalAction
+   *
+   * @param formId
+   *    the Form's ID
+   * @param additionalData
+   *    the additionalData Object
+   */
+  constructor(formId: string, additionalData: any) {
+    this.payload = {formId, additionalData};
+  }
+}
+
 export class FormRemoveAction implements Action {
   type = FormActionTypes.FORM_REMOVE;
   payload: {
@@ -147,6 +169,7 @@ export class FormClearErrorsAction implements Action {
  */
 export type FormAction = FormInitAction
   | FormChangeAction
+  | FormSetAdditionalAction
   | FormRemoveAction
   | FormStatusChangeAction
   | FormAddError
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/form.reducer.ts b/src/app/shared/form/form.reducer.ts
index 1d44375c0d..8a5c2a57b8 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/form.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/form.reducer.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   FormChangeAction, FormClearErrorsAction,
   FormInitAction,
   FormRemoveAction,
-  FormRemoveErrorAction,
+  FormRemoveErrorAction, FormSetAdditionalAction,
   FormStatusChangeAction
 } from './form.actions';
 import { hasValue } from '../empty.util';
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export interface FormEntry {
   data: any;
   valid: boolean;
   errors: FormError[];
+  additional: any;
 }
 
 export interface FormState {
@@ -40,6 +41,10 @@ export function formReducer(state = initialState, action: FormAction): FormState
       return changeDataForm(state, action as FormChangeAction);
     }
 
+    case FormActionTypes.FORM_ADDITIONAL: {
+      return additionalData(state, action as FormSetAdditionalAction);
+    }
+
     case FormActionTypes.FORM_REMOVE: {
       return removeForm(state, action as FormRemoveAction);
     }
@@ -127,7 +132,8 @@ function initForm(state: FormState, action: FormInitAction): FormState {
   const formState = {
     data: action.payload.formData,
     valid: action.payload.valid,
-    errors: []
+    errors: [],
+    additional: action.payload.formAdditional
   };
   if (!hasValue(state[action.payload.formId])) {
     return Object.assign({}, state, {
@@ -212,3 +218,30 @@ function removeForm(state: FormState, action: FormRemoveAction): FormState {
     return state;
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Compute the additional data state of the form. New touched fields are merged with the previous ones.
+ * @param state
+ * @param action
+ */
+function additionalData(state: FormState, action: FormSetAdditionalAction): FormState {
+  if (hasValue(state[action.payload.formId])) {
+
+    const newState = Object.assign({}, state);
+
+    const newAdditional = newState[action.payload.formId].additional ? {...newState[action.payload.formId].additional} : {};
+
+    const newTouchedValue = newAdditional.touched ? {...newAdditional.touched,
+      ...action.payload.additionalData.touched} : { ...action.payload.additionalData.touched};
+    newAdditional.touched = newTouchedValue;
+
+    newState[action.payload.formId] = Object.assign({}, newState[action.payload.formId], {
+        additional: newAdditional
+      }
+    );
+
+    return newState;
+  } else {
+    return state;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/form.service.ts b/src/app/shared/form/form.service.ts
index 2b0815a40e..6d208b08d2 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/form.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/form.service.ts
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ import { select, Store } from '@ngrx/store';
 import { AppState } from '../../app.reducer';
 import { formObjectFromIdSelector } from './selectors';
 import { FormBuilderService } from './builder/form-builder.service';
-import { DynamicFormControlModel } from '@ng-dynamic-forms/core';
+import {DynamicFormControlEvent, DynamicFormControlModel} from '@ng-dynamic-forms/core';
 import { isEmpty, isNotUndefined } from '../empty.util';
 import { uniqueId } from 'lodash';
 import {
   FormChangeAction,
   FormInitAction,
-  FormRemoveAction, FormRemoveErrorAction,
+  FormRemoveAction, FormRemoveErrorAction, FormSetAdditionalAction,
   FormStatusChangeAction
 } from './form.actions';
 import { FormEntry } from './form.reducer';
@@ -51,6 +51,18 @@ export class FormService {
     );
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Method to retrieve form's additional data from state
+   */
+  public getFormAdditionalData(formId: string): Observable<any> {
+    return this.store.pipe(
+      select(formObjectFromIdSelector(formId)),
+      filter((state) => isNotUndefined(state)),
+      map((state) => state.additional),
+      distinctUntilChanged()
+    );
+  }
+
   /**
    * Method to retrieve form's errors from state
    */
@@ -149,8 +161,8 @@ export class FormService {
     return (environment.form.validatorMap.hasOwnProperty(validator)) ? environment.form.validatorMap[validator] : validator;
   }
 
-  public initForm(formId: string, model: DynamicFormControlModel[], valid: boolean) {
-    this.store.dispatch(new FormInitAction(formId, this.formBuilderService.getValueFromModel(model), valid));
+  public initForm(formId: string, model: DynamicFormControlModel[], valid: boolean, additional?: any) {
+    this.store.dispatch(new FormInitAction(formId, this.formBuilderService.getValueFromModel(model), valid, additional));
   }
 
   public setStatusChanged(formId: string, valid: boolean) {
@@ -169,6 +181,11 @@ export class FormService {
     this.store.dispatch(new FormChangeAction(formId, this.formBuilderService.getValueFromModel(model)));
   }
 
+  public setTouched(formId: string, model: DynamicFormControlModel[], event: DynamicFormControlEvent) {
+    const ids = this.formBuilderService.getMetadataIdsFromEvent(event);
+    this.store.dispatch(new FormSetAdditionalAction(formId, { touched: ids}));
+  }
+
   public removeError(formId: string, eventModelId: string, fieldIndex: number) {
     this.store.dispatch(new FormRemoveErrorAction(formId, eventModelId, fieldIndex));
   }
diff --git a/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.actions.ts b/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.actions.ts
index 2eed4f2c92..6fe42a149a 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.actions.ts
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ export class UpdateSectionDataAction implements Action {
     sectionId: string;
     data: WorkspaceitemSectionDataType;
     errors: SubmissionSectionError[];
+    metadata: string[];
   };
 
   /**
@@ -219,12 +220,15 @@ export class UpdateSectionDataAction implements Action {
    *    the section's data
    * @param errors
    *    the section's errors
+   * @param metadata
+   *    the section's metadata
    */
   constructor(submissionId: string,
               sectionId: string,
               data: WorkspaceitemSectionDataType,
-              errors: SubmissionSectionError[]) {
-    this.payload = { submissionId, sectionId, data, errors };
+              errors: SubmissionSectionError[],
+              metadata?: string[]) {
+    this.payload = { submissionId, sectionId, data, errors, metadata };
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.effects.ts b/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.effects.ts
index 09a6f47104..3a25d79330 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.effects.ts
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ export class SubmissionObjectEffects {
         return item$.pipe(
           map((item: Item) => item.metadata),
           filter((metadata) => !isEqual(action.payload.data, metadata)),
-          map((metadata: any) => new UpdateSectionDataAction(action.payload.submissionId, action.payload.sectionId, metadata, action.payload.errors))
+          map((metadata: any) => new UpdateSectionDataAction(action.payload.submissionId, action.payload.sectionId, metadata, action.payload.errors, action.payload.metadata))
         );
       } else {
         return observableOf(new UpdateSectionDataSuccessAction());
diff --git a/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.reducer.ts b/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.reducer.ts
index 098160c737..6f7098532e 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/objects/submission-objects.reducer.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ export interface SubmissionSectionObject {
    */
   enabled: boolean;
 
+  /**
+   * The list of the metadata ids of the section.
+   */
+  metadata: string[];
+
   /**
    * The section data object
    */
@@ -660,7 +665,8 @@ function updateSectionData(state: SubmissionObjectState, action: UpdateSectionDa
           [ action.payload.sectionId ]: Object.assign({}, state[ action.payload.submissionId ].sections [ action.payload.sectionId ], {
             enabled: true,
             data: action.payload.data,
-            errors: action.payload.errors
+            errors: action.payload.errors,
+            metadata: reduceSectionMetadata(action.payload.metadata, state[ action.payload.submissionId ].sections [ action.payload.sectionId ].metadata)
           })
         })
       })
@@ -670,6 +676,22 @@ function updateSectionData(state: SubmissionObjectState, action: UpdateSectionDa
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Updates the state of the section metadata only when a new value is provided.
+ * Keep the existent otherwise.
+ * @param newMetadata
+ * @param oldMetadata
+ */
+function reduceSectionMetadata(newMetadata: string[], oldMetadata: string[]) {
+  if (newMetadata) {
+    return newMetadata;
+  }
+  if (oldMetadata) {
+    return [...oldMetadata];
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
 /**
  * Set a section state.
  *
diff --git a/src/app/submission/sections/form/section-form.component.html b/src/app/submission/sections/form/section-form.component.html
index 166e52675b..ab549315ed 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/sections/form/section-form.component.html
+++ b/src/app/submission/sections/form/section-form.component.html
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 <ds-form *ngIf="!isLoading && formModel" #formRef="formComponent"
          [formId]="formId"
          [formModel]="formModel"
+         [formAdditional]="formAdditionalData"
          [displaySubmit]="false"
+         (dfBlur)="onBlur($event)"
          (dfChange)="onChange($event)"
          (dfFocus)="onFocus($event)"
          (remove)="onRemove($event)"
diff --git a/src/app/submission/sections/form/section-form.component.ts b/src/app/submission/sections/form/section-form.component.ts
index 90c2c0c38c..863f2101e2 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/sections/form/section-form.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/sections/form/section-form.component.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { FormComponent } from '../../../shared/form/form.component';
 import { FormService } from '../../../shared/form/form.service';
 import { SectionModelComponent } from '../models/section.model';
 import { SubmissionFormsConfigService } from '../../../core/config/submission-forms-config.service';
-import { hasNoValue, hasValue, isNotEmpty, isUndefined } from '../../../shared/empty.util';
+import { hasNoValue, hasValue, isEmpty, isNotEmpty, isUndefined } from '../../../shared/empty.util';
 import { JsonPatchOperationPathCombiner } from '../../../core/json-patch/builder/json-patch-operation-path-combiner';
 import { SubmissionFormsModel } from '../../../core/config/models/config-submission-forms.model';
 import {
@@ -101,6 +101,18 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
    */
   protected formData: any = Object.create({});
 
+  /**
+   * Store the current form additional data
+   * @protected
+   */
+  protected formAdditionalData: any = Object.create({});
+
+  /**
+   * Store the
+   * @protected
+   */
+  protected sectionMetadata: string[];
+
   /**
    * The [JsonPatchOperationPathCombiner] object
    * @type {JsonPatchOperationPathCombiner}
@@ -125,6 +137,12 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
    */
   @ViewChild('formRef', {static: false}) private formRef: FormComponent;
 
+  /**
+   * Keep track whether the section is focused or not.
+   * @protected
+   */
+  protected isFocused = false;
+
   /**
    * Initialize instance variables
    *
@@ -230,16 +248,24 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
    *    the section data retrieved from the server
    */
   hasMetadataEnrichment(sectionData: WorkspaceitemSectionFormObject): boolean {
+
+    const sectionDataToCheck = {};
+    Object.keys(sectionData).forEach((key) => {
+      if (this.sectionMetadata.includes(key)) {
+        sectionDataToCheck[key] = sectionData[key];
+      }
+    })
+
     const diffResult = [];
 
     // compare current form data state with section data retrieved from store
-    const diffObj = difference(sectionData, this.formData);
+    const diffObj = difference(sectionDataToCheck, this.formData);
 
     // iterate over differences to check whether they are actually different
     Object.keys(diffObj)
       .forEach((key) => {
         diffObj[key].forEach((value) => {
-          if (value.hasOwnProperty('value')) {
+          if (value.hasOwnProperty('value') && !isEmpty(value.value)) {
             diffResult.push(value);
           }
         });
@@ -262,6 +288,9 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
         sectionData,
         this.submissionService.getSubmissionScope()
       );
+      this.formBuilderService.enrichWithAdditionalData(this.formModel, this.formAdditionalData);
+      this.sectionMetadata = this.sectionService.computeSectionConfiguredMetadata(this.formConfig);
+
     } catch (e) {
       const msg: string = this.translate.instant('error.submission.sections.init-form-error') + e.toString();
       const sectionError: SubmissionSectionError = {
@@ -283,15 +312,19 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
    */
   updateForm(sectionData: WorkspaceitemSectionFormObject, errors: SubmissionSectionError[]): void {
 
-    if (hasValue(sectionData) && !isEqual(sectionData, this.sectionData.data)) {
+    if (isNotEmpty(sectionData) && !isEqual(sectionData, this.sectionData.data)) {
       this.sectionData.data = sectionData;
-      this.isUpdating = true;
-      this.formModel = null;
-      this.cdr.detectChanges();
-      this.initForm(sectionData);
-      this.checksForErrors(errors);
-      this.isUpdating = false;
-      this.cdr.detectChanges();
+      if (this.hasMetadataEnrichment(sectionData)) {
+        this.isUpdating = true;
+        this.formModel = null;
+        this.cdr.detectChanges();
+        this.initForm(sectionData);
+        this.checksForErrors(errors);
+        this.isUpdating = false;
+        this.cdr.detectChanges();
+      } else if (isNotEmpty(errors) || isNotEmpty(this.sectionData.errors)) {
+        this.checksForErrors(errors);
+      }
     } else if (isNotEmpty(errors) || isNotEmpty(this.sectionData.errors)) {
       this.checksForErrors(errors);
     }
@@ -308,6 +341,9 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
     this.formService.isFormInitialized(this.formId).pipe(
       find((status: boolean) => status === true && !this.isUpdating))
       .subscribe(() => {
+
+        // TODO: filter these errors to only those that had been touched
+
         this.sectionService.checkSectionErrors(this.submissionId, this.sectionData.id, this.formId, errors, this.sectionData.errors);
         this.sectionData.errors = errors;
         this.cdr.detectChanges();
@@ -328,6 +364,12 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
           this.formData = formData;
         }),
 
+      this.formService.getFormAdditionalData(this.formId).pipe(
+        distinctUntilChanged())
+        .subscribe((formAdditional) => {
+          this.formAdditionalData = formAdditional;
+        }),
+
       /**
        * Subscribe to section state
        */
@@ -375,6 +417,7 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
    *    the [[DynamicFormControlEvent]] emitted
    */
   onFocus(event: DynamicFormControlEvent): void {
+    this.isFocused = true;
     const value = this.formOperationsService.getFieldValueFromChangeEvent(event);
     const path = this.formBuilderService.getPath(event.model);
     if (this.formBuilderService.hasMappedGroupValue(event.model)) {
@@ -386,6 +429,17 @@ export class SubmissionSectionformComponent extends SectionModelComponent {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Method called when a form dfBlur event is fired.
+   *
+   * @param event
+   *    the [[DynamicFormControlEvent]] emitted
+   */
+
+  onBlur(event: DynamicFormControlEvent): void {
+    this.isFocused = false;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Method called when a form remove event is fired.
    * Dispatch form operations based on changes.
diff --git a/src/app/submission/sections/sections.service.ts b/src/app/submission/sections/sections.service.ts
index 5aa3c1d3ea..895bde13ec 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/sections/sections.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/sections/sections.service.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { ScrollToConfigOptions, ScrollToService } from '@nicky-lenaers/ngx-scrol
 import { isEqual } from 'lodash';
 
 import { SubmissionState } from '../submission.reducers';
-import { hasValue, isEmpty, isNotEmpty, isNotUndefined } from '../../shared/empty.util';
+import { hasValue, isEmpty, isNotEmpty, isNotNull, isNotUndefined } from '../../shared/empty.util';
 import {
   DisableSectionAction,
   EnableSectionAction,
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ import { SubmissionService } from '../submission.service';
 import { WorkspaceitemSectionDataType } from '../../core/submission/models/workspaceitem-sections.model';
 import { SectionsType } from './sections-type';
 import { normalizeSectionData } from '../../core/submission/submission-response-parsing.service';
+import { SubmissionFormsModel } from '../../core/config/models/config-submission-forms.model';
+import { parseReviver } from '@ng-dynamic-forms/core';
 
 /**
  * A service that provides methods used in submission process.
@@ -335,8 +337,10 @@ export class SectionsService {
    *    The section data
    * @param errors
    *    The list of section errors
+   * @param metadata
+   *    The section metadata
    */
-  public updateSectionData(submissionId: string, sectionId: string, data: WorkspaceitemSectionDataType, errors: SubmissionSectionError[] = []) {
+  public updateSectionData(submissionId: string, sectionId: string, data: WorkspaceitemSectionDataType, errors: SubmissionSectionError[] = [], metadata?: string[]) {
     if (isNotEmpty(data)) {
       const isAvailable$ = this.isSectionAvailable(submissionId, sectionId);
       const isEnabled$ = this.isSectionEnabled(submissionId, sectionId);
@@ -345,7 +349,7 @@ export class SectionsService {
         take(1),
         filter(([available, enabled]: [boolean, boolean]) => available))
         .subscribe(([available, enabled]: [boolean, boolean]) => {
-          this.store.dispatch(new UpdateSectionDataAction(submissionId, sectionId, data, errors));
+          this.store.dispatch(new UpdateSectionDataAction(submissionId, sectionId, data, errors, metadata));
         });
     }
   }
@@ -377,4 +381,30 @@ export class SectionsService {
   public setSectionStatus(submissionId: string, sectionId: string, status: boolean) {
     this.store.dispatch(new SectionStatusChangeAction(submissionId, sectionId, status));
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Compute the list of selectable metadata for the section configuration.
+   * @param formConfig
+   */
+  public computeSectionConfiguredMetadata(formConfig: string | SubmissionFormsModel): string[] {
+    const metadata = [];
+    const rawData = typeof formConfig === 'string' ? JSON.parse(formConfig, parseReviver) : formConfig;
+    if (rawData.rows && !isEmpty(rawData.rows)) {
+      rawData.rows.forEach((currentRow) => {
+        if (currentRow.fields && !isEmpty(currentRow.fields)) {
+          currentRow.fields.forEach((field) => {
+            if (field.selectableMetadata && !isEmpty(field.selectableMetadata)) {
+              field.selectableMetadata.forEach((selectableMetadata) => {
+                if (!metadata.includes(selectableMetadata.metadata)) {
+                  metadata.push(selectableMetadata.metadata);
+                }
+              })
+            }
+          })
+        }
+      });
+    }
+    return metadata;
+  }
+
 }