how to display description but store internal key

code: null
    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1251"?>

    <?variable-resolver class="org.zkoss.zkplus.spring.DelegatingVariableResolver"?>
    <?init class="org.zkoss.zkplus.databind.AnnotateDataBinderInit" root="showDepartmentsWindow" ?>
    <window id="showDepartmentsWindow" border="normal" apply="${departmentController}" 
            width="500px" height="300px" closable="true" sizable="true" left="20%" top="90px"
            xmlns:a="http://www.zkoss.org/2005/zk/annotation">

        <caption><label style="display: block; text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-size: 16px;">Departments</label></caption>

        <borderlayout id="outerLayout" width="100%" height="100%">
            <center flex="true" border="normal">
                <listbox id="departmentList" model="@{departmentController.departments}" selectedItem="@{departmentController.selectedDepartment}" 
                         fixedLayout="true" width="100%" height="100%" mold="paging" rows="0" vflex="true" >
                    <listhead>
                        <listheader width="30px" label="Id"/>
                        <listheader width="50px" label="Name"/>
                        <listheader width="50px" label="Manager"/>
                        <listheader width="50px" label="Status"/>
                    </listhead>
            
                    <listitem id="departmentListItem" self="@{each='departmentItem'}" value="@{departmentItem}" forward="onDoubleClick=onEditDepartment" >
                        <listcell label="@{departmentItem.departmentId}"/>
                        <listcell label="@{departmentItem.name}"/>
                        <listcell label="@{departmentItem.deptManager.name}"/>
                        <listcell label="@{departmentItem.status}"/>
                    </listitem>
                </listbox >
            </center>

            <south size="30px" flex="true" border="normal">
                <div align="center" >
                    <hbox align="center" >
                        <button id="addButton" label="Add New Department" forward="onClick=onAddDepartment()" style="vertical-align: middle;"/>
                        <separator width="10px" />
                        <button id="editButton" label="Edit Department" forward="onClick=onEditDepartment()"/>
                        <separator width="10px" />
                        <button id="deleteButton" label="Delete Department" disabled="true" forward="onClick=onConfirmDelete()"/>
                    </hbox>
                </div>
            </south>
        </borderlayout>
    </window>
</p><p><br/>I have the controller source handy, too, if you want it.  It's about 500 lines long.  Also have the detail window that's popped up on double click or Edit button click and its controller.  It's a typical CRUD list + detail window launched from my main app.  Post an email address somehow (don't think the forum has an email system in it) if you want it and I'll send it to you.</p><p><div style="class=code" class="code"><pre><div class="error">code: null</div>
I am using spring MVC and would rather use spring conversion service than zk typeconverters, is that wise?
is that possible?
I've used Spring MVC a lot.  I don't think it's necessary to use the conversion service or possible.  Once you shift your thinking from the Spring MVC submit, populate a bean with attributes, process, render a new view to the AJAX oriented ZK framework you'll understand why.  You still have a model object backing it, but with databinding it's done quite differently.  When you enter an event handler, it's already there for you...
HTH,