The Form Builder is where you create and edit forms in the portal. This article gives you a tour of its layout, so you know where to find each tool.
How the Form Builder is laid out
The Form Builder has 5 main areas.
The Form Builder with the header, side bar, canvas, right side bar, and bottom toolbar highlighted
Area | What you do there |
|---|---|
Header | Rename the form, see its version and status, and save or publish it |
Side bar | Browse pages and sections, add fields, ask the Assistant, and check for errors |
Canvas | Build the form: arrange pages, sections, and fields |
Right side bar | Preview the form and change the settings of the selected field |
Bottom toolbar | Open form settings, workflow, reports, and form actions |
To open the Form Builder, go to Forms > My Forms in the portal. Select Actions next to a form, select Edit Form, then select Form Builder. Learn more about how to edit an existing form.
Header
The header shows the form name, the version number, and whether the form is published or a draft.
The Form Builder header with the form name, version, and Published status
Form name: Select the edit icon next to the name to rename the form
Submission name: Select Automatically name form submissions to choose how submissions are named
Save Draft: Saves your changes without releasing them to users
Publish: Releases the form to users as the next version
When you make a change, Save Draft and Publish appear in the header. To go back to the portal, select the home icon.
Side bar
The side bar has the Pages & Sections and Add Fields tabs at the top, and the Assistant and Validation icons at the bottom. Select one to open its panel, and select it again to close it.
Tab or icon | What it does |
|---|---|
Pages & Sections | Lists every page and section. Select one to jump to it, or drag to reorder |
Add Fields | Lists every field type. Select a field type or drag it onto the canvas |
Assistant | Builds or changes the form from a description you type, speak, or upload |
Validation | Lists errors and warnings to fix before you publish. The icon shows how many errors there are |
The Add Fields tab listing field types by category
Note
The Assistant icon is available when AI features are turned on for your account.
Canvas
The canvas shows every page, section, and field in the form.
A section on the canvas with its header icons and a field row
Page name: Shows the current page. Select it to go to another page, or to rename, add, or delete a page
Section header: Rename the section, collapse it, or select the more options icon for Section Settings, Duplicate Section, and Delete Section
Field row: Select a field to open its settings. Point to it to duplicate or delete it, or drag it to a new position
Checkboxes: Select several fields to move, delete, or edit them together
To find a field in a long form, enter its name in Search fields....
Right side bar
The right side bar has 2 tabs.
Preview: Shows the form as users see it, on a computer or a phone, and a QR code to open it in the FastField mobile app. Learn more about the form preview
Field Settings: Shows the settings of the selected field, on the General, Behavior, and Appearance tabs
Field Settings for a selected field, with the General, Behavior, and Appearance tabs
Bottom toolbar
The bottom toolbar has the form-level tools.
Button | What it opens |
|---|---|
Settings | Form settings, such as Show Fieldkeys, Enable Webforms, Advanced Form Rules, Enable Dark Mode and Lookup Mappings |
Workflow | Global Workflow, to send submissions where they need to go |
Reports | Custom Report Builder, Generic Report, and Legacy Word Upload |
Actions | Validate Form, Duplicate Form, Export To Excel, Delete Form, and more |
The Actions menu in the bottom toolbar
Build with the Assistant
The Assistant can build and change a form for you. Select Assistant in the side bar, describe what you want, and send the message. For example, Add a signature field at the end or Make the Priority field red.
You can also attach a PDF, an image, or an Excel file, take a photo, or use voice input. To work on one field or section, select the Assistant icon on it.
Note
Assistant changes aren't saved until you select Save Draft.