Building form templates
You need Manage form templates. Templates are under Catalogs › Form Templates: “The forms your team can fill in against patients, appointments and treatments.” The list shows each Form, its Category, number of Fields, Status (Available or Retired) and when it was Updated.
1. Categories (optional, first)
Section titled “1. Categories (optional, first)”Select Categories on the Form templates page: “Group your forms so staff find the right one quickly.”
- New category, with a name in each language your clinic uses, for example “Consent, Intake, Assessment…”.
- Names must be unique: “A category named “…” already exists.”
- A category in use can’t be deleted: “This category is used by 2 forms - move them first.”
You can also create one from the template editor with New category.
2. Create the template
Section titled “2. Create the template”Select New form (“Define what this form asks.”).
Form details
Section titled “Form details”| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Form name | Required, for example “Consent to treatment”. |
| Description | “When should this form be used?” |
| Category | Choose a category, or New category. Templates without one are listed under Uncategorised. |
| Available to fill in | “Turn off to retire the form without deleting past submissions.” |
| Amendments | “Whether a completed form can be corrected afterwards.” See below. |
Amendments options:
| Option | A filled form can be amended… |
|---|---|
| Clinic default | for 48 hours after it was submitted. |
| For a set time | for the Hours allowed you enter. |
| Always allowed | at any time. |
| Not allowed | never, by staff who only have Amend forms. |
Staff with both Amend forms and Void forms can amend at any time, whatever this is set to.
Fields
Section titled “Fields”Select Add field and choose the type:
| Type | Description | Settings |
|---|---|---|
| Text | “A single line of text” | Minimum length, Maximum length |
| Paragraph | “Several lines of text”, written in the same editor as notes: headings, lists, checklists and tables, with AI writing help if you have it. | Minimum length, Maximum length |
| Number | “A numeric value” | Minimum value, Maximum value |
| Date | “A calendar date” | |
| Yes / no | “A single tick box” | Marked Required: “The box must be ticked to submit - for consents and confirmations.” |
| Single choice | “Pick one, all options visible” | Options |
| Dropdown | “Pick one from a list” | Options |
| Multiple choice | “Pick any number of options” | Options |
| Section heading | Splits the form into parts. Holds no answer. | Title, Description |
Every question field has:
- Label: “What is being asked?”
- Help text: “Shown under the question to guide whoever fills it in.”
- Placeholder: “Example text shown inside the empty input.”
- Required: “The form cannot be submitted without an answer.”
For choice fields, Add option for each answer, and drag to reorder. Drag fields by their handle to reorder the form.
The editor checks your template before saving:
| Message | Fix |
|---|---|
| “Add at least one field that isn’t archived.” | A template needs at least one active field. |
| “Add at least one option.” | A choice field has no options. |
| “Each option must be unique.” | Two options have the same text. |
| “The minimum can’t be greater than the maximum.” / “The minimum length can’t be greater than the maximum length.” | Swap or correct the limits. |
Translate
Section titled “Translate”Switch the Editor view to Translate: “Every text of this form in every language. Fill in the highlighted cells - the default language column is what everyone sees when a translation is missing.” The form name, description, every label, help text, placeholder and option can be translated.
Preview
Section titled “Preview”Switch to Preview: “This is how the form looks to whoever fills it in. Answers here are not saved.” Use Preview in to check another language.
Select Create form. You see Form created.
Changing a template that’s in use
Section titled “Changing a template that’s in use”You can edit a template at any time (Save form, “Form saved.”). Past filled forms keep their answers. To protect them:
| You try to… | What happens |
|---|---|
| Delete a field that has answers | Not possible: ““…” already has answers - archive it instead of deleting it.” Use Archive field. “This field already has answers, so it can be archived but not deleted.” |
| Delete an option that has answers | Not possible. Archive it: “Archived - kept for past answers, no longer offered.” |
| Change the type of a field that has answers | Not possible: ““…” already has answers, so its type can’t change.” Add a new field instead and archive the old one. |
Archived fields and options can be Restored.
Retire or delete
Section titled “Retire or delete”- Retire: turn off Available to fill in. The template shows Retired, can’t be picked for new forms, and all past filled forms stay.
- Delete: from the template’s menu, Delete › Yes, delete. “Forms that have been filled in can’t be deleted - turn off “Available to fill in” to retire them instead.” The Delete option only appears for templates that have never been filled in.