This article explains how Form Creators can create, test, and publish a new form in Softdocs (Etrieve) using the Form Builder.
This article is intended for CalArts Form Creators.
If you only need to submit forms, this article does not apply to you.
Before You Begin
Before creating a form, make sure you have:
- Form Creator access to Etrieve
- A general understanding of the information you want to collect
- An idea of whether your form will require a workflow
Need Form Creator access?
If you need permission to create or manage forms, please contact cait@calarts.edu. The CAIT team will review your request and assign the appropriate permissions based on your role.
Video Overview:
Step by Step Instructions:
You can access Etrieve in either of the following ways:
Option 1 (Recommended)
- Navigate to login.calarts.edu
- Sign in with your CalArts credentials.
- Select the Etrieve tile.
Option 2
Navigate directly to:
and sign in using your CalArts credentials.
Creating Your Form
Step 1 — Open the Forms Administration Page
After signing in:
- Select the ⚙️ Settings icon.
- Choose Admin Settings.
- Select Forms.
- Click + Add Form.
- Choose Form Builder.
Step 2 — Configure the Form
Complete the following settings before building the form.
Form Name
Choose a unique, descriptive name.
Good Examples
- Faculty Laptop Request
- Student Travel Request
- Employee Address Change
Avoid
- Test
- Form1
- New Form
Form Group
Select the department or business area that best represents the form.
Examples:
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
- Registrar
- Student Services
Form Groups help organize forms within the Form Library.
Form Access
Choose who should have access.
Private (Recommended)
Only users with assigned permissions can access the form.
Public
Any authenticated CalArts user can access the form.
Anonymous
Anyone with the link can access the form without signing in. Only use this when anonymous access is required.
Step 3 — Save the Form
Select Save.
The Form Builder workspace will open.
Step 4 — Build Your Form
Use the Elements panel to add fields.
Elements are organized into three categories:
Saved
Reusable sections created by you or other Form Creators.
Data
Prebuilt Softdocs data elements that support reporting and integrations.
Whenever possible, start with Data elements.
Basic
Standard form controls such as:
- Text
- Number
- Date
- Dropdown
- Checkbox
- Radio Button
- Attachment
- Signature
Drag elements onto the canvas or click an element to add it to the bottom of the form.
Step 5 — Configure Your Fields
Select any field and click the ⚙️ Gear icon to configure it.
Depending on the field, you can configure:
- Label
- Required
- Placeholder Text
- Help Text
- Validation
- Default Values
- Conditional Logic
Repeat for each field.
Step 6 — Organize the Layout
Arrange fields in a logical order.
Consider grouping related information into sections.
Example:
Employee Information
- Name
- Department
Request Information
- Request Type
- Description
- Attachments
Step 7 — Preview the Form
Click Preview.
Complete a full test submission as though you were a user of the form.
Verify:
- Required fields
- Field order
- Conditional Logic
- Calculations
- Attachments
- Overall appearance
Click the Pencil icon to return to editing.
Step 8 — Publish the Form
When testing is complete:
Click Publish.
Publishing makes the current version available for use.
Once published, that version becomes locked to preserve submitted data.
Future changes should be made using Versioning, not by editing the published version directly.
Step 9 — Share the Form
Click Share Links.
You can:
- Copy a shareable URL
- Send the form to users
- Embed the form into a webpage (if applicable)
Only share the form after it has been fully tested.
Best Practices
- Give forms meaningful names.
- Organize forms into the appropriate Form Group.
- Use Data elements whenever possible.
- Test every form before publishing.
- Keep forms as simple as possible.
- Consider whether the form will eventually require a workflow or Content archival.
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