Form sections are the core part of your Beacon form - it's the part that is actually shown to users of the form, and where you'll gather the information you need from them.
It's made up of two parts:
Sections
Fields
Fields allow users to enter answers to the questions you've posed, and are collected together in groups called Sections such as 'Contact consent' or 'Personal details'.
Contents:
Remove a section
When you create a new form, it adds some default sections and questions relevant to the type of form that it is. Most can be removed if you don't want them for any reason, simply click the Remove section button in the lower right of each section.
Add a section
Click + Add section
Click General fields
Give the section a title and description
Choose which Record type you'd like to receive information about
Note: Each type of form will have different record types to choose from in the drop down list. For example:
Event registration forms will only show Person and Event attendee
Donation forms will only show Person, Payment, Subscription, and Gift Aid Declaration
Signup forms have the most options, since Person records relate to lots of things!
Add a field to a section
You can add any number of fields to any sections you've created for your form. These are the fields of the record type you've selected. If you'd like fields from another record type, simply create a new section.
Click + Add item
Choose 'Form field'
Character and word limits
Perhaps you want to limit the length of the response someone submits via your form. This could be an application form where applicants are limited to a 200 word supporting statement, or perhaps you're collecting someone's 8 digit account number to invoice them for their membership or ticket.
When adding your form field, choose which kind of limit you'd like to set and specify the limit.
Add general text
Entire section
Perhaps you want to add some text to your form that doesn't necessarily fit into the other sections. This could be some instructions for supporters on how to fill out this form, or some details about your organisation and what you do.
Simply follow the steps above to add a new form section choosing 'Label' as the type of section to add.
Type your text as the 'Description'. Remove or change the 'Title' from 'Label' to fit your needs!
That's it! You now have a section of your form that only contains text.
Between fields
Perhaps you want to add some text or a longer description to a form section, in between your fields. This could be some instructional information on how to answer a question, or perhaps your question is very long and you'd like to split it into more manageable segments.
Click + Add item
Choose 'Label' and add your text
Changing the order of sections
We want you to be able to display your forms in the order that makes most sense to you! Simply drag and drop the sections to re-order them however you like.
Styling your form sections
As well as adding a logo and banner and button colour, there are a few other ways you can add styling to your form. In the 'Description' of any form section you also have the option to bold, italicise, or hyperlink your text!
Simply highlight the text you want to add styling to, and the following options will appear:
Beacon forms also support emoji - so feel free to add some of these for an extra personal touch.
That's it! Your form now has some additional styling!
Note: you will not be able to add styling to the 'Title' of the form section or the 'Question' of form fields.
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible for questions to be conditional based on previous responses?
Yes! This is possible with 'Field and section visibility on forms'. It is a premium feature and not currently available on portal forms.
When does a form question appear inside the field vs above the field?
The position of the question in relation to the field will depend on the length of the question. Short questions will appear inside the field like this:
Longer questions will be positioned above the field:
To make the styling consistent, when a form section contains a long question then all questions will be positioned above the field.