Action Button

An Action Button allows the mobile user to perform many functions, from navigating within the form to launching other programs or websites. Action buttons can also permit the user to determine what should be done with a form once they are done entering data (e.g., Save and Send). Action buttons are great for making your form more app-like (e.g., you can create a series of action buttons that act like a clickable menu).

Action buttons can be displayed as a standard rectangular button with text, which you can control the color and text of. You can also select an icon from our free icon library, or you can upload an image of your choice.

By default, action buttons line up vertically, one button per line. In order to place action buttons side by side, you can place them into a Button Grid.

Properties

Data Name: Because this is a required field, doForms will generate a generic Data name name with a sequential number (such as "untitled10"). Since it is used throughout the system, it is recommended that you enter a descriptive Data name that is easily identifiable. Nondescript Data names are difficult to find and select at a later time (e.g., when performing a calculation).

Type: Determines if you will use the standard rectangular Button or an Image. If you choose, Button, your button will look like this:

If you choose Image, you will have the option to either: 1. Select an icon from the free doForms icon library, or 2. Upload your own image.

Action Button Text/Image Text: Standard Button text will appear in the center of your button.

If you use an icon, you will have the option of entering text for it in the Image text field (note that this text will appear beneath the icon). If you use your own image, you have the option of entering text for it in the Image text field (note that this text will appear beneath the uploaded image. If you want an uploaded image to contain text within the image, then the text must be embedded in the image before uploading).

If you enter text in the Image text field, and no text appears below your image, you may need to change the button text color in the Appearance settings (see below). For example, if your button text color is set to white - and your form background is also white - then the image text will not be visible. Therefore, you will need to set a new button text color.

Justification: This parameter will place your button or your image/text left, right or centered in your form. This parameter does not apply when placing buttons or images into a button grid.

Actions: This is a required field that defines what action the button will perform when tapped by the mobile user.

The following are available actions that you can assign to an action button:

• Jump to question: Jumps the mobile user to another question or field within the form. After selecting this action, you will need to select a destination question/field.
• Jump to page: Jumps the mobile user to another page within the form. After selecting this action, you will need to select a destination page. This option can only be used after setting up multiple Pages within the form.
• Play video: Plays a video that is located on the Internet (note that an Internet connection is required for a mobile user to play videos). After selecting this action, you will need to enter the URL of the video.
• Open web page: Opens an Internet web page (note that an Internet connection is required for a mobile user to open a web page). After selecting this action, you will need to enter the URL of the web page.
• Launch program: Opens an app on the user's iOS or Android device. After selecting this action, you will need to enter the iOS app URL scheme and/or Android app name. For iOS devices, the app URL scheme forms in most apps can be found at www.handleopenurl.com. For Android devices the app name must be spelled exactly as listed in the device Settings > Manage Applications page.
• Send status to dispatch: Sends a text string from the mobile device to the doForms Dispatch tab as a status message (note that an Internet connection is required for a mobile user to send a status to dispatch). After selecting this action, you will need to enter the status text or select the "Other Question" option to point to a text box within the form. Pointing to a text box in the form gives the user the ability to send custom status updates to the dispacther.
• Launch Google maps: Launches Google maps (note that an Internet connection is required for a mobile user to launch Google maps). After selecting this action, you will need to enter an Input type (Address or Lat/Long), then a Relevant Question within the same form that the the input is pulled from (this can be a Lookup, Text, or Location field), and finally an Output type ("Center map on lat/lon," or "Get directions from current position to lat/lon").
• Save and send: Saves the form and submits it to the doForms portal. After selecting this action, you can select the Check for updates checkbox, which will tell the system to automatically check for updates to ensure that all of your forms and data sources are current. You can also select the Ignore required fields in forward checkbox, which, if you are forwarding the form to another user to finish filling out, tells the system to ignore required fields (otherwise the form will not allow the first user to submit the form).
• Save, send and reload: Saves the form, submits it to the doForms portal, and reloads a new blank form. After selecting this action, you can select the Check for updates checkbox, which will tell the system to automatically check for updates to ensure that all of your forms and data sources are current. You can also select the Ignore required fields in forward checkbox, which, if you are forwarding the form to another user to finish filling out, tells the system to ignore required fields (otherwise the form will not allow the first user to submit the form).
• Save, send and load selected form: Saves the form, submits it to the doForms portal, and loads a selected form (you will need to select that form after selecting this action). After selecting this action, you can select the Check for updates checkbox, which will tell the system to automatically check for updates to ensure that all of your forms and data sources are current. You can also select the Ignore required fields in forward checkbox, which, if you are forwarding the form to another user to finish filling out, tells the system to ignore required fields (otherwise the form will not allow the first user to submit the form).
• Save as incomplete: Saves the form, marks it as "incomplete," and does not submit it to the doForms portal, allowing users to work on the form later. Incomplete forms are forms that are incomplete and not yet ready to submit. For example, a mobile user may want to add more data to these forms later, work on them with a co-worker, etc., before completing and submitting them. To view incomplete forms, the mobile user must tap Review in the doForms app, and then tap the Incomplete tab.

When using the save as incomplete option users can also assign a status to the form. Users can then filter by theses status's in the Review tab to quickly identify forms they are looking for. Once a status is selected in review only the saved incomplete forms with the selected status will be shown.

• Save as complete: Saves the form, marks it as "complete," and does not submit it to the doForms portal. Completed forms are forms that are complete but are not yet ready to submit. For example, a mobile user may want to double-check these completed forms later, or review them with a manager, etc., before submitting them. After selecting this action, you can select the Check for updates checkbox, which will tell the system to automatically check for updates to ensure that all of your forms and data sources are current. You can also select the Ignore required fields in forward checkbox, which, if you are forwarding the form to another user to finish filling out, tells the system to ignore required fields (otherwise the form will not allow the first user to submit the form).

When using the save as complete option users can also assign a status to the form. Users can then filter by theses status's in the Review tab to quickly identify forms they are looking for. Once a status is selected in review only the saved as complete forms with the selected status will be shown.

• Save form: Saves the form, does not mark it as "complete" or "incomplete," and does not submit it to the doForms portal, allowing users to work on the form later.
• Close form without saving or sending: Closes form without saving data, nor sending it to the doForms portal.
• Print (Web forms only): Allows a web user to print the form to a local or network printer.
• Call (Mobile only): Allows a mobile user to point to a field in the form where a phone number is going to be entered or enter a default number that will be dialed once the action button is clicked. This tool will automatically call the number specified using the phone app of the mobile device. *Note* this feature is only available for devices with phone capabilities.

Appearance: Many of our tools have the ability to have colors and styles applied to them. This property enables you to apply:

Use Defaults: Common settings.
Custom: Apply theme settings that you can create, edit and apply.
Edit Defaults: This opens a dialog box to show the changes that can be applied.

See Appearance Settings for more details.

Remove Space: This parameter is used to remove the space just before and just after the tool. By removing space two elements can be made to appear linked or as a single element.

Action
Only display this question if
This is a very powerful option as it allows you to hide form elements, only exposing them if the answer to a question in your form meets the criteria you have set. Being able to hide fields unless they are needed makes form more user friendly. For example, if you have a Choose One question with the answers Yes and No, then you can say "Only display this question if" the answer to the Choose One is "equal" to "Yes." You can combine criteria with other criteria, thus creating complex criteria for showing/hiding form elements.