When updating an existing published form, testing changes without disrupting live users is crucial. Our platform provides a structured approach for iterating on form designs through Test Mode, allowing you to experiment with modifications before finalizing them.

This article explores how to effectively leverage Test Mode, create and manage new form versions, roll back to previous versions if needed, and streamline the testing process by disabling required fields. By following these best practices, you can ensure seamless updates while maintaining stability for end users.

Test Mode

Test mode allows you to test and tweak your Form changes during the design process. Instead of continuously publishing new versions to see the changes on your device, you save changes in the relevant Form designer while in Test mode and then sync these changes to your device. This allows you to make more changes and test again without publishing a new version of the form every time.

It’s a simple and easy way to iterate on your design, figuring out formulae and other functionality you desire. 

All you need to do is hit the Manage button in the designer and select Manage Test, then choose who will participate.

Managing Tests

After you press the “Manage Test” button, you’ll have access to various options and features that can help you better manage the testing of your form with either assigned test users or user groups. 

Stop Button

Press this button to stop the test. Once stopped, you can delete the entries captured while this Form was in Test Status. The form will return to Draft status, but you can switch it back to Test at any time.

Custom Title Suffix

Customize the default suffix <TEST> text displayed for forms in test mode. Use a unique tag to identify forms under development, such as ‘TEST’, ‘BETA’, or ‘PRE-RELEASE’.

Allow Process Steps and User Group Overrides

This option allows process steps and related tasks for test versions of this form and overrides user group restrictions to include participants outside the test group in process steps.

Run Required Checks

This option allows you to disable all required field value validation to speed up the testing of large Form designs. This feature is only available while your Form design is in Test mode. All checks will be run when the Form is published. This feature is discussed in more detail later in this article.

Assign Testing Users

Specify the users you wish to include in the test of the current form.

Assign Testing User Groups

Specify the user groups you wish to include in the testing of the current form design.

Creating a New Version

If a form is published, you must create a new draft version to edit and test.

When you put a form into Test mode, you must nominate the users who should see the Test version.
Often, this might just be you as the designer, but you can add more users later to expand the testing group.

While a form is in Test mode, the Published version (if one exists) will remain visible to everyone else.  
So you are free to change the form design as much as you like without fear of disturbing the stable production version of your form. If the form is in Test Mode, your testers’ devices will update whenever you save changes to the form design.

This makes it easy to change the design, save it, and then jump over to your device to test it.

You only need to ensure an app synchronization occurs so the changed design downloads to the device. 

You could do a Force Sync in two ways: click the Quick Sync icon in the form you’re testing, navigate to the App’s Settings, and click the Force Sync.

Once you are done with your testing and have finalized the design changes, you’re ready to roll out the new version to all your users.

To do this, hit the Publish button to end the Test mode on your new version and set the version as the current Published copy.

Rollback to a previous Form version

If too many changes have been made to a form in test mode, or you’d like to roll back to a previously published version of the form.

You can achieve this on a form’s Settings page, where you can “Trash” a current test version or switch to a previously published version for export/import.

Trashing a Test

If your form is in Test Mode, you can use the “Trash” option on the form’s Settings page to delete the test version and revert to the latest published version of the form.

Version Rollback

If you want to roll back to a previously published version, the form’s Settings page has a Version History list that you can select.

By selecting an archived, published, or draft version of the form, the Settings page’s context will change to that version.

The selected version number will display next to the form’s title at the top left of the page.

If you’re unsure of a particular version’s design in that version’s context, you can select the option Design at the top left to view the form and ensure it’s the version you want.

Now, export that form’s version (XLSX spreadsheet) and import it into the new version you’re working on, which will be in draft status.

Disable Required Fields

When testing a form with numerous required fields, all you’re trying to test is a particular/newly added functionality, disabling required fields can be useful. This allows you to swiftly navigate and test out specific functionality without filling out required fields or disabling each required field’s property.

For testing purposes, when assigning test users to a form, the Manage Test option Run Required Checks disables all required field value validation to allow for faster testing of large Form designs.  This feature is only available while your Form design is in Test mode. All checks will be run when the Form is published.