Form Recipes
Controlling Required Fields
The standard Required and Read Only option on the Form designer lets you define fields that are always required or read only respectively. However sometimes you need to make a field required or read only based on the answer(s) to a previous field. ...
User Interactions Reference Guide
User interactions are actions triggered when a user taps a button or icon. While these can be used on screens and forms, this guide focuses on the Action Button Field, which allows up to 5 custom buttons per field. Reference App: Search for “User ...
Good vs Bad Prompting with AI
Bad Example “Please create a second page called bad or poorly put together prompt checklist and it’s going to have five questions each of them are yes no and a choices and they’ll have two fields after each one first one if why is this bad the second ...
Calculating the Difference Between Two Dates
You might have a scenario where you need to capture the total time a user took to complete a form or the difference between the start and end times of an activity based on user input. This is where the DATEDIFF() function comes in handy. It can be ...
Google Apps Script Overview
Google Apps Script (GAS) is a cloud-based scripting language that acts as the “glue” for the Google Workspace ecosystem (Sheets, Docs, Gmail, Drive). It uses JavaScript to let you write small programs that automate tasks and connect Google apps with ...
Syncing Data with External Systems
Step 1: Define and Connect a Data Source To display and manipulate data rows from an external system, you will first need to define a Data Source that models the particular data entity in question. Effectively, a Data Source is just rows and columns ...
RFID Scanning with Zebra Devices
We’ve supported barcode scanning using external barcode scanners by Zebra for some time now. Recently, we’ve extended our support for products in the Zebra range by enabling support for RFID scanning using Zebra devices. At present, our support for ...
Creating a Workflow with Process Steps
Often, a business process will require more than one person to be involved to get the job done. For these scenarios, just capturing a Form entry is not enough. You need that entry reviewed, approved, rejected, or updated by multiple users. The ...
Workflow Process Step Formulas
Now that you’re familiar with the basics of creating a 2-Step Workflow using the Process Field. We’ll look deeper into the 3-Step Workflow and formulas used to control read-only and visibility properties at different process steps. And, Form ...
Regular Expressions Examples (Regex)
What are regular expressions and how they work The use of regular expressions throughout the platform is supported in dynamic values of form fields and screen properties using the following formulas, where applicable. REGEX(input, pattern) Returns ...
Speech To Text
On Android and iOS devices, it’s possible to record speech using the device’s native keyboard option to prepopulate text in a field. While the speech-to-text feature isn’t a feature of our platform per se, it can definitely assist you in speeding up ...
Evaluate Text as a Formula
When designing forms, the designer usually creates formulas in the Dynamic Value property of fields to perform calculations, string manipulation, or logic to achieve desired results. But what if a different formula is needed based on user input when ...
Xero Item Endpoints – Using Google App Script
This article provides detailed instructions on using Google Apps Script to retrieve line-item product and service information from your Xero account. Google Apps Script is a cloud-based JavaScript platform powered by Google that lets you integrate ...
Device Language & Numeric Fields
Depending on your region or device language set, the Numeric Field will capture decimal values separated by a point (.) or a comma (,). If the numeric field’s value is needed in calculations, you must ensure the separator is a point (.). This can be ...
Custom Validation
Validating data at the point of entry can be vital when a value must be within a specific range, length, or format. This can inform users about the data required within fields and ensure accuracy. Formulas using functions from our Formula Cheat Sheet ...
Global Values – Saving entry values for reuse
Sometimes you may want to store values on the device to reuse on the same Screen or in multiple Screens. For example, say you have a common field in several Form Screens that the user has to select every time – e.g. a project, client or job number. ...
Barcode Data Source Lookup
A common scenario that occurs in mobile business is the need to scan a barcode to look up information about the item the bar code is affixed to. Effectively one wants a Form that should capture the barcode and retrieve a row from Data Source. The way ...
Formula Cheat Sheet
Below is a comprehensive list of Appenate’s formula functions that can be used in various field properties throughout the platform, wherever the hammer icon is present. CONTEXTUAL USEREMAIL() User’s Email Address. USERFIRSTNAME() User’s First Name. ...
Rapid Barcode Scanning
A scenario may arise where you need to scan multiple barcodes for swift processing using the app. This could be for inventory, stock auditing, or any other process where scanning numerous barcodes or QR codes could increase the app user’s efficiency ...
Dynamic Images in Forms
The “Dynamic Image” property allows you to load images dynamically into Media, Sketch, and Section fields, usually through a data source column or a formula result. The dynamic image property allows you to, with the use of formulas, dynamically ...
Capturing Repeatable Data
Three field types enable you to capture data repeatedly—the Page, Table, and Gallery fields. You can use either of these 3 repeatable field types to enable your users to capture multiple data entries. Identifying how you want to capture multiple sets ...
Custom Form Entry Titles
We provide an option to set the answer of a chosen Form field as the row title in the History and Saved Entries screens of the app. To set this up, simply follow these steps: 1. Go to the Settings page of your Form design in the web portal. 2. Select ...
Nesting Repeatable Data
Capturing structured, repeatable data is essential for many workflows, from property audits to equipment inspections. However, some scenarios require additional repetition, such as rooms within apartments or components within a machine. The most ...
Controlling Field Visibility with Logic
A great form feels like a conversation, not an interrogation. By controlling field visibility, you can create “branching” experiences that hide irrelevant questions and only show fields when they are actually needed. This keeps your forms clean, ...
Dynamic Values & Calculations
Often, you may need to display some text or dynamically calculate a value. For example, you may want to show different text in a field based on what the user has previously answered, or maybe you have a product order Form that should calculate the ...
Dynamic Field Titles and Hints
Sometimes you may want your field’s Title or Hint text to dynamically include a value from a previous field. This is useful in cases where the answer to one question sets the context for the fields that follow. For example, say you have a Choices ...
Cascading Choices
Often the answer to one Choices field should populate or filter the options available in a subsequent field. We call this “cascading choices”, where a parent Choice drives one or more child fields. You can easily add cascading behaviour using the ...
Custom Form Navigation
By default, every Form you create has 4 x customisable navigation buttons in the top navigation bar. Buttons Left1 and Left2 are (by default) assigned as EXIT and Quick Sync, respectively. You can, of course, edit these buttons as you see fit. ...
Generating a Unique Number or Code
Often you will need to generate a unique number or code as part of a particular Form screen’s data output. This is common in cases like order numbers, invoice codes, document ids and many other scenarios. You can achieve this by using a formula to ...
Formula FAQs
Below is a list of common scenarios that involve using a formula. This is purely a quick reference guide in a Q&A format. For more comprehensive explanations, including worked examples, please refer to our Recipes. Question 1 How do I move fields ...
Dynamically Evaluate Text as a Formula
When designing forms, the designer usually creates formulas in the Dynamic Value property of fields to perform calculations, string manipulation, or logic to achieve desired results. But what if a different formula is needed based on user input when ...
RFID Scanning with Zebra Device
We have long facilitated barcode scanning with external scanners from Zebra. More recently, we have expanded our capabilities to include RFID scanning by integrating support for Zebra devices. Currently, our ability to support RFID scans with Zebra ...
Formula Quick Question and Answer Reference
This is a compilation of common scenarios that use formula to achieve the goal. This is a quick reference in a Q&A layout. For more detailed explanations and practical examples, kindly consult our Recipes section. Q: How do I move Fields between ...
Nesting Repeatable Data - Nested Repeating Tables
Capturing repeatable data using a repeating Table field is amazing, However, sometimes, you need to group data within other data, like putting a smaller box inside a bigger box. In the app builder, you can do this by nesting one Table Field inside ...
Sizing images to fit a device screen dimension
If you can precisely measure the width of your screen or know the screen's exact dimension in pixels, you can calculate the pixels needed to mirror the physical size of the screen on a printed-out copy of the image. Here's how: Determine the width or ...
Concatenating Repeating Fields from a Table within the Form
Concatenating multiple values entered in a repeating table for use or display elsewhere in the form can be done with the following procedure. First create a hidden field inside the table - e.g., {{tally}} - that uses a simple IF statement like this ...
Making fields in a repeating table required
The following workaround can be used to enforce that a field within a repeating table be required for the user to complete, even if the table is not required. Add a hidden field inside the table field {{tally}} with the following Dynamic Value, with ...
Calculating the difference between two date/time fields
To calculate the difference between two date/time fields, create hidden fields that convert the time/date values gathered by time/date fields into a specific format using FORMAT-DATE. Then create another hidden or visible field with a dynamic value ...
Capturing Repeatable Data
There are 3 field types that enable you to capture data on a repeating basis: the Page field, the Table field and the Gallery field. You can use any of these 3 repeatable field types to enable your users to capture multiple data entries. Please note ...
Exporting to and Importing from Excel
TABLE OF CONTENTS Exporting Forms to Excel Importing Forms from Excel Important notes on template editing Example: Changing Font Colors The Export and Import features in the form designer have several advantages for larger or more complex forms. ...
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