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Technical Documentation: How to Use Forms

This is an in-depth article on using and building forms from scratch. Forms is a feature in Navigator that allows educators to build and send forms to users.

Updated this week

What is the Forms Feature?

Forms is an additional feature in Navigator for collecting and organizing information. It is a structured document with spaces allotted for entering data, whether it's for administrative purposes, data gathering, or record-keeping. Forms have the ability to standardize and streamline data collection.

Before an admin can access Forms, they must be assigned Form Role Attributes.

Before Sending Forms: Connect with your IT department to ensure Kuder emails are whitelisted to ensure deliverability. Provide this documentation.

How to Build a Form from Scratch

Important Note: Progress on a form is not saved automatically. After the initial click on "Save Draft," remember to click the "Save Draft" button regularly.

This is a basic instructional guide on how to create a form. Please see the additional sections on what types of information and data collection options are available.

  1. Login to Navigator for Admins

  2. Select Forms in the left-hand menu

  3. Select Create Form from the top right-hand of the page

  4. Select Start from Scratch

  5. Select the Recipients that you would like to receive the form

    1. Student Only

    2. Student + Additional Recipients

    3. Other Recipients (CSV Upload)

  6. Name your form using the Form Title

  7. Select Create Form

  8. Select Save Draft (This will not autosave as you work.)

  9. Adjust Form Settings to change response options and layout.

  10. Add Questions or Selections to your Form (See the Content, Collect Input, and Signatures sections for more information)

  11. Use the Preview Tab to see what the respondent will see while they are completing the form.

  12. Once the form is complete, select Save Draft and then select Publish Form

Important Note: Once a form is sent, it can no longer be edited.

How to Adjust Form Settings

A form can be customized using the Form Settings to change the look and feel of the form for the respondents.

General

  • Form Title

  • Form Description

  • Make the Title and Description Visible (Yes or No)

  • Select a Form Language

  • Form Display Mode (Editable or Read-Only)

  • Limit to One Response (Ignore - Already Built into Navigator Forms)

  • Survey Width Mode

    • Static - Sets a Fixed Width

    • Responsive - Makes the Form Occupy the width of the screen

    • Auto - Applies to either of the two depending on the question type used

Navigation

  • Form Layout

    • Original Structure

    • Show All Questions on One Page

    • Show Single Question Per Page

  • First Page is a Start Page (Yes or No)

  • Auto Advance to the Next Page (Yes or No)

    • Advances automatically after a respondent has completed all questions on the page.

  • Show/Hide Navigation Buttons

    • Hidden

    • Top (Location Buttons Appear)

    • Bottom (Location Buttons Appear)

    • Both (Location Buttons Appear)

  • Show the "Previous Page" Button (Yes or No)

  • Progress Bar Alignment

    • Hidden

    • Auto

    • Above the Header

    • Below the Header

    • Bottom

    • Top and Bottom

Question Settings

  • Question Order (Original or Random)

  • Question Title Alignment (Top, Bottom or Left)

  • Question Description Alignment

    • Under the Input Field

    • Under the Title

  • Question Numbering

    • Auto-Numbering

    • Reset on Each Page

    • No Numbering

  • Question Title Pattern

    • '1. Question Title*'

    • '1. *Question Title'

    • '1. Question Title'

  • Required Symbol(s)

    • A symbol or sequence of symbols indicating that an answer is required.

    • Typically just '*'

  • Question Indexing Type

    • Enter a number or a letter with which you want to start numbering.

  • Error Message Alignment (Top or Bottom)

  • Focus First Question on a New Page (Yes or No)

  • Restrict Answer Length

  • Restrict Comment Length

  • Comment Area Height (in Lines)

  • Auto-Expand Text Areas (Yes or No)

  • Allow Users to Resize Text Areas (Yes or No)

  • Grid Layout Enabled (Yes or No)

Pages

  • Pages

    • Use to add and delete pages as well as rename the pages of the form.

  • Show Page Titles (Yes or No)

  • Show Page Numbers (Yes or No)

Conditions

  • Custom Variables

    • Custom Variables serve as intermediate or auxiliary variables used in form calculations. They take respondent inputs as source values. Each custom variable has a unique name and an expression it's based on.

    • An expression is a read-only question type used to dynamically calculate values based on user input or predefined variables and display the calculated values in your form or survey.

  • Triggers

    • A trigger is an event or condition that is based on an expression. Once the expression is evaluated to "true", a trigger sets off an action. Such an action can optionally have a target question it affects.

    • Trigger Action Types: Complete Form, Set Answer, Copy Answer, Skip to Question, and Run Expression

  • Available Recipient Roles for Conditions:

    • {user} = 'student'

    • {user} = 'counselor'

    • {user} = 'employer'

    • {user} = 'internship_sponsor'

    • {user} = 'other'

    • {user} = 'parent_or_guardian_1'

    • {user} = 'parent_or_guardian_2'

    • {user} = 'principal'

    • {user} = 'supervisor'

    • {user} = 'teacher'

    • {user} = 'WBL_Business_User'

    • {user} = 'WBL_Coordinator'

Data

  • Clear Hidden Question Values

    • Never

    • Upon Form Completion

    • When Question Gets Hidden

    • When Question or its Panel/Page Gets Hidden

  • Update Input Field Values

    • On Lost Focus

    • While Typing

  • Auto-Save Form Progress on Page Change (Yes or No)

  • Save the "Other" Option Value as a Separate Property (Yes or No)

Validation

  • Set Focus on the First Invalid Answer (Yes or No)

  • Run Validation

    • When Switching to the Next Page

    • After an Answer is Changed (Recommended)

    • Upon Form Completion

  • Validate Empty Fields on Lost Focus (Yes or No)

"Thank You" Page

  • Redirect to an External Link After Submission (Paste Link)

  • Dynamic External Link (Expression with Link)

  • Show the "Thank You" Page

  • "Thank You" Page Markup (Thank you Message)

  • Markup to Show While Form Model is Loading

  • Markup to Show if the User Already Filled Out the Form

Quiz Mode

  • Time Limit to Complete the Form (Seconds)

  • Time Limit to Complete One Page (Seconds)

  • Timer Alignment (Hidden, Top or Bottom)

  • Timer Mode (Page, Form, or Both)

How to Create Content

Two types of content can be added to a form to provide users with additional context: paragraph blocks for explanations or disclaimers, and image content for videos, logos, or diagrams.

Paragraph

Paragraph can be used to add a block of informational text or instructions to a form to help users complete the form. After it has been added to the form, a section on the left opens that has text formatting tools. From here you can name your paragraph and add and form the text.

Panel

A panel in a form is a container control used to group related fields, buttons, or components together, enhancing layout organization and visual structure. Panels allow for managing multiple controls as a single unit, enabling features like scrolling, hiding, or disabling entire sections of a form at once.

A panel can be used to limit the response, visibility and/or requirement of a section to a specific recipient role using the Conditions section in the Properties Panel on the right navigation. The example below makes the selected panel fillable and required for the recipient role of student only. The other recipient types will be able to view the section but will not be able to fill it out.

Available Recipient Roles for Conditions:

  • {user} = 'student'

  • {user} = 'counselor'

  • {user} = 'employer'

  • {user} = 'internship_sponsor'

  • {user} = 'other'

  • {user} = 'parent_or_guardian_1'

  • {user} = 'parent_or_guardian_2'

  • {user} = 'principal'

  • {user} = 'supervisor'

  • {user} = 'teacher'

  • {user} = 'WBL_Business_User'

  • {user} = 'WBL_Coordinator'

How to Collect Input

There are six question types for collecting responses. Each can be marked as required or set with conditions to show follow-up questions based on answers.

Short Answer

Short Answer text entry form fields are designed for open-ended questions that have short answers. You can also require that respondents enter specific values, such as an e-mail address.

  • Input Type Options: Color, Date, Date and Time, Email, Month, Number, Password, Range, Phone Number, Text, Time, URL, Week

  • Use the settings panel to format paragraph text to get desired output or make the question required.

Long Answer

A Long Answer text question is a multi-line text input field that allows users to give detailed responses and share their feelings, experiences, or opinions on a subject.

Yes/No (Boolean)

A Yes/No, or Boolean, question asks respondents to select between two options: yes or no, true or false, etc. Boolean questions can be used to implement conditional survey logic or as standalone questions. A comment box can also be added for when you would like an explanation on why Yes or No can not be selected.

  • Use the settings panel to adjust the selections instead of Yes or No, make the question required, or add a comment area text.

Dropdown

A drop-down menu allows respondents to select one or multiple options from a list of choices.

  • Use the settings panel to adjust the selections, make the question required, or add a comment area text for other options.

Radio Button Group

A radio button group allows respondents to select an answer from a set of options.

  • Use the settings panel to adjust the selections, make the question required, or add a comment area text for other options.

Checkboxes

A checkbox content type in a form is an input element that allows users to select zero, one, or multiple options from a set of choices. Visually represented as a small, clickable square, it typically indicates a non-exclusive choice.

Single-Select Matrix

A single-select matrix (or multiple-choice grid) is a form question type that organizes multiple, similar questions (rows) with identical answer choices (columns) into a grid. It limits respondents to selecting only one option per row, using radio buttons for efficient, space-saving feedback on multiple items at once.

Rating Scale

A rating content type in a form is an interactive question component that allows users to evaluate something on a quantitative scale, typically using visual symbols like stars, hearts, or numbers. It is used to quickly measure opinions, satisfaction, or frequency, such as a 1–5 star rating for service or a 1–10 scale for feedback.

How to Collect Signatures

A signature type will be added for each recipient type that was selected when creating the form.

Signature

A built-in signature capture widget lets respondents add a digital signature directly to the web form.

  • Use the settings panel to adjust the storage format (PNG, JPEG, SVG), make the question required, or adjust the signature area size.

Additional Documentation

Additional help articles related to Forms:

Admin Articles

Student Articles

FAQs

How do I get access to build forms in Kuder Navigator?

  • Please reach out to the support team or your partner relationship manager for more information.

Customer Support

Available Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., CST.

Call us at 877.999.6227

Email support@kuder.com

Related Articles
Admins: How to Import Additional Contacts for Forms
Admins: How to Send a Form
Admins: How to Create a Form Using a Template
Students: How to Find My Assigned Forms
Admins: Managing Multiple Recipients in Forms
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