Custom Forms User Guide

This comprehensive guide covers how to create, manage, and use custom forms within the Pigeonhole system. Custom forms allow you to collect information from parents and guardians efficiently and digitally.

Overview

The custom forms system allows nursery administrators to:

• Create dynamic forms with various field types
• Assign forms to specific children
• Send forms to parents/guardians via email
• Track form submission status
• Set up automatic reminders
• Download and manage completed forms
• Handle manual form uploads for offline completions

Creating Custom Forms

Accessing the Forms Section

1. Navigate to Settings → Forms from the the top right dropdown under your nursery
2. This page displays all existing forms and their details

Creating a New Form

1. Click the “Add Form” button in the top-right corner
2. You’ll be taken to the form builder interface

Using the Form Builder

The form builder is divided into two main sections: the Form Builder (left side) and Live Preview (right side).

Form Information Section

Basic Settings:

• Form Name: Enter a descriptive name for your form (required)
• Description: Add an optional description explaining the form’s purpose
• Automatic Reminders: Toggle to enable/disable automatic reminder emails
  • When enabled, reminders are sent 2 days before the due date, and when a form becomes over due

⚠️ Important: If editing an existing form, changes will only apply to new assignments. Existing assigned forms will not be updated.

Building Form Sections

Forms are organized into sections, which contain fields. Each form starts with one section by default.

Adding Sections

1. Click “Add Section” to create a new section
2. Enter an optional Section Title (e.g., “Child Information”, “Medical Details”)
3. Add an optional Section Description for additional context

Section Management

• Reorder: Use the up/down arrows sections up or down
• Delete Sections: Click the trash icon ( youcan’t delete if only one section exists)

Adding Form Fields

Within each section, you can add various types of fields:

Field Types Available

Adding Fields

1. Click “Add Field” within a section
2. Configure the field properties:
   • Field Name: The label users will see (required)
   • Field Type: Select from the dropdown menu
   • Required: Toggle to make the field mandatory
   • Placeholder Text: Hint text for text fields
   • Help Text: Additional guidance for users

Field Management

• Reorder: Use the up/down arrows sections up or down
• Delete Fields: Click the trash icon to remove unwanted fields
• Field Options: For dropdown and multi-select fields, add/remove/reorder options

Dropdown and Multi-Select Options

For dropdown and multi-select fields:

1. Click “Add Option” to create new choices
2. Enter the option text
3. Delete unwanted options with the trash icon
4. Minimum 2 options required

Form Preview

The Live Preview panel on the right shows how your form will appear to parents/guardians.

Preview Features:

• Real-time updates as you build
• Shows actual field types and styling
• Displays form with sample child name

Note: The preview is for visual reference only - you cannot submit data through it.

Saving Your Form

1. Click “Save Form” when you’re satisfied with your design
2. You’ll receive a success confirmation
3. The form will be available for assignment to children

Assigning Forms to Children

Once you’ve created a form, you need to assign it to specific children before parents can complete it.

From the Forms Settings Page

1. Go to Settings → Forms from the the top right dropdown under your nursery
2. Find your form in the list
3. Click “Assign to Children” button (this is under the addiotnal options (…) for each form

From the Form Submissions Page

1. Go to Admin → Forms (Form Submissions page)
2. Click “Add Assignment” button
3. Select the form from the dropdown

Assignment Process

1. Select Form: Choose from existing forms (if not pre-selected)
2. Select Children: Use the searchable dropdown to add children
   • Type to search by name
   • Click to add multiple children
   • Remove children by clicking the X on their badge
3. Set Due Date: Choose when the form should be completed
4. Submit: Click “Assign Form” to create the assignments

Assignment Status: After creation, forms start with “Created” status and need to be sent to parents.

Managing Form Submissions

The Form Submissions page is your central hub for managing all form assignments and submissions.

Understanding Form Status

Form Submission Actions

Sending Forms to Parents

Individual Forms:

1. Find the form with “Created” status
2. Click the Send icon
3. Confirm sending in the dialog
4. Parents will receive an email with a secure link

Bulk Sending:

1. Select multiple forms using checkboxes
2. Click “Send to/Remind Parents” bulk action
3. Confirm the action
4. All selected forms will be sent

Sending Reminders

For forms with “Sent” status:

1. Click the Bell icon for individual reminders
2. Or use bulk actions for multiple reminders
3. Parents receive a reminder email with the same secure link

Viewing Completed Forms

1. Click the Eye icon for completed forms
2. View all submitted data in a formatted layout
3. See who submitted the form and when
4. Download the completed form for offline storage or printing

Filtering and Searching

Use the filtering options to find specific forms:

Available Filters:

• Status: Created, Sent, Completed
• Form Name: Filter by specific form names
• Overdue: Show only overdue submissions

Search: Use the search box to find forms by child name or form name.

Automatic Reminders

The system can automatically send reminder emails to parents for pending forms.

Enabling Automatic Reminders

When Creating Forms:

1. In the form builder, ensure “Automatic Reminders” is enabled
2. This setting applies to all assignments of this form

For Existing Forms:

1. Navigate to Settings → Forms from the the top right dropdown under your nursery
2. Find your form in the nlist and click the Edit icon
3. Toggle the “Automatic Reminders” setting
4. Save the form

How Automatic Reminders Work

Timing:

• Reminders are sent 2 days before the due date
• Overdue notifications are sent after the due date has elapsed

Manual Form Upload Process

Sometimes parents may complete forms offline (printed copies) or you may need to manually enter form data. The system supports manual form handling.

Downloading Blank Forms

1. Go to Admin → Settings → Forms
2. Find your form in the list
3. Click the three dots menu → “Download”
4. This downloads a blank PDF version of the form
5. Print and distribute to parents as needed

Manual Form Entry Process

When you have a completed paper form or need to enter data manually:

Step 1: Access Manual Entry

1. Go to Form Submissions
2. Find the form assignment (status should be “Created”)
3. Click the Wrench icon (🔧) for “Manual Form”

Step 2: Complete the Entry

1. Enter Form Data: Optionally fill in all the form fields based on the paper form. This will make the data available for export and use in the AI assistant.
2. Upload PDF:
   • Scan or photograph the completed paper form
   • Use the “Upload PDF” button to attach the file
   • This creates a permanent record of the original submission
3. Set Submitter: Enter the name of the person who completed the form
4. Save: Click “Update Form” to save all changes

The form now appears in completed submissions with all data and attached PDF