Responsible Organization

The parent organization or program for the form.

See Assign the Form to an Organization above for more information.

Tag

A unique identifier for the form.

Form tags must be unique, as they are used to map any export, import, or other use of data back to the original form. This is especially important when an external system or database needs to access submission data outside of nFORM (such as for data integration). See the Tagging Fundamentals section in the Data Integration Guide for additional details on tagging.

Identifying Keywords

Words that users can search to find the form.

Identifying keywords do not need to include the form name, form reference number, or form short description, which are already automatically searched by the finder.

Form for Internal Use Only

A checkbox indicating whether the form should be available to the public.

If checked, the public will not have access to the form.

… (Form Revision Notes)

Notes to communicate changes made to specific form versions.

A revision note can be edited or deleted by the user that created it. Revision notes automatically indicate what form version they were added to.

Status

Indicator of where a form is in its lifecycle. Options include:

• Draft (the form is not yet available for submissions; the default state for new forms)

• Published (the form is available for submissions and is not editable)

• Inactive (the form no longer available for submissions; used for reference only)

If a form in Draft status is a new version of an existing form, the most recent published version continues to be available for submissions.

Change Status

Several buttons that can be used to change form statuses. Buttons include:

• Publish: Publishes the form or form version for use.

• Deactivate: Deactivates the form or form version.

• Draft: Creates an editable draft version of the form to facilitate edits.

• Delete (trash can icon): Deletes the form or form version.

Only draft versions of a form can be published.

Only draft or published forms and form versions can be deactivated.

Only published or inactive forms and form versions can be made into drafts, and only one version of a form can be a draft at a given time.

Only forms with no open submissions can be deleted. If there are open submissions, they must be deleted before the form can be deleted.

Form Name

Public title of the form that is displayed throughout the system.

Reference Number

A unique numerical identifier for the form.

This field is often used to reference a paper form number.

Short Description

Text displayed to support the user in understanding the purpose of the form and its intended audience.

Activate Display of Alternative Submission Identifier

A checkbox indicating whether an alternate identifier is enabled.

Enabling an alternate identifier will be enabled allows the form designer to collect data from the submitter, which will then be displayed on the Processing Dashboard and submission headers. For more information on this feature, see the Alternative Identifier section of the Advanced Form Design Guide.

General Instructions

Text displayed on the form’s home page to provide initial instruction for using and completing the form.

Default Form Type Value on Form

The default form type for this form (for example, new, renewal, or modification).

When a user submits a form, they are prompted to select the reason for submission. This setting determines the default reason for this form type.

“Off” can be selected when this attribute is not used.

Lock Form Type Field on Form

An option to lock the Reason field on submissions.

Selecting “Yes” for this attribute will lock the Reason field value based on the configured default value, forcing this value to be consistent for the form.

Copy as New – Enable Copy as New

An option to allow submitters to copy previous submissions to use as a base for new submissions from the Submission View page.

Confidential Attachments – Label for Confidential Attachment Justification Field

If enabled, a label that appears above the confidential attachment justification field requesting that users provide a reason if they wish to keep an attachment confidential.

This label will only appear if a user identifies an attachment to be kept confidential.

Reset Steps on Revision

An option to reset timelines and benchmarks for processing a submission following a revision of a submission.

Reminders: Send NN days prior to target date

The number of days prior to a given processing step’s target date that "Near Target Date" notifications are issued.

These notifications can be configured in the Trigger Action field of the Workflow Notifications section of the Form Designer. Notifications are only sent to users who are configured to receive such alerts. For more information, see the Processing Step Notifications section below.

Reminders: Complete form within NN days of submission

The number of days the agency is targeting to assign the form a finalizing status, such as Issued or Denied.

Reminders: Complete form within NN days of being deemed complete

The number of days after a submission is deemed complete that the agency is targeting to assign the form a finalizing status, such as Issued or Denied.

This benchmark is only relevant if the Deemed Complete submission status is enabled.

Date Tracking

A read-only field allowing for review of recent form activity.

Promote Form Version for Submissions on Publish?

The option to automatically apply published updates to a form to any draft submissions. If this box is selected, users are notified upon reopening their draft submission that it will be updated to the latest form version before they can continue the submission process.

To take advantage of this feature, this setting must be enabled prior to a submission being started.

Online Submission Available?

The option to allow the form to be completed using the online submission.

Allow Contact Re-Use?

The option to allow users to reuse entered contact information within a form submission.

Offline Form Available?

The option to allow users to download an electronic copy of the form and submit it outside of nFORM.

This is generally used for forms that are not suitable for online submission or as an offline alternative.

If this box is selected, the Allow to Print Blank Form? option will not be available, and additional fields will appear:

• To view the existing form, click here. If an electronic version of the form was previously uploaded, it can be viewed and downloaded by clicking this link.

• To upload a new form, please click here. This link allows users to select and upload a copy of the form. Files are scanned for viruses on upload.

Allow to Print Blank Form?

The option to allow users to print a blank version of the form for reference.

If this box is selected, the Offline Form Available? option will not be available.

Note this field only appears if configured in the system.

Create Copy of Record

The option to create a Copy of Record (PDF archive) for each submission.

This is mandatory if signatures are required.

Enable Review Step

The option to include a review step on the form, which summarizes all information entered.

This is mandatory if signatures are required.

Signature(s) Required

The option to require one or more signatures upon submission.

Digital (in-app) Signature

The option to allow users to digitally certify submissions directly in nFORM upon submission. If this option is selected, the following additional fields apply:

• Enable Signing Invitations: Allows the submitter to invite others to sign a submission in addition to or instead of themselves. 

• Enable Multiple Signatures: Allows the submitter to invite multiple people to sign a submission.

• Enable Role-Based Signing: Allows the submitter to request that specific title-holders sign a submission. 

  • Role Name: A name for the signing role (for example, engineer, supervising officer, or owner). This name is visible to external users.

  • Certifying Statement: The text displayed when prompting users in this role to sign. This may describe what the user is certifying and the agreements they are making by signing. Each role can have a unique certification statement.

  • Help Text: Any supporting text to give users further direction as to the role being requested for signing (for example, "At least one owner must sign this form.").

• Certification Statement: The text displayed when prompting the submitter to sign. This may describe what the user is certifying and the agreements they are making by signing. (This is configured by role if Enable Role-Based Signing is selected.)

Users who wish to sign digitally must obtain electronic signatory permissions through the agency. 

Hard-Copy Signature

The option to allow users to certify submissions by printing a signature form, which they (and any other signers) sign and mail to the agency.

If this option is selected, the form designer must select the default template or upload a custom hard-copy signature form using the Use Custom Template option in the Hard-Copy Signature Form area.

Access: Unrestricted (user registration not required)

The option to allow anyone to submit the form.

Access settings are only available if Signature(s) Required is not selected.

Access: Registered Users

The option to allow only users who have self-registered an account to submit the form.

Access settings are only available if Signature(s) Required is not selected.

Access: Verified Registered Users (including Electronic Signature users)

The option to allow only users who have self-registered an account and been assigned the Verified User or Electronic Signature role for the parent organization to submit the form.

Access settings are only available if Signature(s) Required is not selected.

Access: Require Explicit Permission to Submit Form

The option to allow only users who have been assigned the Authorized Submitter role for the parent organization to submit the form.

Access settings are only available if Signature(s) Required is not selected.

Account Number

The primary account number for where fees are distributed.

This is for reference and reporting purposes only.

Payment Processing

Allowable payment methods for a form. Options include:

• No Fee: If selected, the form has no associated fees.

• Online Only: If selected, online payments are enabled for the form.

• Offline Only: If selected, offline payments are enabled for this form.

• Online or Offline: If selected, both online and offline payment methods are supported.

Online payments allow the submitter to pay fees via a third party payment processor, if that feature is enabled and configured.

Offline payments allow the submitter to print a remittance slip, write a check, and send a payment to the agency for any fees due.

Require Payment Prior to Submission?

The option to require full payment prior to considering the form as submitted. 

Submissions are assigned a Payment Due status after certification until payment is received. Once paid, the submission is assigned a Submitted status. If unchecked, payment will occur after submission.

Payment Remittance Address

The address where form fee payments should be remitted.

Use Default Payment Voucher?

The option to present the default nFORM payment voucher to the submitter.

If unchecked, a custom payment voucher template can be uploaded and used for submissions of this form, and additional fields will be available under the Payment Voucher Template heading. For more information about this feature, see the Payment Voucher Design Guide.

Fee Type

Allowable fee types for a form. Options include:

• Flat Fee: The initial fee assessed for the submission will be a standard amount.

• Calculated: The fee will be calculated based on certain properties of the submission.

Flat Fees

Any flat fees specific to the form. For each flat fee, the following must be provided:

• Fee Description: Description of the fee. This text is visible to the submitter.

• Fee Amount: The flat fee amount.

• Display After/Order: A custom sort order for the list of values.

If Flat Fee is selected as the fee type, at least one fee must be provided.

One or more flat fees can be established, and the user can select the appropriate fee (for example, small quantity generator or large quantity generator).

Calculation Based Fees

The details of the calculated fee to process the form.

For more information about this feature, see the Fee Configuration section of the Advanced Form Design Guide.

Contact Address

The contact address associated with the form. 

Other Contact Methods

Other contact methods for the form. When adding other contact methods, the following additional fields are available:

• Type: The type of contact method (for example, phone).

• Form Label: A custom name for the contact method.

• Value: The contact information (for example, a phone number or email address).

• Display After: A custom sort order for the list of values.

• Spacing: To support regional offices and grouping of other contact methods, space can be added between other contact methods by selecting the Add space below this element checkbox.

Link Name

A name for the link, which is used as the hyperlink text within the form.

Link

The web address of the web resource.

This value must be a fully qualified web address (for example, “http://...” for a website).

Display After

A custom sort order for the list of values.

Question

The question text.

Answer

The answer to the question.

The answer is displayed when a user selects the question.

Display After

A custom sort order for the list of values.

Standard Text Template Title

A simple description of the standard text template, which is presented to users when selecting a template.