Form Controls
Overview
nSPECT offers a variety of control types for capturing data, grouped into three main categories: simple, formatted, and advanced. This page describes each type and some configuration options specific to them.
Simple Controls
The following control types are simple controls, which support basic data display and capture.
Instruction
An instruction control provides section- or form-level help information.
Instruction controls do not support user responses.
When creating an instruction control, set the Instruction Type to indicate whether it is informational or an error message. If set as an error message, a conditional display must be configured. For more information, see the Conditionally Displaying nSPECT Controls and Formulas page.
Use Question Help to provide question-level context or guidance. To set Question Help, click the question’s Edit Toolbar.
Text, Single Line
A text, single line control lets users enter one line of text in response to a question. A maximum character limit must be set to use this control.
Text Paragraph
A text paragraph control lets users enter multiple lines of text in response to a question. A maximum character limit must be set to use this control. An optional Score field defines a point value awarded for answering the question.
Yes or No
A yes or no control lets users select Yes or No in response to a question. The control can also be configured to offer an N/A option.
A single select control must be used to score yes-or-no questions.
Single Select
A single select control lets users select one option from a list. Single select controls can be formatted as radio buttons, horizontal buttons, a dropdown list, or a filtered dropdown list.
When configuring options, an optional Score field can be used define a point value awarded for each option.
Category Single Select
A category single select control lets users choose a category and then shows options based on that selection.
When configuring options, an optional Score field can be used define a point value awarded for each option.
Multi Select
A multi select control lets users select one or more options from a list. Multi select controls can be formatted as checkboxes or lists.
When configuring options, an optional Score field can be used define a point value awarded for each option.
Formatted Controls
The following control types are formatted controls, which capture data of a particular format.
Number
A number control lets users respond to a question with a numerical value.
Date
A date control lets users respond to a question with a date. The date may be selected from a calendar or entered in mm/dd/yyyy format. Clicking the Today button populates the control with the current date.
Time
A time control lets users respond to a question with a time. Clicking the Now button populates the control with the current time.
URL
A URL control lets users respond to a question with a URL. On a mobile device, this control opens the web keyboard, which includes special keys such as .com and www. for typing web addresses.
Advanced Controls
The following control types are advanced controls, which support more advanced data capture.
Table and Advanced Table
A table control lets users enter data in a grid with a fixed number of columns. The control can be configured to allow users to add or delete rows.
An advanced table control offers the same functionality, but also lets users perform calculations and summarize data at the bottom of each column.
Configuration Options for Table and Advanced Table Controls
The following options are specific to table and advanced table controls.
Field | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Answer Input is | Indication of whether a response is required or optional. | If set to Required, the table must contain at least one row. To further enforce that specific cells are filled, enable the Required option for specific columns. For more information, see the The Columns Field section below. |
Can Add Rows | The option to let users add rows to the table. |
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Can Delete Rows | The option to let users delete rows from the table. |
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Columns | Attributes for each of the table columns. | For more information on the Columns field, see the The Columns Field section below. |
Default Value for first column | The default value for the first column. | To preload a table with rows, enter a value for the first column for each row to be displayed. The number of values entered determines how many rows appear when the table loads. Values must be separated by a line break. |
The Columns Field
The Columns list works like the options for a selection list. The Edit, Remove, Move Up, and Move Down buttons are used to edit and sort the list items.
To add a column to the table, click the Add button. The Add Column window opens, displaying the following configuration options.
Field | Description | Notes |
Name | The column heading. |
|
Type | The control type to add to cells in this column. | Options for cells in table controls include Text, Comment, Number, Date, Time, and Checkbox. Advanced table controls offer the same options, along with Calculated, Hidden, and Single Select. |
Justification | The horizontal alignment of text within the column’s cells. | Options include Left, Right, and Center. |
Width % | The relative width of each table column. | The total Width % for all columns must not exceed 100%. |
Allow Input | The option to make the column’s contents editable by users. | This checkbox is selected by default. Clearing it makes the column’s contents read-only to users. |
Required | The option to require user input for the column. |
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Default Value | The value that automatically populates in this column each time the user adds a row to the table. |
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If any table cell is required, then an answer to the form control is automatically required. However, a form control answer can be required even if there are no columns where an answer is required.
When a Default Value for first column is defined for the table, that setting overrides any Default Value defined for a column.
GPS Coordinate
A GPS coordinate control lets users respond to a question with latitude and longitude values. The Mark button retrieves the user’s current location.
Location services must be enabled on the device to track the user’s location.
Location Table
A location table control lets users enter of a series of GPS coordinates based on a predefined list of feature types or directions. The Columns field is used to define the values for the Description selection list.
A data connection is required to view the map on this control.
Calculated
A calculated control is used to apply mathematical calculations on answers from other controls or to alter texts and dates. The calculated control is read-only.
For more information on functions and operators in calculated controls, see the Conditionally Displaying nSPECT Controls and Formulas page.
Signature
A signature control captures a signature on the inspection form. On touch-screen devices, a signature can be drawn with a finger or stylus. The user then taps or clicks the Done button to confirm the signature.
Tapping or clicking the control clears the current signature so a new one can be entered.
Drawing
A drawing control captures a drawing on the inspection form. On touch-screen devices, the drawing can be created with a finger or stylus. The user then taps or clicks the Done button to confirm the drawing.
Unlike the signature control, tapping or clicking a drawing control does not clear the current drawing. A user must tap or click the Clear Drawing button to erase the current drawing.
Conditional Display
Each control can be shown or hidden conditionally based on values entered elsewhere in the inspection form. For more information, see the Conditionally Displaying nSPECT Controls and Formulas page.
On this page
- 1 Overview
- 2 Simple Controls
- 2.1 Instruction
- 2.2 Text, Single Line
- 2.3 Text Paragraph
- 2.4 Yes or No
- 2.5 Single Select
- 2.6 Category Single Select
- 2.7 Multi Select
- 3 Formatted Controls
- 4 Advanced Controls
- 4.1 Table and Advanced Table
- 4.2 GPS Coordinate
- 4.3 Location Table
- 4.4 Calculated
- 4.5 Signature
- 4.6 Drawing
- 5 Conditional Display
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