Form components

Created on 06 Oct 2025

What are form components?

Form components allow you to embed multiple forms into other forms. Instead of recreating the same fields over and over, you can create them once and attach them as components wherever needed. Essentially combining multiple forms into single form.

Think of components as building blocks - create common field sets once (like "Delivery address" or "Dietary requirements") and reuse them across all your forms.

Benefits

• ✅ Save time: Create field sets once, use them everywhere
• ✅ Consistency: Same fields across all forms means consistent data
• ✅ Easy updates: Change a component once, it updates in all forms using it
• ✅ No duplication: Reduce maintenance by avoiding duplicate field sets

How to use form components

Step 1: Create a form

You need at least two forms. First, create a form that will serve as your reusable component:

1. Go to Forms in your account
2. Click Create form
3. Name it clearly (e.g., "Delivery address", "Emergency contact")
4. Choose the appropriate form type
5. Add your sections and fields
6. Save the form

Tip: Use descriptive names for component forms so you can easily identify them later.

Step 2: Attach a component to your form

To add a component to another form:

1. Open the form you want to add the component to
2. Scroll to the Form components section
3. Click Add component
4. Select the component form from the drop-down
5. Click Attach component

The component's sections and fields will now appear in your form!

Step 3: Manage your components

Reorder components

• Simply drag and drop components to change their order
• The order determines where the component's fields appear in your form

Enable/disable components

• Click the Actions menu (⋮) next to a component
• Select Enable or Disable
• Disabled components won't show in the form but remain attached

Edit component form

• Click the Actions menu (⋮) next to a component
• Select Edit form to modify the component's fields
• Changes will apply to all forms using this component

Remove a component

• Click the Actions menu (⋮) next to a component
• Select Remove
• This only removes the component from this form (doesn't delete the form itself)

Common use cases

1. Delivery address component

Create once, use for:

• Event registrations requiring physical tickets
• Merchandise orders
• Prize deliveries
• Certificate mailing

Example Fields:

• Street Address
• Suburb/City
• State/Province
• Postcode/ZIP
• Country

2. Dietary requirements component

Perfect for:

• Event registrations with catering
• Conference bookings
• Workshop sign-ups

Example fields:

• Dietary restrictions (drop-down)
• Allergies (text area)
• Special requests (text area)

3. Emergency contact component

Use for:

• Sports events
• Children's activities
• Adventure experiences
• Multi-day events

Example fields:

• Emergency contact name
• Relationship
• Phone number
• Medical conditions

4. T-shirt size component

Ideal for:

• Fun runs
• Charity events
• Team registrations
• Conferences with merchandise

Example Fields:

• T-shirt size (drop-down: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL)
• Gender fit preference

Important notes

Circular dependencies prevention

The system automatically prevents you from:

• Adding a form to itself as a component
• Creating circular references (Form A → Form B → Form A)

If you try to add a component that would create a circular dependency, you'll see an error message.

Component visibility

• Components only show fields from enabled sections
• If a component is disabled, its fields won't appear in the form
• You can temporarily hide component fields by disabling the component

Data collection

• All data from component fields is collected normally
• Data appears in exports and reports just like regular fields
• Component fields are included in all data exports

Account isolation

• You can only use forms from your own account as components
• Components cannot be shared across different accounts
• This ensures data privacy and security

Best practices

1. Name components clearly

Use descriptive names that explain what the component contains:

• ✅ "Delivery address - Australia"
• ✅ "Emergency contact information"
• ❌ "Form 1"
• ❌ "Extra Fields"

2. Keep components focused

Each component should serve a single purpose:

• ✅ One component for delivery address
• ✅ Separate component for billing address
• ❌ One component with both delivery AND billing

3. Plan before creating

Think about which field sets you use repeatedly:

• Review your existing forms
• Identify common patterns
• Create components for frequently used field sets

4. Test after attaching

Always preview your form after adding components:

1. Click Preview button
2. Check that component fields appear correctly
3. Verify the field order makes sense
4. Test form submission

5. Update carefully

Remember that changes to a component affect ALL forms using it:

• Review which forms use a component before editing
• Consider creating a new component if you need different fields
• Test thoroughly after making changes

Troubleshooting

Component not showing in form

Problem: Added a component but don't see the fields

Solutions:

• Check if the component is enabled (not disabled)
• Verify the component form has active sections
• Ensure you're previewing the latest version of the form
• Refresh your browser

Cannot add component

Problem: Getting an error when trying to add a component

Solutions:

• Check for circular dependencies
• Verify both forms are in the same account
• Make sure you're not trying to add a form to itself
• Ensure you have edit permissions for both forms

Fields appearing in wrong order

Problem: Component fields are in the wrong position

Solutions:

• Use drag and drop to reorder components
• Remember: component order determines field position
• Component fields appear after the parent form's fields
• Check the weight/order of sections within the component

Changes not appearing

Problem: Updated a component, but changes aren't showing

Solutions:

• Clear your browser cache
• Hard refresh the page (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
• Check that you saved the component form
• Verify you're editing the correct component

Examples

Example 1: Event registration with multiple components

Parent Form: "Conference Registration"

Components Used:

1. Delivery Address (for conference materials)
2. Dietary Requirements (for catering)
3. T-Shirt Size (for conference shirt)
4. Emergency Contact (for safety)

Result: A comprehensive registration form built from reusable components

Example 2: Merchandise store

Parent Form: "Product Order"

Components Used:

1. Delivery Address
2. Billing Address (if different)
3. Gift Message (optional)

Result: Consistent checkout experience across all products

Example 3: Workshop series

Parent Form: "Workshop Registration"

Components Used:

1. Dietary Requirements
2. Accessibility Needs
3. Previous Experience (custom component)

Result: Standardised registration across all workshops

FAQ

Q: Can I use the same component in multiple forms?

A: Yes! That's the whole point. Use a component in as many forms as you need.

Q: What happens if I delete a component form?

A: If you delete a form that's being used as a component, it will be removed from all forms using it. Be careful!

Q: Can I edit a component while it's attached to forms?

A: Yes, but remember that changes will affect ALL forms using that component.

Q: Do components work with all form types?

A: Yes, components work with all form types (Order, Ticket Type, Waitlist, Event Form, etc.)

Q: Can I have components within components?

A: No, components cannot contain other components. This prevents complexity and circular dependencies.

Q: Will component data appear in exports?

A: Yes, all data from component fields is included in exports, just like regular fields.

Q: Can I see which forms are using a component?

A: Yes, when viewing a component form, you'll see a count of how many forms are using it.

Q: Can I copy a form with components?

A: Yes, when you copy a form, the component relationships are preserved.

Tips for success

1. Start Small: Begin with one or two commonly used components
2. Get Feedback: Ask your team which field sets they duplicate most
3. Document: Keep notes on what each component contains
4. Review Regularly: Periodically check if components need updating
5. Communicate: Let your team know when you update shared components

Need help?

If you're having trouble with form components:

1. Check this guide for solutions
2. Review the troubleshooting section
3. Contact support with:
   • Form names involved
   • What you're trying to do
   • Any error messages you see
   • Screenshots if possible