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Form

The Form task is one of the most fundamental components in OSPROV's workflow builder. It allows you to collect information from users at various stages of a workflow process. Forms can be used for initial data collection, approvals, reviews, or any other scenario where structured data input is required.

Prerequisites​

Before you can use a Form task in your workflow, you need to create a form using OSPROV's Form Builder:

  1. Navigate to Forms in the main menu
  2. Click Create New Form or go to /forms/create
  3. Design your form with the necessary fields
  4. Publish your form so it becomes available for use in workflows

Adding a Form Task to Your Workflow​

Basic Setup​

  1. In the Workflow Builder, drag the Form task from the task palette onto the canvas
  2. Click on the Form task to open its configuration panel
  3. Configure the following required settings:
    • Form: Select the form template you want to use from the dropdown menu
    • Title for process: Enter a descriptive title that will appear in the submission history
    • Label for status: (Optional) Override the default "Completed" status label

Role Configuration​

For forms that are not the initial form in a workflow (supplementary forms):

  • Available to the following Roles only: Select which roles can access and complete this form
  • This setting determines which users will receive this task in their task list

Advanced Settings​

Click on More settings to access additional configuration options:

Visibility Settings​

  • Form Visibility: Control which roles can view this form
    • Default visibility means the applicant and related roles in the workflow can see this form
    • You can select specific roles to restrict visibility

Automation Settings​

  • Auto fill form by the following hook: Select a hook to automatically populate the form
    • For initial forms, users can still modify auto-filled values
    • For supplementary forms, auto-filled forms will be automatically submitted

Resource Booking​

  • Add booking for resources: If enabled, allows users to book resources as part of the form submission
  • Select which resources can be booked through this form

Public Access Settings (Supplementary Forms Only)​

  • Available publicly: Makes the form accessible via a public URL

    • When checked, the role settings are ignored
    • A unique URL is generated for each submission

  • Send notification to public: Sends email notifications to external recipients

    • Requires "Available publicly" to be enabled
    • Configure the following additional settings:
      • Email Template: Select the email template to use
      • External Recipients: Enter email addresses separated by commas
      • You can use dynamic values like [field_name] to reference form fields
      • For supplementary forms, use [forms.N.field_name] (e.g., [forms.2.remark])

  • Allow submission history to public: Shows the entire submission history to public users

    • Warning: This shows ALL history or NONE - no fine-grained control

Process Control Settings​

  • Allow to skip process: Allows applicants to skip this form if it's optional
  • Copy data from initial form: Pre-fills this form with data from the initial submission
    • Only works if field names/structure match between forms
  • Hide from submission history: Prevents this task from appearing in the submission history

Reminder Settings (Supplementary Forms Only)​

  • Send reminder emails to actionee: Enables automatic reminder emails
    • Actionee Reminder Email Template: Select the email template for reminders
    • 1st Reminder: Days after assignment to send first reminder
    • 2nd Reminder: Days after assignment to send second reminder
    • 3rd Reminder: Days after assignment to send third reminder

How Form Tasks Work in a Workflow​

Initial Form​

The first Form task in a workflow is special:

  • It serves as the entry point for the workflow
  • It's available to all users with the appropriate roles and authorization channels
  • It collects the initial data that will flow through the workflow

Supplementary Forms​

Forms after the initial form:

  • Are assigned to specific users based on role and authorization channel
  • Appear in users' task lists when it's their turn to complete the form
  • Can be configured for public access if external input is needed
  • Can be auto-filled and auto-submitted using hooks

Use Cases​

Initial Data Collection​

Use the initial Form task to:

  • Collect basic information from the workflow initiator
  • Establish the core data that will be processed throughout the workflow
  • Example: Employee information for an onboarding process

Approval Forms​

Configure supplementary Form tasks for approvals:

  • Include fields for comments, decisions, and supporting information
  • Assign to manager roles for review and approval
  • Example: Manager approval form for a purchase request

External Input​

Set up public Form tasks when you need input from people outside your organization:

  • Enable "Available publicly" and configure email notifications
  • Send the generated URL to external stakeholders
  • Example: Customer feedback form or vendor response form

Conditional Data Collection​

Use Form tasks in conjunction with Conditional tasks:

  • Collect different information based on previous responses
  • Route to different forms based on conditional logic
  • Example: Different forms for different types of requests

Best Practices​

  1. Keep forms focused: Each form should have a clear purpose and collect only the necessary information
  2. Use meaningful titles: The "Title for process" should clearly indicate what the form is for
  3. Consider visibility carefully: Only grant visibility to roles that need to see the form
  4. Test public forms: Always test public forms to ensure they work correctly before sending links to external users
  5. Use auto-fill hooks wisely: Auto-filling can save time but make sure the data is appropriate for the context
  6. Configure reminders: For important forms, set up reminders to ensure timely completion

Troubleshooting​

Form Not Appearing in Task List​

If a form task isn't appearing in a user's task list:

  • Verify the user has the correct role assigned
  • Check that the user has at least one matching authorization channel with the workflow
  • Ensure the workflow has been published and is active

Public Form Access Issues​

If external users can't access a public form:

  • Confirm "Available publicly" is checked
  • Verify the correct URL has been shared
  • Check that the workflow submission is at the correct stage

Auto-Fill Not Working​

If form auto-fill isn't working:

  • Verify the selected hook is correctly configured
  • Check that the hook returns data in the expected format
  • Ensure field names match between the hook output and form fields
  • Form Builder: Create and manage forms at /forms
  • Hooks: Configure hooks for form auto-filling
  • Email Templates: Set up templates for notifications and reminders
  • Resource Booking: Manage bookable resources

Summary​

The Form task is a versatile component in OSPROV's workflow builder that enables data collection at any stage of a workflow. By understanding its configuration options and best practices, you can create efficient and user-friendly workflows that collect exactly the information you need, when you need it.