Request form detail

The purpose of this Request form details screen is to allow you to define the layout and processing options for the selected Request form. This screen may take longer to load than other RefTracker screens as it loads a large amount of data.

This help page simply describes how to use this Request form details screen.

For a detailed discussion of the impact of creating and amending Request forms click here.

For information about the function of the fields that can be included in a Request form click here.

The top row of this screen provides two drop downs that control how you use this screen:

Request form: On initial display of this screen, the name of the Request form that you chose to edit will display here, but should you wish to change to editing a different Request form you can do it by simply changing the selection in this drop down. If you choose another form the screen will immediately redisplay showing the details of the form you have chosen. It is often useful to use this feature to check how another form has been defined, when unsure about defining the fields or order of presentation of fields in a new Request form.

Mode: You enter this screen from the Request forms summary screen [Options], [Layout] or [Preview] links. The link you use determines the mode that will display on initial loading of this screen. However you can change to any other mode by using the Mode drop down.
If you are signed on to this screen as an administrator, this screen has five modes as described below. If you are signed on as a Supervisor only the Display and Preview modes are available to you.
Display: Choose this mode to see a summary of the attributes of each element configured into this Request form. Display mode provides a handy way to print off a summary of a form so it can be replicated elsewhere e.g. to share your form layout with another RefTracker customer.
Preview: Choose this mode to see what this form will look like in the client interface. Use this mode regularly to check the results of work you have been doing in the Edit fields and Edit defaults screens – it makes designing forms very easy.
Edit options: Choose this mode to change the processing options that will control the way questions entered using this form will be processed on entry and arrival, and the options presented when closing them.
Edit lookups: only available if your organisation is licensed for the optional RefTracker Dynamic Lookups Module – allows lookups that are used while the Request form is in use by the client or staff member, to be defined. Full details of how to use the Dynamic lookups module are provided in the Dynamic Lookups Module manual.
Edit defaults: Choose this mode to change the default values that will appear in any field of this form.
Edit layout: Choose this mode to change the divisions, fields and labels included in this form, the text associated with each form element, and the way that they will look and operate. The layout controls the questions asked in the form – the questions asked should replicate the reference interview that you would normally do for this type of a request.

Changes to the Request form can only be made in the Edit modes: Edit layout, Edit defaults, and Edit options. Don’t forget to use ALL THREE of these edit modes when setting up a new form.

If you have made changes using an edit mode, be sure to click on Update, before changing modes.

The Edit layout and Edit defaults screens are organised and used in the same way. The fields are organised by divisions and the display for each division can be contracted by clicking on the “contract” symbol to the left of that division so that scrolling is reduced, and expanded by clicking on the “expand” symbol to the left of that division in order to see all details.

To change a value enter data in the text box, or choose a value from the drop down box, as appropriate, and click on any Update button provided on the screen when you have made all of the required changes.

To insert an additional field or division in Edit layout mode fill in the Add new field line in the appropriate division, or the Add new division line at the bottom of this screen, and then click on Update.

To delete a field or division click on the delete box to the right of that line, and then click on Update.

When Update is clicked, your form will be validated and the screen redisplayed with ticks next to the fields that were changed. You can check the effectiveness of your change by using the Preview mode.

Only forms that have pass validation can be used. If the validation process detects a problem, details of the problem will be described at the top of the screen until the problem is rectified.