The Design mode on a form's Templates tab lets you build a form by picking fields from a list. You don't need any HTML. Simply CMS creates the form, the thank-you message and the list of fields for you.
Open the designer
- Go to Forms and open a form, or create a new one.
- Open the Templates tab.
- Click Design. The other two modes, Paste and Upload, are for forms you've built elsewhere.
Add and arrange fields
The palette on the left lists the fields you can add:
| Field | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Single-line text, Long text | Names, short answers, messages |
| Email, Phone, Number, Date | Contact details and dates, with the right keyboard on phones |
| Dropdown, Radio group, Checkbox group | Choices. Give each option a label and, if you like, a different stored value. |
| Single checkbox | A consent or "I agree" box |
| File upload | Let visitors attach a document or photo |
| Hidden field | A fixed value sent with every submission |
You can also add headings and paragraphs of text between fields.
- Click a field to open its settings: label, help text, required or not, and options.
- Changing a label doesn't change the field's name, so past submissions keep lining up.
- Reorder with the up and down arrow buttons. On a computer you can also drag fields. The buttons also work with the keyboard (Tab and Enter) and on tablets.
- Under Styling, choose Bootstrap 5, Bootstrap 4 or Neither / not sure. If you're unsure, leave it on Neither. The form then carries its own styling.
Preview and save
- Click Preview to see the real form as visitors will see it.
- Click Save.
After saving:
- The Form Fields tab lists one row per field, with a note that the designer manages them. Rename a field in the designer and its row updates.
- If you delete a field that is used elsewhere in the form's settings, such as Display Columns, you'll see a warning that names the setting.
Rules the designer checks for you
- Every field needs a name, and two fields can't share one.
- A few names are reserved, such as id and code, and you'll be asked to choose another.
- A form needs at least one field before it can be saved.
When to use Paste or Upload instead
The designer is for forms that are "just fields". Forms that show or hide fields based on answers, fill dropdowns from other data, or repeat groups of rows still need Paste, Upload or an AI-generated design. For multi-page questionnaires, quizzes and results reports, use the Surveys add-on.
If you switch a form that was pasted or uploaded to Design and save, the designed version replaces the old one.
See also Let visitors attach files to a form and Choose who gets notified about form submissions.