Add and configure a field

Before you start

• Open the form you want to edit.
• Decide what information you need and why. Every field should have a purpose.
• If you are working in the documentation account, use the form named a test form. Do not alter an existing user form for testing.

Add a field

1. Select the page where the new field belongs.

New fields are added to the active form page. If your form has multiple pages, first select the page that should contain the question.

2. Open the Fields tab.

3. Find the field type you need.

4. Add it by selecting it, or drag it into the form at the position you want.

Selecting a field inserts it into the active page. Dragging lets you place it relative to the existing content.

5. Select the new field in the form, then open Edit.

The Edit tab changes to show settings that apply to the selected field type.

6. Write a plain-language label and, where helpful, an explanation or example.

7. Set validation only when it helps protect data quality or prevents a real user error.

8. Use Preview to make sure the question looks and behaves as intended.

Choose the right field type

Common question fields

Field	Use it when	Good example
Short Text	The answer is a short word, phrase, reference, or ID.	Order number
Long Text	The respondent needs room to explain something.	Describe the issue
Single Choice	Exactly one option should be selected.	How should we contact you?
Multi Choice	More than one option can be selected.	Which sessions will you attend?
Drop down	One option is required and a compact list is preferable.	Select your country
Date	You need a calendar date.	Preferred start date
Time	You need a time of day.	Preferred call time
Calendar	The response is related to a configured calendar.	Select an available date
Appointment	The respondent must select a booking or availability slot.	Book a consultation
Text	You need headings, explanations, instructions, or other non-answer content.	Before you begin

Contact and identity fields

Field	Use it when
Name	You want a structured name rather than a single free-text answer.
Email	You need an email address and email-specific validation.
Phone Number	You need a telephone number.
Address	You need a structured postal address.
Map	A location needs to be selected or displayed.
Website	You need a web address.
Signature	The respondent needs to provide an electronic signature.

Files, media, and richer feedback

Field	Use it when
File Upload	Respondents must attach a file.
Picture or Video	The form should display visual media.
Photo Camera	A respondent should capture a photo while completing the form.
Survey	You need a Likert-style scale across several statements.
Slider	A respondent should choose a point on a scale.
Net Promoter	You are measuring likelihood to recommend.
Rating	A simple star-style rating is appropriate.
Quiz	You need a quiz-style question.

Advanced and structural fields

These fields serve a more specific purpose and should be used after the basic form flow is clear: Terms of Service, Form Progress, Social Media, Code, Button, Big Data Dropdown, Big Data Row Viewer, Current User, Hidden Short Text, Hidden Long Text, Repeatable List, and Page Break.

Use a Page Break to split a long form into sections. Use hidden, code, Big Data, and workflow-related fields only when you understand the connected logic, privacy implications, and data source.

Configure the selected field

After you select a field, use Edit to work through these settings. The exact controls vary by field type.

1. Give the field a clear label

Write the question in the words your respondents use. A good label makes the answer obvious without an explanation.

• Prefer What is your preferred contact method? over Contact.
• Put one idea in each question.
• State units and format where it matters: Budget (EUR) or Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY).
• Avoid internal jargon, abbreviations, and unexplained acronyms.

2. Set the internal field name carefully

The Name setting identifies the field inside responses, rules, email notifications, and other connected features. Give it a stable, meaningful value, such as preferred_contact_method.

Do not casually rename an existing field that is already used in automation, reports, exports, or workflows. If a field name must change, review those dependencies and test them first.

3. Make a field required only when necessary

Turn on Required Field when a response is essential to process the form. Required fields protect data quality, but too many of them increase abandonment.

Ask yourself: “Can we still act on this request without this answer?” If yes, consider leaving it optional.

4. Apply validation

Available validation depends on the field. AbcSubmit can support:

• Required responses
• Unique values
• An accepted data type or format
• Minimum and maximum text length
• Minimum and maximum numeric value
• Custom error text

Use validation to explain how to recover, not merely to reject an answer. For example: Enter a number between 1 and 50 is more helpful than Invalid input.

5. Configure choices and defaults

For single choice, multi choice, and drop-down fields, make each option distinct and mutually understandable. Use a neutral option such as Not sure or Prefer not to say when it is appropriate to the question.

Avoid using a preselected answer for a sensitive preference, consent, payment, or eligibility question. If you add a default value, make sure it reflects the most likely safe choice.

6. Adjust appearance sparingly

The Edit tab can also control a selected field’s typography, colors, borders, and label placement. Keep these consistent across the form.

For most forms, placing a label above the input is easiest to scan, especially on mobile screens. Use labels inside inputs only when the meaning remains clear after the respondent begins typing.

7. Use field actions with care

When a field is selected, the editor provides actions to duplicate a field, clear its formatting, or delete it.

• Duplicate is useful for repeated question patterns; change the copied label and internal name before relying on it.
• Clear formatting removes local styling so the field can follow a consistent design.
• Delete removes the selected field. Use Undo immediately if the deletion was accidental, and review connected rules or workflows if the field was already in use.

8. Check the selected-field bottom toolbar

Selecting a v2 field reveals a bottom toolbar. The common controls are Duplicate field, Clear formatting, Delete field, and Open field settings. Some fields expose additional controls in the field itself:

• Choice fields (Single Choice, Multi Choice, and Drop down) expose Add choice, per-choice Remove, and the folder/open Import icon. Drop down also exposes the first-choice Empty placeholder switch.
• Calendar exposes event creation and view controls (Today, past/upcoming, and day/month/year view).
• Address exposes subfield removal; Map exposes the embedded map controls; Phone Number exposes the country selector; Survey exposes question/choice removal; Social Media exposes network share controls.
• Payment Processor reports when no gateway is configured. These controls are status/configuration dependent and do not replace the field settings drawer.
• File Upload exposes Allow multiple files in its inline command row. The automatic page-button row is a separate selectable control; it can add Save, Reset, or Print and can be hidden.

Use these controls only after selecting the intended field. The field toolbar and preset capture shows the Drop down Import picker. Any destructive action, such as Delete field or removing a choice/subfield, should be followed by Preview and Undo if it was accidental.

Check your work in Preview

Select Preview and complete the form as a respondent would. Check:

• Labels are understandable without internal context.
• Required fields are only the ones you truly need.
• Format and range validation accept valid examples and reject invalid ones with helpful wording.
• Choice lists have no duplicate, missing, or contradictory options.
• The form works on a narrow browser window or phone-sized screen.
• No sample, sensitive, or placeholder data will be exposed after publishing.

Related guides

• Form editor
• Configure common field settings
• Style the form
• Field settings reference
• Create a blank form