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4.2. How to Create Custom Fields
Now that we have covered the kinds of information that should be created for each form, let's discuss how you actually create these fields.
To create a new field for one of the Built-in Forms listed above click the "Pencil" icon in the appropriate form's box as shown here:
This will take you to the "Edit Form" page as shown here:
The "Edit Form" page will show you all of the fields you have already created and give you the ability to change, rearrage or delete these fields by clicking the "Pencil" the "Cross" or "Trashcan" icons.
To add a new field you click the green "Add Field" button as shown here:
Notice the drop down menu that appears when you click the green "Add Field" button. Here is where you will choose the type of field you want to create. You can choose Text, Long Text (multi-line), Number, Yes/No, Select Option, Select Many Options, Date, Time or Instructions (non-editable) and Containers (for more information on containers and how to use them check out the Collapsible & Conditional Fields documentation). Below is a break down of each of the field types and when you would want to use them.
- Text: If you need a short and sweet text answer, you will choose the "Text" option.
- Long Text (multi-line): If the answer can potentially be longer or more in-depth than a single line of text, you will choose "Long Text (multi-line)".
- Number: If you want the answer to a question to be a number, you will use the "Number" field. It can be set to have decimals, a maximum and/or minimum value and you can also specify suffixes like "ft." for feet if asking for height.
- Yes/No: If you need to get a simple yes or no from your staff or guests, then you will use the "Yes/No" field. This field also couples well with Conditional fields.
- Select Option: If your question has multiple pre-set options that your guests or staff can choose from and they can only make one selection, you will choose "Select Option".
- Select Many Options: If your questions has multiple pre-set options that your guests or staff can choose from and they can make multiple selections, you will choose the "Select Many Options".
- Date: If you want to be able to enter a date as the answer to a question, then you will want to choose the "Date" field.
- Time: If you want to be able to enter a time, you will select the "Time" field. This is a great field to use if you want to add a place on your trip forms to enter "Meeting Times".
- Instructions: If you have a question or field that you feel like needs instructions in order for your guests or your staff to be able to complete it correctly, you will be able to create those instructions by choosing "Instructions (non-editable)". These instructions will not be editable by your staff or guests.
For the purpose of this guide, we will use one of the more complex of the fields as our example and choose "Select Option".
After you choose whichever option suits the information that you want to add to your forms, Arctic will create a popup window where you can configure the field as shown above.
Notice, there are several options for you to fill out. First is the "Label" option. This will be where you will denote what kind of information goes in the new field you are creating. This can be a simple label like "Allergies" or it can be a more complex question like "What kind of pets are you bringing". You want to make sure that the label is clear and to the point so that your staff and your guests will know exactly what kind of information is being collected.
Since, for this example, we chose the "Select Option" field; the next option will be where we input the list of options that are valid for the field we are creating. So if our question is "Special Occasion/Event Type", you will enter each of the occasion/event options they can select from. You will enter each option on a single line as shown here:
Next Arctic asks whether or not, for the "Select Option" question we are creating, we want to allow our guests or staff to be able to enter custom options that are not in our list of prescribed answers. If you do not want your guests or staff to enter custom answers, you will leave this as "No".
Now Arctic asks whether this field is a required field or an optional field. If you must have this information you will want to make it required. Be aware that if you make the field "Required", your staff will have to make sure this information is completed in order to proceed past it. If you do not want your staff to be slowed down by having to gather these bits of extra information on the backend, you will leave the "Requirement" field "No".
If the information is necessary to obtain from your guests you can make the field required just for the guests via the Registration Form even if you do not mark it as required on the backend. Using this approach will ensure you get the information but that your reservation process remains as streamlined as possible for both your staff and your guests. We will discuss how to change field requirements on the Registration Forms later in this guide.
Once you have completed all of the information to create your "New Form Field" you will click "Close". Arctic will then add your new field to the "Edit Form" page.
If you want to change the order of where the new field falls in your existing custom fields you will click and hold the "Cross" icon and then drag the field where you want in relation to the other fields already on your form. For instance, if the new field had an instruction field that needed to be above it then you would be able to drag the fields into the proper order as shown here:
When you click and hold the "Cross" icon, Arctic will add an orange dotted line around the field that you are moving. Continue to hold the "Cross" icon down and drag the field to its desired location. Once you have reached its desired location, release the hold and Arctic will place the field in its new location as shown here:
To save your new field and any changes you made to your existing fields you will click "Submit" on the "Edit Form" page as shown here:
In the next section, we will discuss the specialty field containers available that will allow you to streamline your forms.