Fields are the building blocks of every Form. Each field you place in the Template Editor becomes a point of data your Form Users fill in — and that you can later reference in Reports, Automations, and connected apps.
GoFormz supports a wide range of field types, grouped below by what they do:
Category | Fields |
Text & numbers | Text Box, Number, Auto Number |
Choices & selections | Checkbox, Checkbox Group, Drop-down menu, Database |
Dates & times | Date, Time, Date Time |
Media & capture | Image, Sketch, Audio, File Attachment, Barcode, Location |
Signatures | Signature, eSign Signature, eSign Initials |
Structure | Table |
🗒️ Tip: Not sure which field to use? Skim the Best for line under each field below. For a deeper look at the settings every field shares (Name, Required, Author Only, Display, and more), see Field properties reference.
Text & numbers
Text Box
The most basic field — a write-in area for text. It can range from a single line with room for a few characters to a large multi-line block.
Best for: any write-in text, such as a customer's street address or notes.
Good to know: Use a Text Box as a read-only field to display a value pulled from a DataSource, keyed off a Database field. (See Database below.)
Number
A write-in field that accepts numbers and special characters only.
Best for: counts, quantities, dollar amounts, and other numeric values.
Good to know: Set a Number field to read-only to display calculation results. For example, several Number fields holding item costs can feed a final read-only Number field that displays their sum.
Auto Number
A read-only field that automatically generates a unique ID number when a Form is created. Each new ID increments the previous one by 1.
Best for: tracking or referencing your Forms — an excellent Form identifier. Typically used in auto-fill mode.
Good to know:
Enter a Seed Number to start numbering from something other than 1.
Connect Auto Numbers across multiple Templates with the Custom Key property. Every Auto Number field that shares the same Custom Key increments in the same sequence, no matter which Template it's on.
If the Custom Key is changed or deleted, the field restarts from the Seed Number.
Choices & selections
Checkbox
A single field that is either marked or left blank. The mark can be a check, an X, a circle, or an oval, and the field itself can be a box to check or an item to circle. Select the field to add or remove the mark.
Best for: binary input — yes/no questions, on/off switches, or state indicators like "Job Completed." Also use it for items meant to be circled.
Checkbox Group
A set of related checkboxes using the same interface as the Checkbox above. A group can be single-select (only one item can be marked) or multi-select (any number can be marked).
Best for: choosing from a small list of options, typically 5 or fewer — for example, a status indicator like Complete / In Progress / Incomplete. For more than 5 options, use a Drop-down menu instead.
Good to know: When you name the checkboxes in a group in Form view, the individual checkboxes don't appear in the preview automatically. To add them, find the group in the Template Fields panel on the left of the Template Editor and drag each checkbox into the preview area individually.
Learn more: About Checkbox Group fields
Drop-down menu
A menu of items from which the user selects options. A Drop-down can be single-select (only one item can be marked) or multi-select (any number can be marked). Drop-downs can be configured to allow write-in entries.
Best for: choosing a single item or a few items from a longer list, typically 4 or more — for example, a list of all field technicians in your company. For fewer options, use a Checkbox Group.
Good to know: Save a list of drop-down choices and reuse it in another Drop-down field elsewhere on the Form.
Learn more: About drop-down fields
Database
A menu that lists items from a DataSource column. It works like a Drop-down, except the items come from a database rather than an ad-hoc list and does not support multi-select. It can include every item in the column or a filtered subset.
Best for: pairing with several Text Box fields to auto-populate related data. For instance, have the user pick a customer's name from a Database field, then auto-fill read-only Text Boxes with that customer's address, phone number, and other details from other DataSource columns.
Good to know:
When configured to show nearby results, a mobile user's current location can suggest the closest DataSource rows. This requires the DataSource to include latitude and longitude columns (set in the DataSource's Actions menu) and to be available offline.
You can only select DataSource columns that are set as indexes (keys) in the DataSource.
Dates & times
Date
A placeholder for selecting a calendar date with standard calendar controls.
Best for: capturing a date when exact time doesn't matter — for example, a customer's date of birth. Use in auto-fill mode to automatically record the date the Form was created.
Time
A placeholder for selecting a clock time with standard controls.
Best for: capturing a time of day when the date doesn't matter — for example, the best time of day to reach someone by phone.
Date Time
A placeholder for selecting both a date and a time together.
Best for: capturing date and time at once, such as scheduling an appointment. Use in auto-fill mode to automatically record the date and time the Form was created.
Media & capture
Image
A placeholder for adding an image to your Form — either from your device's camera or from images already stored on the device. JPEG, PNG, GIF, and BMP formats are supported.
Best for: visual documentation. A mechanic repairing a dent, for example, might capture "before" and "after" photos of the car.
Good to know: This field can be configured to be camera only to enforce real time capture.
Sketch
A drawing field with standard tools (brush, fill, line, shapes) and controls (brush size, color, layering). You can use it several ways:
Place the Sketch field on top of an existing diagram so users can draw on it (for example, mark where a dent is on a car drawing).
Have users upload an image into the field and draw on top of it (for example, photograph a dent and circle it).
Leave it blank for users to draw freely.
On mobile, let users choose a map as the background and mark where work was completed.
Using Maps with the Sketch field (mobile only)
When a Form includes a Sketch field, mobile users can choose Map as the background image. This lets field users:
Capture a specific job site location
Outline work areas
Mark where services were completed
🗒️ Important:
Maps load within the mobile app and require an internet connection.
This functionality is available on mobile devices only.
The selected map view is saved as a static background image in the Sketch field.
No additional setup is needed in the Template Editor to enable it.
Audio
A field that captures up to 10 minutes of audio from your Form Users. Recordings can be made in Form or List View, in the mobile or web app.
Best for: spoken notes, verbal descriptions, or messages that are quicker to record than to type — for example, an inspector narrating site conditions hands-free.
Good to know:
Set the maximum recording length (1–10 minutes) in Max Length (mins) in Field Properties.
To record, Form Users need access to their device's microphone and permission to record audio. Mobile users also need app version 4.0.677 or later.
Anyone with access to the drafted or completed Form — including members of the Group that owns it — can play back or download the recording.
Learn more: Audio field details
File Attachment
A field that lets Form Users attach external files to a Form submission.
Best for: including supporting documents that aren't part of the Form itself — receipts, spec sheets, photos, certificates, and so on.
Good to know:
Maximum file size is 10 MB per file (you can lower this limit in Field Properties).
Use the Allowed File Types drop-down to restrict submissions to Documents, Images, Spreadsheets,
.csv,.gif, or.ps— or type in specific extensions. By default, all file types are accepted within the size limit.The number of files allowed per field depends on your account: Team accounts allow up to 2 files per field; Advanced and Enterprise accounts allow up to 10.
Attached files live in GoFormz and are viewable in the Form Editor by anyone with access to the Form. They are not automatically included when a Form is emailed via a Template Event or exported as a PDF — download them separately, or use the Get Form File Attachment step in a custom Workflow to send them elsewhere.
Learn more: About the File Attachment field
Barcode
A placeholder for scanning a barcode with your device's camera and storing the barcode number. If the device has no camera, the number can be entered manually.
Best for: pairing with a DataSource that has barcode numbers in one of its columns. For example, set up read-only Text Boxes to auto-populate product name, description, and price from other DataSource columns, keyed off the scanned number.
Good to know: Make sure the DataSource column containing barcode numbers is marked as an index (key) column.
Supported barcode types: UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-8, EAN-13, Code 39, Code 93, Code 128, ITF, Codabar, MSI, RSS-14 (all variants), QR Code, Data Matrix, Aztec, PDF-417.
Location
A placeholder for recording your location, as determined by your device's GPS. Location can display as latitude/longitude coordinates or as a pin on a map (street or satellite, with adjustable zoom).
Best for: Forms filled out in the field, where you want to record exactly where a job was performed.
Good to know:
In addition to manual capture, a Location field can use a calculation-based default value to capture GPS automatically when a condition is met.
Include a timestamp to record exactly when the location was captured.
Signatures
Signature
A field for recording a signature with a stylus, finger, or mouse, depending on the device.
Best for: general-purpose signatures where legal, E-SIGN compliance isn't required — customer, supervisor, or inspector sign-offs.
Good to know:
For approval workflows, set the signature to be required and to be automatically cleared whenever any other field changes. This prevents edits after an approver has signed off.
A Signature field can be copied across a Template, and the Form User only needs to sign once to fill every copy.
Signature fields can be sized to any dimensions.
eSign Signature / eSign Initials
An E-SIGN compliant signature field, approved for use on legally binding documents. eSignature fields include both signature and initial options.
Best for: any document where you need a signature collected in a way that supports the integrity and authentication standards of the E-SIGN Act.
Good to know:
How it differs from Signature: the basic Signature field is a generic, non–E-SIGN compliant signature. eSignature verifies intent and consent and maintains an audit trail in Form History.
Each eSignature field must be dragged onto the Template individually — it can't be copied like a Signature field. This ensures a deliberate record of each signature.
eSignature fields require fixed aspect ratios: 3.63:1 for signatures and 1.2:1 for initials.
Each user profile can save its own signature and initials in Account Details for consistent reuse across Forms.
🗒️ Note: In the Template Editor the field is stylized as e-Signature for legibility. State, county, and international laws may impose additional requirements — always verify your use of eSignature against your local laws.
Structure
Table
A grid of fields arranged into rows and columns. Each cell is its own field, drawn from the other types described above.
Best for: capturing the same set of parameters for several related items. For example, a job table might record each task performed along with who performed it, a description, the time it took, and the hourly rate — one row per task.
Learn more: Add and configure a table
Choosing the right field
A few quick rules of thumb:
Few fixed options (≤5)? Use a Checkbox Group. More options (4+)? Use a Drop-down menu.
Options stored in a database? Use a Database field and auto-populate related Text Boxes from the same DataSource.
Need a legally binding signature? Use eSignature, not the basic Signature field.
Capturing a value automatically? Many fields (Date, Date Time, Location, Auto Number) support auto-fill or calculation-based defaults.
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Still have questions? Reach out to the GoFormz support team at support@goformz.com.