A large number of Mapistry users spend most of their time filling out forms and inspections. Completing a Form might seem straightforward, but users have a few more options/tricks users have when it comes to forms.
In this article, you will learn more about:
- Duplicable Sections
- Form Progress and Completion
- Saving Completed and Unfinished forms
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Downloading a Form Submission
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Downloading Blank Form (Template)
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Other Helpful Articles
💡For a simple guide on how to complete forms, see Completing a Form.
Duplicable Sections
Users might see something that looks like the image below while they are filling out inspections. The boxed sections are called "Duplicable Sections." These sections indicate that the inspection fields on the right-hand side are always the same, but multiple items can be inspected (the number of tabs under the duplicable section indicates how many items are being inspected).
Sometimes, if a form template has not been created, the duplicable section's inspection items will be missing underneath it.
In order to add an inspection item to a duplicable section, click on the "+" beside the Sampling Locations tab or click "+ Add Sampling Locations" within the tab.
Once users have duplicated the section, they will be able to fill out the fields on the right.
💡NOTE: Some inspection items will be pulled in from the map through a drop-down, while others will be written in for each section. The example above includes a field that takes in features from the map using inspection items.
For more information, see Adding Items from the Map to Inspection Forms.
The example below shows a form where each inspection item is typed in. This renames the section on the left-hand side as well.
In order to delete new or existing inspection item tabs, just click on the trash can next to the item that needs to be deleted.
💡NOTE: Adding and deleting items while filling out an inspection only changes that specific submission. In order to edit inspection items, pre-populated answers, or duplicable sections for all future forms, please edit the form template. Find out more here: Setting Up a Form Template.
Don't forget to click save!
Form Progress and Completion
Most forms will have a mix of required and optional inspection fields. Any that are required will have "Required" next to the bold text. Users must fill out these fields in order to have completed the inspection.
💡Note: There is no character limit for text fields, such as for the “Notes” or “Comments” fields.
Users can see how much of the form has been completed by viewing the "Form Progress" and green check marks beside the sections. Just be sure to click into each section to make sure all required fields have been taken care of.
Saving Completed and Unfinished forms
Whether or not a form has been fully completed, it can be saved. This means if multiple users are conducting the inspection or if the inspector needs to come back at another time, form progress can be saved by clicking save at the bottom of the page. Note: errors will let users know that the form is not complete, but the progress is still saved.
💡Note: Be sure to click on 'Exit' when exiting the form so others can make and save changes to the form.
Downloading a Form Submission
Once inspections have been completed, users may download them as PDFs that can be stored away or emailed to other staff.
One way to download completed form PDFs is from the dashboard. This method also allows users to download multiple submissions at once. The user will just have to indicate the date range of inspections.
First, find the desired inspection and click on the three dots. Then, indicate the date range and click Email File(s).
💡Note: This zipped file will be sent to the email address linked to your Mapistry account, where you'll be able to download the compressed file. If it is a single file, you might receive it in .pdf format.
The other place a form submission can be downloaded is within the submission itself. First, find the date/week/month/year of the submission you wish to download.
Next, navigate to the three dots in the top right corner of the page and click "Email PDF"
This will send an email containing either a .zip or a .pdf file to the email address you are using to access Mapistry.
Downloading a Blank Form (Template)
Sometimes, it is helpful to have blank PDFs of inspection forms. In order to acquire one, navigate to the desired form click on the three dots, and "Edit Template"
Then, follow the same steps as above, then click the three dots at the top of the page and click 'Email PDF'.
Other Helpful Articles
- Assigning Users to Inspections - users can be assigned to certain inspections and will receive notifications and alerts for them
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Custom Frequency Forms - inspection frequencies can be changed though the dashboard
- Note: If there is no option to change the frequency, it is a standard form.
- Setting Up a Form Template - templates with duplicable sections can be edited, and inspection fields can be pre-populated with answers
- Adding Items from the Map to Inspection Forms - Some inspection fields have drop downs that pull in features from the maps. New features can be added, removed, and renamed by locating the correct layer with the appropriate tag.
- Navigating and Using Calendar Widgets
End of Article
Support
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please e-mail help@mapistry.com or call (510) 313-1422.