Sometimes a change needs to be made to a form. Some example reasons are as follows:

• Update evaluation criteria
• Add/remove a question
• Modify an answer list (e.g., what is displayed in a dropdown list)
• Change of rating scale (e.g., from 0-5 to 0-7)

 

Best practice steps:

1. Make a copy of the form template
2. Rename the template
3. Make the necessary edits to the form design
4. Deactivate the former design so that it is not accidentally assigned
5. Begin using the new form design
   1. This may include replacing the former design with the new one in Workflows

 

Why is this important?

Changing a form template for any of the above reasons WILL affect previously-assigned forms. For example, let’s say your original form had asked, “What is your favorite ice cream?”, and the respondent had chosen “chocolate”. Now you want to change that question to, “What is your favorite pizza?”. That person’s answer will still be “chocolate”. If you had also changed the answer choices—say you changed the “chocolate” item to “anchovies”, the form would show that person’s favorite pizza is anchovies, and they didn’t even know it because they were not the one to choose it!

 

Step one:

Make a copy of the form

1. Open the Forms module
2. Select the form from the Active Forms pane at the left
3. Click the Copy button in the top left of the ribbon

 

Note: Only click the button ONE TIME. Sometime this takes a couple seconds to respond to the command.

 

 

A copy has been made when several of the buttons now display as grayed out, as below:

 

 

Step two:

Rename the template

1. Give the new form a unique name
2. Click Save at the top left

 

 

Step three:

Make the necessary edits to the form design, being mindful to save often.

 

Step four:

Deactivate the former design so that it is not accidentally assigned

1. Open the original form
2. Untick the “is active” box at the right of the Name field
3. Save the form

 

This will ensure the form is not available to be assigned.

 

 

 

Step five:

Begin using the new form design

 

If the previous form had been assigned via Workflow, go into the Workflows module, select the Workflow, find the appropriate “assign form” action, and replace the form with the new one.