How do I use form fields in audit templates?

Adding fields to an audit template

1. Go to the Form Templates tab.
2. Click Create New Template, or open an existing template from the list to edit it.
3. Add your first section. On an empty template, click Create 1st Section in the middle of the page. You can also click General Section in the Add a 'Section Type' panel on the left at any time to add more sections.
4. Give the section a Section title (for example "Audit details"). You can also add a Section description, allow the whole section to be marked as Not applicable while the audit is carried out, and add a Page break before this section (PDF export) if you want the section to start on a new page in PDF exports.
5. Click any button in the Add a 'Form Field' panel to add that field type to the selected section. The field buttons stay greyed out until the template has at least one section.
   
   
   
   Field options

As you add fields, most of them offer some or all of these options:

• Required: auditors cannot complete the audit until every required field is answered.
• Header field: the answer is used in the audit's title in the Audits tab. Available on Text Box, List, Location and Global List fields.
• Remember last answer: automatically remembers the user's last answer to this question and pre-fills it the next time they carry out the audit.
• Placeholder: example text shown in the empty field to guide the auditor.
• Hide not applicable option: removes the Not Applicable choice. Available on Yes/No/NA and Red/Amber/Green fields.
• Include in Summary Report: includes the field when the audit is exported to PDF as a summary report.
  
  

Scoring

Audit templates support scoring. Turn on the Enable scoring switch in the template's Form Settings, then:

• List options can each carry a Score, and any option can be set to Mark As Failed.
• Linear Scale, Yes/No/NA, Safe/At-Risk and Red/Amber/Green fields have a Weight and a score per answer (for example Yes score and No score), and answers can be set to Mark As Failed.
• Each section shows its Max Section Score as you build.
• Use Hide scores on view Audit if you do not want scores displayed when the completed audit is viewed.
  
  

General Section

Sections group questions together, and every audit template is built from at least one. Click General Section in the Add a 'Section Type' panel to add one. Each section has a title, an optional description, an optional Not Applicable toggle, and an optional PDF page break. All other field types are placed inside sections.

Text Box

A single-line text field for collecting small amounts of information, for example the auditor's name or an asset number. Supports Required, Header field, Remember last answer, Placeholder and Include in Summary Report.

Multi-line Text

A larger text area for notes, comments and longer answers. Supports Required, Remember last answer, Placeholder and Include in Summary Report.

Rich Text Editor

The same as Multi-line Text, but on the web it lets auditors format text and include hyperlinks. In the Notify A&I (Audits & Inspections) mobile app this field is shown as a plain multi-line text box without formatting.

List

A dropdown of options you define in the template. Click Add option to build the list. Tick Allow the user to select multiple options to let auditors pick more than one answer. Options can be grouped, and when scoring is enabled each option can carry a score and be marked as failed.

Date/Time Picker

Lets auditors record a date, a time, or both, for example a contract start or end date. In the field settings choose between DateTime Picker, Date Picker and Time Picker.

Linear Scale

Lets auditors choose a value on a numeric scale, for example to rate quality. Set the range with Scale from and Scale to (1 to 10 by default).

Action Creator

Lets auditors create and assign actions while conducting the audit. Each action captures a description, the assignee's email address, a due date, a priority and a category. Actions created in the audit are saved to the Actions area when the audit is completed.

Yes/No/NA

A question answered Yes, No or Not Applicable. To remove the Not Applicable choice, tick Hide not applicable option. With scoring enabled you can set a Yes score and No score and mark either answer as failed.

Safe/At-Risk

Lets auditors mark an item as Safe, At Risk or Not Applicable. With scoring enabled you can set a Safe score and At-Risk score, and mark At Risk answers as failed.

Picture

Lets auditors take and upload pictures while conducting the audit, with a notes box for each picture. Use Maximum Pictures to set how many pictures can be added (between 1 and 99).

Incident Creator

Lets auditors report an incident directly from within the audit, without leaving the form. In the field settings you can:

• Set a Heading and Guidance text.
• Choose the Event Type Configuration: Choice Of All Incident Types lets the auditor pick any incident type, or Specific Event Type limits the field to one incident type you select.
• Customise the Button Label the auditor sees (it defaults to "Report an Event").

The Incident Creator button is only available in audit templates, and only when your organisation has the Incident Management module. If either condition is not met, the button appears greyed out in the field picker.

Global List

Lets auditors pick from a list managed centrally in the Global Lists tab, for example standards and clauses. Updating the global list updates every template that uses it, so use this instead of a List field for answers shared across templates.


Location

Lets auditors record where the audit took place. Tick at least one of these options in the field settings:

• Enable Org Chart Site Selection: the auditor picks a site from your organisation structure. Combine with Required and Enable Geo Tag Form to collect a reliable site location; this also lets you filter audits by Organisation Structure on the Audits page and on Extended Dashboards.
• Enable Map Selection: the auditor drops a pin on a map.
• Enable Address Input: the auditor types an address.

If you want both the organisation structure location and a map or address location, add two Location fields, one configured for each.

Red/Amber/Green

Lets auditors rate a statement or question on a red, amber or green scale. The buttons default to Red, Amber and Green, but you can rename them using Red option text, Amber option text and Green option text. With scoring enabled each colour carries a score and can be marked as failed. Tick Hide not applicable option to remove the Not Applicable choice.

Embedded Picture

Embeds an image you upload into the template itself, for example a picture in a DSE assessment showing what "ideal" looks like. You can adjust the displayed width and height. The auditor sees the image; there is nothing for them to answer.

Confirmation

A single checkbox for the auditor to tick, for example "Check this box to confirm you have observed the above image."

Guidance Text

Displays read-only guidance to auditors: how to answer the questions, the level of detail needed, or reminders about what to observe. It has a Guidance Title and the guidance text itself; there is nothing for the auditor to answer.

eSignature

Lets auditors sign the audit. In the field settings you can turn on:

• Date & Time Stamp: records when the signature was captured.
• Geo Tag: records where it was signed (location services must be enabled on the device).
• Pre-populate Name With Assignee: fills the name with the audit assignee automatically.

Previewing your template

As you build, click the Preview button at the bottom of the page to see the template as auditors will see it. Click Edit Mode to return to building.

What happens next

• Your work is saved as a draft; the builder also auto-saves and shows a "Saved at" time at the bottom of the page.
• When you are ready, click Publish to make the template available for audits. Published templates become read-only: to change a published template, use Create New Version, edit the new draft, then publish it.
• Once published, audit templates can be exported to PDF using Export Form Template to PDF.

Troubleshooting

The field buttons are all greyed out. The template has no section yet. Click Create 1st Section (or General Section in the Add a 'Section Type' panel) first; fields can only be added inside a section.

I can't find the Incident Creator button, or it's greyed out. Incident Creator is only available in audit templates and only when your organisation has the Incident Management module. Contact your administrator or Notify support if you believe it should be available.

I can't see scoring options on my fields. Turn on Enable scoring in the template's Form Settings first. Scores and weights then appear on List, Linear Scale, Yes/No/NA, Safe/At-Risk and Red/Amber/Green fields.

There's no Hide not applicable option on my field. That option only exists on Yes/No/NA and Red/Amber/Green fields. Sections have their own Not Applicable toggle in the section settings.

I can't edit my template. Published and archived templates are read-only, and a template can also be locked. Use Create New Version on a published template to make changes, or ask the template owner to unlock it.

Rich Text Editor answers look like plain text in the mobile app. That is expected: the Notify A&I (Audits & Inspections) app shows the Rich Text Editor field as a plain multi-line text box, without formatting.

Auditors aren't seeing the Not Applicable choice on a question. The field probably has Hide not applicable option ticked in the template; untick it and republish.