Form Builder Checklist

Updated on Dec 05, 2025

This checklist is designed to guide users in using the Form Builder, including creating new forms, using collections on forms, using actions on forms, using programming on forms, setting up headers and footers, and more. For a complete guide, see Form Builder.

Creating a New Form

2. Click Create at the top of the screen.

3. Configure the Form Settings.

For details on each of the Form Settings, see Form Builder > Creating a New Form.

4. Add a component or preset to the form by clicking the item on the left side of the screen and dragging it into the layout.

5. Configure the Common Properties for the item on the right side of the screen.

For details on each of the Common Properties, see Form Builder > Adding Components and Presets to a Form.

6. Configure the options for the specific component or preset on the right side of the screen.

For details on each of the setup options for each component and preset, see Form Builder > Adding Components and Presets to a Form.

7. Continue adding components and presets to the form layout as needed.

8. Click Save.

Using Collections on a Form

The Collections tab in the Form Builder is used to set up SQL queries that can be used to populate computed tables, drop-down options, radio groups, text areas, and text boxes on a form.

For more information on using collections, see Form Builder.

1. With the form open in the Form Builder, click the Collections tab at the bottom of the screen.

2. Enter the Collection Name for the query.

3. Enter the query in the SQL box.

4. If desired, click the Run Query button to test the query in a new browser tab.

5. Click Add/Edit Collection to add the query.

6. To add a collection to component, go back to the form by clicking the Builder tab at the bottom of the screen.

9. Click Save.

Using Actions on a Form

The Actions tab in the Form Builder is used to designate a SQL query that will run when the form is approved or denied in SIS. Fields in the form can be used in the query with the {$fieldname} format. A certain value in a field on the form can cause a field in the student's record to be updated upon form approval. For example, an action can be set up so that when the school nurse approves a School Accident Report Form that has the Medical_Alert field on the form checked, the "Medical Alert Icon" field in the student's record is also checked. This will then trigger a medical alert icon to appear on the student, based on alert icon setup in Setup > Edit Rules & Workflow. The Actions tab is primarily used by Focus staff.

For more information on using actions, see Form Builder.

1. With the form open in the Form Builder, click the Actions tab at the bottom of the screen.

2. Enter an Action Name. Do not use any spaces.

3. Enter the Priority.

When there are multiple actions set up for a form, the priority dictates the order the actions run. The lowest number priority will run first.

4. In the Run On pull-down, select whether the query will run when upon form approval or denial.

5. Enter the query in the SQL box.

6. Click Add/Edit Action to add the query.

Customizing a Form Using Programming

The Programming feature allows you to apply custom behavior to fields on the form using JavaScript. For example, you could add programming to a Start Date field to restrict users to selecting only weekdays (Monday through Friday) in the future. Level 1 training is recommended before using this feature.

1. With the form open in the Form Builder, click a field on the form to select it.

2. Click Programming at the top of the screen.

3. In the pop-up window, enter the programming in the State tab.

4. When finished, close the pop-up window. The programming will auto-save.

5. Click Save on the form.

6. Click Preview to verify the programming is working as intended.

For more information on using programming, see Form Builder. For examples for using programming, see Form Builder > Programming Examples.

Viewing a Form

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, click View next to the form.

Cloning a Form

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, click Clone next to the form.

3. In the Form Settings, enter a Form Name for the new form.

4. Make modifications to the duplicate form as needed.

5. Click Save.

Cloning and Translating an SSS Form

SSS forms can be cloned and translated into another language. Machine translations can be used for the initial setup (Bing translation), and additional translations can be made manually as needed. When printing forms for an event in SSS > Manage Student, users will be able to select which language of the form to print.

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, click Clone & Translate next to the form.

3. In the pop-up window, select the language of the new version of the form.

4. Keep "Use machine translation for initial setup" selected to automatically translate the contents of the form using Bing translation.

5. Click Clone & Translate.

6. Make any adjustments to the form, including making manual translations as needed and re-arranging components that may now overlap due to the translations made.

7. When you are ready for the form to be available as a translation when printing forms in SSS, click the Disable toggle in the Form Settings so that it is turned off.

8. Click Save.

Customizing Tags for Forms

The SIS, ERP, and SSS tags are assigned to forms to make those forms available in those parts of Focus. The Focus tags cannot be edited. Additional custom tags can be added to the Tags tab and are used to organize forms within the Forms menu.

2. Click the Tags tab.

3. Click the District Tags tab.

4. Enter the Tag name in the blank row at the bottom of the table.

5. Press Enter to add the row.

Tagging a Form

A form must be tagged with the module (SIS, ERP, or SSS) in order for it to be available for use in that part of the system. Forms will also be organized within the Forms menu by their tags.

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, click the Tags pull-down next to the form and select the module.

Setting the Academic Category on a Form

For districts using the Document Management add-on module, SIS forms can be included on the Uploaded Files screen for students and users upon the form being finalized. In order for a form to be included on the Uploaded Files screen, the Academic Category must be set on the form in the Form Builder.

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, select the Academic Category next to the SIS form to be included in Uploaded Files.

Removing a Form

2. In the District Forms tab of the Form Builder, click Remove next to the form.

3. In the confirmation message, click OK.

Setting Auto-Image on a Form

Selecting "Auto-Image" on a form sends a PDF of the form to a server. Server credentials are set in ERP > Setup > Settings > Integrations to store and archive PDFs.

See Form Builder for tips and more information on this process.

2. In the District Forms tab of the Form Builder, select Auto-Image next to the form.

3. For the Auto-Image Type, select Student or User to identify the form as a student form or user form.

Viewing the Word Count of a Form

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, select the check box next to the desired form. One or multiple forms can be selected.

3. Click Word Count.

4. When finished viewing the word count, click Back to Form List.

Printing a Form from the Form List

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, select the check box next to the desired form. One or multiple forms can be selected.

3. Click Print.

4. Select your print options and click Print.

Previewing a Form from the Form List

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, select the check box next to the desired form. One or multiple forms can be selected.

3. Click Preview.

Mass Updating Settings on Forms

2. In the District Forms or Focus Forms tab of the Form Builder, click Mass Update.

3. In the pop-up window, select the Column to update and select the Value.

4. Click Update.

5. Click Save.

Viewing a Header

2. Click the Headers tab.

3. Click View next to the header.

Removing a Header

2. Click the Headers tab.

3. Click Remove next to the header.

4. In the confirmation message, click OK.

Customizing Footers for Forms

2. Click the Footers tab.

3. Click Create.

6. Configure the Common Properties for the item on the right side of the screen.

For details on each of the Common Properties, see Form Builder > Customizing Footers for Forms.

7. Configure the options for the specific component on the right side of the screen.

For details on each of the setup options for each footer component, see Form Builder > Customizing Footers for Forms.

9. Click Save.

Removing a Footer

2. Click the Footers tab.

4. In the confirmation message, click OK.

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