Region Types

Region Types

Overview

There are various types of Regions that allow you (the Form Designer) to customize each Region to allow a specific type of entry when used in the Mobile Forms app. Each Region type has unique properties and is designed to accept a certain type of input in the Form. For example, a Camera Region allows the User to take a picture with their device to include as part of the Form. This article describes the specific properties for each Region type. For general information on creating Regions, see the article on Creating Regions.
 

Audio Region



An Audio Region is used to record a sound bite as part of your Form. For example, the User can record a verbal approval from a customer. 


Once you have chosen Audio as the Region type, you will have the General, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Barcode Region



A Barcode Region is used to scan a 1D, 2D, or QR Code barcode on autofocus enabled devices. For example, a User can scan a service tag for a piece of equipment or an employee ID tag.  


Once you have chosen Barcode as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Calculation Region



A Calculation Region is used to apply a formula using numeric values from other Regions in a Form. For example, a total price for list of materials used or the total hours an employee worked during the day on various jobs.


Once you have chosen Calculation as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Formula and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Display Tab - Format

The Display tab for a Calculation Region is similar to the Display for other Regions but includes an additional Format property.


Click the Format button to select from the following formats for displaying the calculation result on the Form. The default format is "Normal" and allows unlimited decimals.
 

You can create a custom format by clicking on one of the blue custom format types. 


Formula Tab

You can create the calculation formula in the Formula tab using numeric-based Region values, hard-coded numbers and operations.


A. Use zero in calculations if the region is empty - This option allows a value of 0 to be used in a different calculation if no data was entered. For example, if this Calculation Region is used in a formula for another Calculation Region, the result of that Calculation would be displayed even if no value was entered in this Calculation Region. This is checked by default.

B. Select a region name to use in calculation - Displays all valid Regions available in your Form. You can double click on a Region name, for example "Page1@Numeric1", to automatically insert that Region into your formula. The Page# refers to the Form Page number for the Region, while the @ is used to designate the specific Region name. Select a specific page from the list of the left to narrow down the list of Region names.

C. Operators - You can click on any of the available operator to automatically insert it into your formula.

D. Formula - Enter the formula for your calculation using Region values, numbers and operators. You can automatically insert a Region into the formula by double clicking on the Region name (B) or manually enter the Region name (using the format {Page#@RegionName} ) into the formula field. Likewise, you can manually enter your operators using your keyboard or simply click the operator buttons (C) provided.

E. Validate - Click on the Validate button to check your formula. You will be able to enter test values and make sure you get the expected result.


Using Conditions

You can use if/then conditions in a calculation as long as the conditions are numeric.
IF(condition, true, false)
For example, you can use the following formula to avoid "NaN" result when using a calculation that may divide by 0:
IF({Page3@Operator1}>0,{Page3@CustomerNet1}/{Page3@Operator1},0)

Camera Region

A Camera Region is used to collect an image. For example, a User can take a photo of a broken piece of equipment that requires repair. By default, the User can take a photo using the device's camera or can import photos from their local photo gallery. The allowed image formats include: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .tif, .tiff, .gif. 

Once you have chosen Camera as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Camera, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Display Tab

Maintain aspect ratio when resizing: This option keeps an image from getting distorted to fit into the whole Region. This is checked by default.


Camera Tab

Allow tablet users to import picture files from a disk:  This option allows Users to import image files from disk. This is checked by default.
Uncheck this option if you don't want Users to have the option to upload existing image files.


Drawing Tool

Available in Mobile Forms 7.0 and higher
Camera Regions can be used to add drawings, shapes, and annotations. The Create Drawing option is available in all Camera Regions as long as the Form Template and the Mobile Forms app  is 7.0 or higher. You do not need to enable any settings in Forms Designer.
See the article on How to Use the Drawing Tool for details on how your Users can create drawings in a Camera Region.

Checkbox Region



A Checkbox Region is used to mark specified values. For example, indicating yes, no or N/A in response to a question. 


Once you have chosen Checkbox as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Checkbox, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Display Tab

Checkbox style: You can select an Ellipse, Filled ellipse, Scalable check, Check, or Circle as the shape to fill your Checkbox Region. For example, you can use an ellipse to circle words on a Form instead of checking a box. The default type is Check.


Checkbox Tab

 

A. Data value - You can edit the value of the checkbox when the Region is checked. By default, the value of a checked checkbox is "checked". An unchecked checkbox has no value.

B. Checkbox is initially checked -  Check this option if you want this checkbox to be checked initially. The User can deselect the value if needed.

C. Grouping - Checkboxes can be grouped together to set conditions for all of the checkboxes in the group. For example, the User must select either Yes, or No, or N/A but can only select one of those options. Only checkboxes in the grouping are affected by the rules set for that grouping. 
  1. This checkbox is part of a group - Check this box if you want to include the Checkbox Region in a group.
  2. Group name - Enter a name for a new group of checkboxes or select an existing group from the drop down if you want to include your checkbox in an existing group. The group name will be displayed during validation if the required number of checkboxes are not checked for that group.
  3. The user must select - You can set rules for the minimum and maximum number of checks required or allowed in a group. For example, if you want the User to check least one location for a work order, you would set your minimum at one and your maximum at one. The User then has to check a location before submitting the Form. If they check a new location, any other location checkbox automatically gets unchecked.

Datasource Region

A Datasource Region provides a drop-down list of options to select a single value from. For example, a User can select a single option from a list of materials.


Once you have chosen Datasource as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Datasource, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. 

Datasource Tab



A. Datasource type - There are six types of Datasources : List, Mapping, Local file list, Local file mapping, and SQL database. Each type is described below. The most commonly used types are List and SQL database.

B. Allow users to enter a new value -  Check this if you want to allow Users to type in a value that is not part of the drop-down list. This is not checked by default.

C. Use zero in calculations if the region is empty - Allows a zero value to be used if this Region value is part of a calculation and the Region is empty. This allows the calculation to be completed if nothing is selected from the drop-down. This is checked by default.

D. Show search field - Allows the User to use the search for the drop-down list on the Form. This is checked by default.

Datasource Type - List

You can use a Datasource List to provide a static list of drop-down options in your Form. For example, you can provide the User a list of state abbreviations to choose from. The list is hard-coded into the Form so this is a good option for data that will not change often. We recommend using a SQL Database type (described below) for data that needs to be updated on a regular basis.

1. Select "List" as the Datasource type.

2. Enter each list item on a separate line. Optionally, you can import your list from an existing text file by clicking on the Import Text File button.


3. Click the OK button.

Datasource Type - SQL Database

You can use a SQL Database Datasource to populate the drop-down values from a Form Data File, typically an Excel file, that is uploaded to the Mobile Forms Portal. The drop-down values available to your Mobile Forms Users are then updated when the Excel file is updated in the Portal. This is a good option for data that changes often and needs to stay current.

For detailed steps on setting up a SQL Database Datasource Region, see the article and video on SQL Datasource Regions.


Datasource Type - Mapping

You can use Datasource Mapping to automatically populate one Region based on the value of another Region in the Form. For example, the zip code can automatically populate when a User selects a location. This data is hard-coded into the Form so this is a good option for data that will not change often. We highly recommend using a SQL Database type for data and relationships that needs to be updated on a regular basis.

1. Select "Mapping" as the Datasource type.

2. Click the  >  button to select the input Region.


3. Select the desired Input Region. 


4. Click OK.

5. Enter the mapping data into the Input and Output columns. Optionally, you can import your mapping data from an existing CSV file by clicking on the Import CSV File button.


If you wish to test your mapping, click the Test button then enter various inputs and use the Lookup button to test your inputs. You can also test your mapped Datasource Regions by using Form Designer Preview Mode.

Datasource Type - Local File List

A Datasource Local File List allows you to populate drop-down options from a file that exists on the local device. 

1. Select "Local file list" as the Datasource type.

2. Enter the file name of the text file. When using Mobile Forms, the file will have to be in the app space on the device's hard drive. 


3. Click OK.

You can test that your list is working as expected by using a sample file saved in your Documents folder and clicking the Test List button.

Datasource Type - Local File Mapping

You can use Datasource Local File Mapping to automatically populate one Region based on the value of another Region from a file that exists on the local device. 

1. Select "Local file mapping" as the Datasource type.

2. Click the  >  button to select the input Region.


3. Enter the filename of the CSV file. When using Mobile Forms, the file will have to be in the app space on the device's hard drive. 

4. Click OK.

You can test that your mapping is working as expected by using a sample file saved in your Documents folder and clicking the Test Mapping button.

Date/Time Region

A Date/Time Region is used to collect date and time values. For example, you can record the date when a Form was started or the date and time a client signed an invoice.


Once you have chosen Checkbox as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Date, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. 

Display Tab

The Display tab for a Date/Time Region is similar to other Region types but includes an additional Format property. Clicking the Format button allows you to choose from the following formats or to create a custom format for displaying the date on your Form. The default format is Short date ( for example, 9/10/2023). 


Date Tab



A. Use the current date and time as the initial value - Check this box to automatically set the Date/Time Region when the Form is first opened. This value can be changed by the User as needed.

B. Enforce minimum value - Check this box and select a beginning date to restrict the earliest date which can be entered.

C. Enforce maximum region value - Check this box and select an ending date to restrict the latest date which can be entered.
 

Document Scan Region

Available in Mobile Forms 7.0 and higher

A Document Scan Region type is similar to a Camera Region type, but has additional cropping and editing options.


Once you have chosen Document Scan as the Region type, you will have the General, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

E-mail Region



An E-mail Region will only allow an e-mail format entry and can be used to automatically send a copy of the Form to the e-mail address in the Region. 


Once you have chosen E-mail as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, E-mail, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article.

E-mail Tab



A. Allow users to enter an e-mail address - Select this option to allow the User to manually type in an e-mail address. This option is selected by default.

B. Use the form sender's e-mail address - Select this option to automatically populate the e-mail of the Mobile Forms App User currently logged in. You can use this option to automatically send a copy of the Form to the User who is submitting the Form if you also check "Include this e-mail address as a Mandatory Recipient" (D).

C. Mirror another region value - Select this option to automatically populate an e-mail address from another Region. For example, if you have a Datasource Region with a list of possible e-mails, you can mirror the e-mail selected by the User and send a copy of the Form to that e-mail if you also check "Include this e-mail address as a Mandatory Recipient" (D).

D. Include this e-mail address as a Mandatory Recipient and generate an e-mail when the Form is sent - You can check this box to include this e-mail address as a Mandatory Recipient when the Form is submitted. This option is not checked by default.

GPS Region



A GPS Region is used to capture and display a GPS location. For example, a User can record the GPS location of a completed delivery.


Once you have chosen GPS as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, GPS and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Display Tab

The Display tab for a GPS Region is similar to other regions but includes an additional GPS format string field. The default format is set as latitude, longitude (i.e. {lat},{lon}).


GPS Tab

The GPS tab allows you to determine when the GPS location is captured.


A.  Update continuously while the form is open - Select this option to receive updated GPS location readings while the Form is open and being completed. The final GPS location will be the one recorded when the Form is submitted. This option is convenient if the User needs current GPS locations while working in the Form. This option is selected by default.

B. Take the initial location when the form is started - Select this option to capture the initial GPS location when the Form is opened.

C. Do not automatically update -  Select this option if you do not want to capture a GPS location unless a condition is met. This option can be used with form scripting to capture GPS when a certain action is performed. For example, the GPS can be populated when a photo is taken or when the User clicks a button.
 

Label Region



A Label Region can be used to display text that cannot be edited by the User. For example, you can display the version number of the Form for reference and the User will not be able to edit the value.


Once you have chosen Label as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Label, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Label Tab

You can type the text that you want displayed into the Label text field. You can leave this field blank if you plan to use scripting to add text to your Form based on specific actions by the User. 


Mirror Text Region



Note: In Forms Designer versions prior to 7.0, this Region type is called "Mirror Region". 

A Mirror Text Region displays the value from another Region on the Form. For example, you can mirror customer information from the first page to the top of all subsequent pages. If the User changes any of the information on the first page, those changes will be mirrored everywhere else.


Once you have chosen Mirror Text as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Mirror and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Mirror Tab

1. Select the Region that you want to mirror the value from.













2. Click the OK button.

Mirror Image Region

Available in Mobile Forms 7.0 and higher

A Mirror Image Region displays an image from another Region (either Camera or Document Scan Regions) on the Form. 


Once you have chosen Mirror Image as the Region type, you will have the General, Mirror and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Mirror Tab

1. Select the Region that you want to mirror the image from. Only Camera or Document Scan Region types will be available.


2. Click the OK button.

Numeric Region



A Numeric Region is used to collect number values. For example, you can display a price or hours worked by an employee. When accessed on a mobile device, the User will be presented with the numeric keyboard.



Once you have chosen Numeric as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Numeric, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. 

Display Tab

The Display tab for a Numeric Region is similar to other Regions but includes an additional Format property. Click the Format button to select from the following formats for displaying the number on the Form. The default format is "Normal" and allows unlimited decimals.


 

Numeric Tab



A. Region only takes whole numbers - Check this option if you want to force the User to enter a whole number. For example, trying to enter 23.56 would not be allowed and an error message would appear.

B. Enforce minimum value - Check this option to set a minimum value. For example, if you set 100 as the minimum value, trying to enter 99 would not be allowed and an error message would appear.

C. Enforce maximum region value - Check this option to set a maximum value. For example, if you set 10 as the maximum value, trying to enter 11 would not be allowed and an error message would appear.

D. Initial value: This field allows you to set an initial value when the User opens the Form. The User will be able change this value as needed.

E. Use zero in calculations if the region is empty: This option uses a value of 0 for any calculation involving this Region if no data is entered. This allows calculations to be completed without error if a value is not required. For example, if there are multiple rows of prices, the total will still work if a price is not entered in every row.

Pen Region



A Pen Region is used to collect signatures or drawings. For example, a User can have a client sign when a job is completed.



Once you have chosen Pen as the Region type, you will have the General, Pen and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Pen Tab



A. Open a fullscreen canvas for drawing - Check this to display a full screen canvas where the User can sign instead of doing so directly on the Form. The signature will automatically adjust to fit in the Region dimensions on the Form. We recommend this option for Pen Regions that will be used for signatures since it makes it much easier to sign.

B. On-page drawing options -  
  1. The region is always enabled for drawing - This option allows the Pen Region to behave like a transparent drawing pad over an image. This is useful for drawing on top of floor plans, grid boxes, and other diagrams. This option is selected by default.
  2. The user must enable the region for drawing: This option requires the User to use a long press to initiate inking in the Region. This can be useful when there are multiple Pen Regions close to each other.

Text Region



A Text Region is used to enter text. For example, a User can type in a street address or general comments. Text Regions may contain alpha-numeric and special characters.
When used on a mobile device, tapping on a Text Region will present the User with a keyboard. Text Regions also support voice-to-text recognition. This feature allows the User to simply narrate text into the Text Region and the Mobile Forms app will convert the User’s speech into text. 

 

Once you have chosen Text as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Text, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. 

Text Tab



A. Limit the maximum text length - Check this option to set the maximum number of characters a User can enter. For example, if you check this option and select 100 then the User will only be able to enter 100 characters in the Region. Spaces, punctuation, symbols, letters and numbers all count as characters. This option is useful for making sure text will fit into the Region and all the text will be visible on the Form.

B. Initial value - You can set an initial value which will be available in this Region when the Form is opened. The User can change this value if needed.

C.  Data type - You can choose between "Any" or "Digits" as the type of data allowed in this Region. The default is "Any" and will allow the User to use the full keyboard. You can choose "Digits" to limit the User to the numeric keyboard on a mobile device.
A text Region with "Digits" selected differs from a Numeric Region in that no formatting is applied. This can be helpful if you want to give Users the option to enter values with leading zeroes.

D. Trim leading and trailing whitespace - Select this option to remove any spaces before the first character and after the last character in a Text Region. This can be helpful when working with databases and making sure names match exactly.

Unique ID Region



The Unique ID region populates a unique number which increments by one each time it is used. For example, you can populate an invoice number each time a new Form is opened. The number is pulled from a Unique ID counter set up in the Mobile Forms Portal so the mobile device does need to be connected in order to access the next Unique ID in the series. For detailed instructions on how to set up a Unique ID Region and counter on the Portal, see the article on Unique ID Regions.


Once you have chosen Unique ID as the Region type, you will have the General, Display, Unique ID, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Display, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

Refer to the article on Unique ID Regions for details on the options available in the Unique ID tab.

Video Region

A Video Region is used to collect a short video. For example, a User can record a video of a completed installation or a broken piece of equipment.
Note: Adding videos to a Form will quickly exceed the default file size limit. Contact your Account Manager to learn about options for increasing the Sent Form file size for your company.


Once you have chosen Video as the Region type, you will have the General, Work Order and Layout tabs available in the Create Region dialog box. The General, Work Order and Layout tabs are available to most Region types and are described in the Creating Regions article. Any grayed-out checkboxes or fields are not available for this Region type.

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