The Groove Forms Tool lets workspace members create records using custom forms which are displayed in custom views. Click Start Here to start creating the design elements of a new Forms tool application. If you want, you can save a Forms tool application as a tool template that you and others can add to any workspace.

Who uses the Groove Forms tool?

Typically there are two types of Groove Forms tool users:

• Forms tool designers. Forms tool designers create a workspace that includes a Forms tool, and define design objects such as fields, forms, and views to be used for collecting and displaying data records. Once a Forms tool contains at least one form and view, it is ready for contributors (invited workspace members) to add records using the forms in the design, and then sort and analyze them in one or more data views.

The Forms tool designer might invite people to become members of the workspace in which the Forms tool is originally created, and in which he or she is also a member. Alternatively, the Forms tool designer might save the Forms application as a new tool template to be distributed or made public.

• Forms tool users. Forms tool users are any Groove users who are invited to a workspace that contains a tool created using a Forms tool. Their task is usually to create records by filling out the custom forms created by the Forms designer.

For example, employees in a workgroup might be invited to a workspace with a custom "Status Report" tool, that is, a workspace that contains a Forms tool with a form designed for filling out status reports.

How custom Form Designs evolve

Every Groove Forms Tool begins with an idea for a custom application. A Forms tool application developer creates the custom tool in the Forms tool's "design sandbox" based on a set of requirements. He or she does the following procedures:

• Creates a workspace that includes a Forms tool.
• Creates and tests the required fields, forms, and views. As part of the process, the Forms designer might add a variety of programmatic features using scripts and macros, where needed.
• Invites members to the workspace so that they can create records and/or saves the Forms tool or workspace as a template to be made available to a "customer" who has requested the Forms tool application.

For example, a Human Resources department might want to collect information on job candidates in a "Hiring Requisition" Forms application. Employees in the department might design the Forms application themselves, or they might enlist a Forms designer to build the application for them to their specifications. In this case, the Forms designer can create the required forms and views in the Forms tool workspace, save the workspace or tool as a template, and then make the template file available perhaps by email, by posting it on a file server, or by adding it to a Files tool in a workspace. The Human Resources employee can then browse for the workspace template when creating a new workspace, or browse for the tool template in existing workspaces.

About designing an application with the Groove Forms Tool

Forms tool applications are created in the Forms tool "design sandbox." Only workspace members who have the Designer Access permission can access and make changes in the design sandbox. By default, workspace managers have Designer Access.

The Forms design sandbox is a rich and flexible environment that allows multiple workspace members to contribute to the design of an application. For example, one member might add all the fields to be used in forms, and another might add and layout these fields on the forms. The only limitation imposed on multiple users is that only one at a time is permitted to access the design sandbox. However, multiple users can work on their own, individual versions of a Forms design, as described below.

Groove Forms and Web Services

A Web service is available for use with the Forms tool. This Web service comes with full create, read, update and delete methods for accessing Forms records. Usage scenarios for the forms Web service may range from integrating structured data from other enterprise applications or databases with Groove, to building a stand-alone local application that makes use of Groove services and the forms data engine while controlling the user interface. For more information, see the Forms Programming Documentation.

Working with a "design sandbox"

When you open the design sandbox, the design objects you see represent a copy of the live design. It is a place where you can preview design changes without sharing them with other workspace members until all changes are completed. All changes made in the design sandbox remain local on your computer until you take an action to either publish your changes or discard your changes. You can exit the design sandbox (or even exit Groove) and return to it later to continue to making changes.

When you publish changes you've made in the design sandbox, you return to the data view of the Forms tool where you can see the effects of your design changes. Additionally, all design updates are sent to other workspace members for use with the Forms tool application. Workspace members who have Designer access can subsequently open the Forms designer, creating a new design sandbox, and view the updated design objects.

Once you create a design sandbox, you cannot see design changes published by other workspace members until you first close the sandbox, either by publishing or discarding it, and then creating a new design sandbox. Keep in mind, however, that changes made by other members might overwrite changes that you publish and vice versa. For example, if two people update the same design element such as the properties of a form field, the last person who publishes their changes overwrites the changes from the person who published earlier. Forms tool designers should be aware of the risks associated with having multiple people updating the design. Make sure that they communicate effectively about what parts of the design they are updating, and thus avoid overwriting each other's updates.

Getting others' design updates into your design sandbox

If you are already working in a design sandbox, but you want to see design updates published by other people in your sandbox, do the following:

1. Open the Forms design sandbox.
2. Publish or discard your design changes.
3. Re-open the Forms design sandbox.

Forms tool design objects

Forms tool applications have two main design objects: forms and views. Forms are used for collecting data from members of a workspace. Views are used for presenting this data to all members of the workspace. Additionally, you can add features to a Forms tool application using scripts, styles, and macros.

Form objects

A form consists of a variety of fields, depending on the information to be collected. For example, there may be fields for entering text, selecting an item from a list, checking a Yes/No option, and many others.

Each type of field has a corresponding set of editable properties that allow you to provide guidance or set rules for people who use the forms. For example, you can place an initial value in a text field, set limits for the number of characters in a field, or make a field required.

With the Forms tool, any field you create in one form gets stored in a field library. The stored field is then available for adding to any other form in the Forms tool in the current workspace. For example, if you create a "Last Name" field in one form, you can then add this field to other forms within the same Forms tool.

Even if you delete a form, all unique fields created in that form remain available to include in other forms you create.

View objects

Views show the data collected in records and give workspace members ways to sort and interpret the data. For example, suppose you created a form for collecting administrative data about employees. The form in that case might have fields for employees to enter their first name, last name, department name, manager's name, office and phone numbers, equipment serial numbers, and so on. In this case you might have several views. One might sort the data by last name, another by department name, another by manager's name, and so on.

A forms designer can set two different "modes" for a view:

• View mode. Records are displayed in table columns where each column represents one form field. The designer selects the fields to be displayed as view columns and optionally sets up sorting options for each column.
• Document mode. Records are displayed one at a time in the Forms viewer. The designer can select specific field values to be listed in the View menu. For example, if a Forms tool contained a unique record for every employee in the company, you might decide to list the values in a "Last Name" field in the View menu.

Scripts

You can add script code using JavaScript or VBScript to a selected form and produce effects that go beyond the standard features currently provided in the Forms tool. For example, you might use script code to hide or show a set of fields depending on a user action.

You can also add script code to a Script button on a form.

Styles

You can apply different styles to any selected form. Styles affect form background settings as well as all text style settings such as those applied to field labels.

Macros

Macros allow Forms tool users to run processes on all or selected records in a data view. Typically, macros are used to update field information in a set of records.