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AI skills

Shared form from a collection

Create a collection for the answers, a CRM form on that collection, set who may fill it in, and share it by link or invitation.

Use this when someone wants answers collected into their own record type — so each submission is a proper record they can list, filter, report on and automate — rather than loose form submissions.

Ask first

  • What is it for, and what should each answer hold? (the fields — name, email, the questions, any file uploads)
  • Who fills it in? Anyone with the link, people with a code, or only invited people.
  • Who gets it now, if anyone? The email addresses to invite. Never guess recipients.
  • Should staff be told of each submission? (an email to the form's notify address, or a workflow)

Steps

1. Collection builder — the record type for the answers

Create a collection named for the answers (e.g. staff_onboarding, title "Staff onboarding"). Add one field per question:

  • short text, long text, email, phone, date, select (with its options), yes/no
  • file uploads for documents, photos, video or audio (a file field; allow multiple when they may send several)
  • mark the fields that must be filled as required

Hands on: the collection's name. Check: open the collection in the Collection builder; every field is there with the right type.

2. CRM Forms — the form on that collection

Create a CRM form (CRM → Forms → New) and in Setup choose the collection from step 1. Its fields come from the collection — don't retype them.

  • Access tab: who may submit —
    • open: anyone with the link;
    • code: anyone with the access code;
    • participants: only the invited people. For staff or applicants, participants is usual. Set sign-in (authenticationType) if they must prove who they are (magic link or code by email).
  • Messages tab: the thank-you text, and the notify email for staff if asked.
  • Dates: an opening/closing date if it has a deadline.

Hands on: the form's id and its share link. Check: open the form on its own screen; preview it; fill it in once as a test (use a @test.local address) and confirm the answer appears as a record in the collection from step 1. Delete the test record.

3. Share it

  • By link: give the person the share link from step 2.
  • By invitation: add the people as participants on the form and send the invitation email.

Stop: before sending invitations, show the list of addresses and the email text, and wait for yes. Invitations go to real people.

Check: the form's participants list shows each invited person.

When it's done

Tell the person: the collection (where answers land), the form (and its link), who can fill it in, and who was invited. Open the form on its own screen.