How to create forms in SharePoint: A Comprehensive Guide

Planning forms in SharePoint

When planning forms in SharePoint, the right form type, understanding form requirements and outlining the form content are crucial. With the right form type, you can ensure that the form functions are optimised for your requirements. Understanding form needs will help you filter unnecessary information and get a clear understanding of your SharePoint form goals. Outlining the form content gives you clear guidance on what information should be added.

Choosing the right type of form

Choosing the right form for SharePoint is essential. Here are six points to help you choose the right one:

• Clarify business requirements
• Analyse user behaviour
• Check data record requirements
• Understanding process flows
• Assess security and access authorisations
• Consider future scalability targets

SharePoint offers many forms such as surveys, customised lists, quizzes and submission forms. According to the official Microsoft website, companies save 3.5 hours a week by using electronic forms compared to paper forms.

Understanding form requirements

When creating forms in SharePoint, it is important to understand the user requirements. This can help you create an intuitive and effective form that optimises their workflow. This information will determine design decisions such as fields, formatting and validation. A complete understanding of user needs ensures that the form meets expectations and works well.

Outline form content

When creating forms in SharePoint, it is important to outline the content. Think about which fields you need, where they belong and what happens when the form is submitted. Don't forget to add validation checks.

Creating customised lists in SharePoint

To create custom lists in SharePoint for efficient data management, you need to understand the process of list creation along with some important subsections - setting list box properties and configuring list settings.

Understanding the list creation process

Lists are crucial in SharePoint. They make it easier to collect, store and share information. It is important to understand how to create a list in order to use SharePoint effectively.

Setting list field properties

Choose the right field type! The options range from single-line or multi-line texts, selection, date and time, yes/no, reference to another list and much more. Create a naming convention for display names and internal names across the lists. Each field type has its own properties that need to be taken into account.

Configuration of the list settings

When configuring a custom list in SharePoint, the list settings are crucial for a smooth experience. Change the general settings to ensure optimal view selection and item behaviour. Finally, change the authorisation levels to grant access to the selected users.

Adding form elements

To add form elements in SharePoint, you need to know the different form control types. By selecting the appropriate forms, you can create a professional looking and functional form. Another way to improve the appearance of the form is to add the form web part. You can change the settings of the form web part to achieve the desired result.

Selection of form control types

For web forms, choosing the right control type is a must. Radio buttons are ideal for mutually exclusive selection options.

Adding a form web part

Open the website in SharePoint Online to which you want to add the form web part. Click on "Edit" to continue. Click on "Insert" at the top, followed by "Web Part".

Changing the form web part settings

Changing the settings of a form web part is crucial when configuring a SharePoint site. Follow these four simple steps to do so:

Customise form styles in SharePoint

To customise form styles in SharePoint with style elements, custom cascading stylesheets (CSS) and custom themes for forms, the solution is found. With these subsections, you can customise the look of SharePoint forms to suit your brand and style preferences.

Style elements for forms

Make your form something special by adjusting the text colour, font size and background colour. You can control the positioning and spacing of fields with CSS properties such as padding and margins. Images and icons make your form visually appealing. Create a form that reflects the personality of your brand.

Using custom cascading stylesheets (CSS)

Cascading stylesheets (CSS) can customise your SharePoint form! Change the layout, font, colours and positioning without changing the HTML. Test your CSS changes for functionality.

Creating customised themes for forms

By creating custom themes for SharePoint forms, user experiences can be improved and customised to match branding. CSS can quickly customise form styles, and in-built classes facilitate consistency across forms.

Making forms accessible to users

To make your SharePoint forms accessible to all users, it is important to set the form authorisations correctly.

Setting form authorisations

To ensure that your forms are accessible to users, you must set the correct form authorisations. Authorisations help to protect sensitive information. It is important to remember that any anonymous user with access permissions can change form data.

Configure user access

To configure user access for your forms, do the following:

Testing and publishing forms in SharePoint

Testing and publishing forms in SharePoint is essential for user accessibility. Here is a guide:

Frequently asked questions

Q: How do I create a form in SharePoint?

A: To create a form in SharePoint, navigate to your site and click on the gear icon in the top right corner. Then click on "Add an app" and select "Custom list" or "Custom library".

Q: What are some best practices for creating forms in SharePoint?

A: Some best practices for creating forms in SharePoint include keeping the form simple and easy to use, avoiding too many required fields, and using conditional formatting to guide users through the form.

Q: How can I customise the look and feel of my SharePoint form?

A: To customise the look and feel of your SharePoint form, navigate to the "Form Web Parts" section and click on "Standard Edit Form". Click on "Edit file" to open the form in SharePoint Designer.