New Form Customization Option Manual Layout

Now there is new way to customize form layouts in Ultimate Forms that allows for precise layout and positioning of fields.

We put together a step-by-step example to demonstrate how to use this functionality here:

» Manual Form Layout Step By Step

What makes this type of customization useful? Glad you asked!

Sometimes forms are required to be set up with precise positioning in a way that is intuitive to users based on along established process.

Especially in the case that there is print output related to the form.

In our tutorial, we show an example of creating a customer Purchase Order Form in which the web form matches the print form.

This allows for a more intuitive process in which is easy to see where the fielded data goes in the form.

I can think of many common types of forms that are usually printed out or handled by PDF Templates or Excel Templates that could be brought into SharePoint and use this specialized kind of form layout.

Examples of forms that would be good to build using Manual Layout include:

• Mileage Forms
• Expense Reports
• Timesheets
• Customer Return Form
• RMA Form
• Shipping Related Forms

Just about any kind of form that needs to be printed.

Admittedly, one challenge in doing these kinds of forms is that it required working with some HTML markup.

Sorry folks - there is no way around that! I have found that the easiest approach is to work offline writing up your HTML tables in text editor like Notepad++.

By doing this, you can simply copy and paste your code from your text editor into the code editor window in the configuration screen.

It's easy to check your results. I like to have two tabs open - one with the SharePoint form, and the other with the Infowise configuration screen.

I will incrementally update and refresh both screens checking my results as I go. In this way, I can easily see whether I am on track and make adjustments as needed.

I found the process of creating a form using Manual Layout to be extremely similar to the process of Advanced Print Layout.

(We have tutorials on how to do both in our tutorials section!)

It is extremely likely based on what I described that you are going to want to do an Advanced Print Template which will correspond to the form.

What is really convenient is that you will be able to reuse a lot of your HTML structure from the Manual Form Layout in the Advanced Print Template.

Although it takes some extra effort, I really can appreciate the precise level of control that you gain with forms created using this approach.

It's nice to be able to have advanced options, so that when you have a business requirement that demands a high level of customization you are able to deliver what the business requires.

I'm always looking to expand my SharePoint toolbox, and this functionality is yet another way that I can do that!