Custom Volunteer Forms

PawPlacer allows you to create customized volunteer application forms that match your organization's specific needs. This guide walks you through creating, editing, and managing custom volunteer forms.

Understanding Form Structure

Custom forms in PawPlacer are organized into two main components:

1. Sections: Logical groupings of related fields (e.g., "Personal Information," "Experience," "Availability")
2. Fields: Individual questions or data points within each section

This structure helps keep your forms organized and user-friendly.

Accessing Form Settings

To begin creating or editing custom forms:

1. Navigate to Settings > Volunteer Form
2. You'll see your current form configuration with options to create new forms or edit existing ones

Creating a Custom Form Template

To create a new form template:

1. From the Volunteer Form settings, click "Create New Template"
2. Enter a name for your template (e.g., "General Volunteer Application")
3. Click "Create Template"
4. Your new blank template will appear, ready for customization

Building Your Form

Adding Sections

Sections help organize your form into logical groups:

1. Click the "Add Section" button
2. Enter a section name (e.g., "Personal Details" or "Volunteer Interests")
3. Click "Save" to create the section
4. New sections will appear in your form structure

Adding Fields to Sections

To add questions or data fields to your sections:

1. Locate the section where you want to add a field
2. Click the "Add Field" button within that section
3. Configure the field properties:

• Field Type: Choose from the dropdown menu
• Label: The question or prompt shown to applicants
• Required: Toggle whether the field must be completed
• Description: Optional help text or instructions
• Placeholder: Example text shown in empty fields
• Options: For select/multiselect fields, add the available choices

4. Click "Add" to save the field to your section

Field Type Options

PawPlacer supports various field types for different data needs:

• Text: For names, simple answers, or general text responses
• Email: Specifically formatted for email addresses with validation
• Phone: Formatted for phone numbers with proper validation
• Number: For numeric responses only
• Date: For selecting dates from a calendar picker
• Checkbox: For yes/no or true/false questions
• Select: For single selections from a dropdown list of options
• Textarea: For longer text responses like essays or explanations
• Time: For selecting specific times

Choose the appropriate type for each piece of information you need to collect.

Organizing Your Form

To create a logical flow for applicants:

Reordering Sections

1. Locate the section you want to move
2. Use the up/down arrows or drag handle to change its position
3. The form will update automatically

Reordering Fields

1. Within a section, locate the field you want to move
2. Use the up/down arrows or drag handle to change its position
3. The field order will update automatically

Editing Existing Fields

To modify a field you've already created:

1. Find the field you want to edit
2. Click on the field or the edit icon
3. Make your desired changes to any of the field properties
4. Click "Save Field" to update the field

Removing Fields or Sections

If you need to remove content from your form:

Deleting a Field

1. Locate the field you want to remove
2. Click the three-dot menu or delete icon next to the field
3. Select "Delete" from the options
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Deleting a Section

1. Locate the section you want to remove
2. Click the three-dot menu or delete icon next to the section name
3. Select "Delete" from the options
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted
5. Note: Deleting a section will also delete all fields within it

Setting a Default Template

If you have multiple form templates, you can choose which one is used for new applications:

1. From the Volunteer Form settings page, view your list of templates
2. Next to your preferred template, click "Set as Default"
3. This template will now be used for all new volunteer applications

Testing Your Form

Before publishing, it's wise to test your custom form:

1. Save all your form changes
2. Navigate to Volunteers > Application Link
3. Copy the application link
4. Open the link in a new browser window or incognito mode
5. Complete the form as if you were an applicant
6. Submit the test application
7. Check your Volunteers list to ensure the application was received correctly
8. Verify all fields display as expected in the volunteer profile

Making Your Form Live

Once you're satisfied with your custom form:

1. Ensure it's set as the default template
2. Share your application link with potential volunteers
3. New applicants will now see and use your custom form

Managing Multiple Form Templates

For organizations with different volunteer programs:

1. Create separate templates for each program (e.g., general volunteers, event volunteers, foster program assistants)
2. Toggle between templates as needed when recruiting for specific programs
3. Set the appropriate template as default during different recruitment periods

Form Template Management

To manage your collection of templates:

1. Navigate to Settings > Volunteer Form
2. You'll see a list of all your created templates
3. From here, you can:

• Edit any template
• Delete templates you no longer need
• Create new templates
• Set your default template

Best Practices for Custom Forms

For effective volunteer applications:

1. Keep it focused: Only ask for information you truly need
2. Group logically: Organize related questions into clear sections
3. Use appropriate field types: Choose field types that match the data you're collecting
4. Provide help text: Add explanations for questions that might be unclear
5. Test thoroughly: Have multiple people test your form before publishing
6. Review regularly: Periodically assess if your form is gathering all needed information

Following these practices will help you create effective volunteer application forms that collect the information you need while providing a positive experience for applicants.