Create an Interactive Custom Form with a Database Table

Tool Search: Custom Form Setup

This guide explains how to upload a PDF as a custom form with a database table. This is a multi-step process with many features and options.

Custom Form Setup Steps

Before you start

Create the PDF form using Adobe Acrobat Pro or Adobe DC. See the Custom Form Creation article for additional information.
Ensure you have the appropriate tool rights for the module(s) you want to create custom forms for.

1: Upload the PDF file

The first step in the custom form creation process is to upload the PDF file and name the form.

2: Prepopulate field selection

3: Configure database table fields

4: Define rules

5: Publish

Enter a Start Date.
(Optional) Enter an End Date.
Click the Publish button.

Publish Step (Default)

Preview Draft Forms

Users can preview Interactive and Interactive with Database Table custom forms in draft status on a person's Forms tool or the module's Documents tool. This preview allows form administrators to troubleshoot and test custom forms before they are published. See the Tool Rights (Custom Forms) document for additional information.

Documents Tool	Forms Tool
Navigate to Student Information > Module > General > Documents > Create New Document/Plan. The Create New Document Wizard displays.Preview Draft Custom Forms Selection Select the Preview Custom Form in Draft Status checkbox. Choose the form from the Select a Form... dropdown. Click the Create Document button. If data selection is applicable on the form, select the prepopulated data for the person. See the Documents tool documentation for additional information on selecting prepopulated data for custom forms. Click the Preview Form button. The draft custom form displays. Hover over or click a fillable field on the custom form. A field properties window displays.	Navigate to Student Information > General > Forms. The Forms List Screen displays. Click the New button dropdown and select the Preview Unpublished Forms option. Preview Unpublished Forms Choose the form from the Select Form to Preview screen. If data selection is applicable on the form, select the prepopulated data for the person. See the Documents tool documentation for additional information on selecting prepopulated data for custom forms. Click the Preview Form button. The draft custom form displays. Hover over or click a fillable field on the custom form. A field properties window displays.

Documents Tool

Forms Tool

Navigate to Student Information > Module > General > Documents > Create New Document/Plan. The Create New Document Wizard displays.Preview Draft Custom Forms Selection
Select the Preview Custom Form in Draft Status checkbox.
Choose the form from the Select a Form... dropdown.
Click the Create Document button.
If data selection is applicable on the form, select the prepopulated data for the person. See the Documents tool documentation for additional information on selecting prepopulated data for custom forms.
Click the Preview Form button. The draft custom form displays.
Hover over or click a fillable field on the custom form. A field properties window displays.

Navigate to Student Information > General > Forms. The Forms List Screen displays.
Click the New button dropdown and select the Preview Unpublished Forms option. Preview Unpublished Forms
Choose the form from the Select Form to Preview screen.
If data selection is applicable on the form, select the prepopulated data for the person. See the Documents tool documentation for additional information on selecting prepopulated data for custom forms.
Click the Preview Form button. The draft custom form displays.
Hover over or click a fillable field on the custom form. A field properties window displays.

Image of a preview draft custom form Field Properties Window

Recommended: Open the Custom Forms module and the Preview screen in two separate browser windows or tabs. Saving changes made to the form using the Custom Forms module can be seen on the Preview screen when the user clicks the Refresh button

State Edition Publish

State Edition users can publish Custom Forms to District Edition. Interactive and Interactive Forms with Database Tables published from the state sync back to the state when saved and locked. Blank Forms can also be pushed down from the State.

Screenshot of the Publish to Districts checkbox on the Publish screen.

Publish to Districts Checkbox (default)

Follow the steps detailed in this article above to upload the custom form. For Interactive Forms, state edition users need to navigate to the Publish step, mark the Publish to Districts checkbox, and then click Finish. It may take a little while for the district to receive the form.

The process is slightly different for Interactive Forms with Database Tables. Before the custom form is published, the Publish to Districts checkbox does not display. The database table must exist first before the form itself can be published to the district. Upload the custom form following the steps detailed in this article above, including completing the Publish step. State Edition users must then go back into the form, navigate to the Publish step, mark the Publish to Districts checkbox, and then click Finish. It may take a little while for the district to receive the form.

These forms can only be deleted at the state level when they have not yet been assigned to a student at the district level. When a State no longer wants a form to be available for the districts, an End Date can be added to the form to make it Inactive.

What's next

Attach the custom form to a student on the Forms tool or the module-specific Documents tool.
Create a new version of the custom form to correct typos, rule changes, etc.
Delete existing custom forms, as needed.