Formstack 

Formstack is LSU's new digital form solution. If you would like gain access to Formstack, please fill out the form by clicking the Request Access button.

Forms

  1. In your Formstack folder, click the "Create" button
  2. Select the type of form you would like to create 
  3. Enter a name for your workflow form (this will automatically generate your URL)
  4. [OPTIONAL] You can rename the URL of the form 
  5. On the Save to Folder dropdown menu, select your department folder
  6. Click "Start with blank Workflow instead" or you can start with a the pre-built form templates that Formstack has provided

To add a field, go to the Build tab and drag and drop the form field into the form builder area.

To edit a field, select the field and the field editor will appear on the left sidebar.

To delete a field, select the field and click the trash can icon on the left sidebar or at the top right of the field.

To copy a field, hover over the field and click the two pages icon at the top right of the field to duplicate your field.

To move a field, hover over the field and click the directional arrows icon at the top right of the field to reorder your form. You can also use the "Reorder Content" in the form editor to easily rearrange form fields.

You can find more details about Add, Edit, Delete, Copy, Move Fields here.

What sections are used for: 

  • Add headings and/or description to a set of fields
  • Create a new page on a multi-page form
  • Change the layout on some fields without changing the layout of the entire form
  1. In your form under the Layout and Sections, drag and drop the section element into your form 
  2. Click on the section in your form to make the section's setting to appear on the left
  3. [OPTIONAL] Enter a heading for the section
  4. [OPTIONAL] Check the box for "Start a new page" if needed
  5. [OPTIONAL] Click on "Edit Section Heading Content" 
    1. Enter the description or explanatory text for this section
    2. Click the "Save" button
  6. [OPTIONAL] In the Columns section, select the number of columns you need for this section
  7. Drag and drop existing or additional field elements you would like into this section

You can find more details about Sections here.

Conditional Logic allows you to show or hide a field or an entire section based on what the user selects for a select list, checkbox, radio, number, event, or date/time field.

  1. Navigate to the form in Formstack
  2. Add a quantifiable field (select list, checkbox, radio, number, event, or date/time field)
  3. Add a field or section that will appear based on the user selection from the quantifiable field
  4. Select the field or section
  5. Click the Logic tab 
  6. Click "Add Rule"
  7. Select the logic rules based on how you would like the user to answer for the field or section to display

You can find more details about Conditional Logic here and Section Conditional Logic here.

  1. Navigate to the form in Formstack
  2. In the "Settings" tab, select "Emails & Actions"
  3. Under "Confirmation Emails", click "Edit"
  4. [OPTIONAL] In the "Email Name" field, type the email name you would like to name this confirmation email (this will not display in the email)
  5. In the "Email From" field, type the "Name" and "Email Address" you would like the email to be sent from (example: "First Last" <email@lsu.edu>)
  6. In the "To" field, select "Email"
  7. In the "Subject" field, type the subject of the email
  8. Select whether you would like to send to email immediately or delayed 
  9. In the "Contents" section, select one of the option listed: "All Submitted Data", "Custom Message"
    • All Submitted Data will send an email of all submitted data from the submitted form
    • Custom Message will send a customized email
      • Type your custom message in the text editor
      • In the Form Field Panel, drag and drop specific data from the form to appear in your custom message
  10. [OPTIONAL] If "All Submitted Data" is selected, select one of the "Content Options"
  11. If "Custom Message" is selected, type the message you would like to send the user to confirm that the form was submitted
    • To include their input values, drag and drop the form field elements you would like to include in the "Message" text box
  12. [OPTIONAL] In the "Attachment Options", check the "PDF Attachment" check box if you would like to include their submitted pdf in the email
  13. Save Confirmation Email

You can find more details about Confirmation Emails here.

  1. Navigate to the form in Formstack
  2. In the "Settings" tab, select "Emails & Actions"
  3. Under "Notification Emails", click "Edit"
  4. [OPTIONAL] In the "Email Name" field, type the email name you would like to name this notification email (this will not display in the email)
  5. In the "To" field, type the email you would like to send the submitted forms to
  6. In the "Subject" field, type the subject of the email
  7. In the "Contents" section, select one of the option listed: "All Submitted Data", "Link to Submitted Data", "Custom Message"
    • All Submitted Data will send an email of all submitted data from the submitted form
    • Link to Submitted Data will send an email with a link to the submitted form on the Formstack site
    • Custom Message will send a customized email
      • Type your custom message in the text editor
      • In the Form Field Panel, drag and drop specific data from the form to appear in your custom message
  8. [OPTIONAL] If "All Submitted Data" is selected, select one of the "Content Options"
  9. In the "Message Format" section, select "HTML Rich Content" or "Plain Text"
    • HTML Rich Content will stylized the form submission email
  10. [OPTIONAL] In the "Attachment Options", check the "PDF Attachment" check box if you would like to include their submitted pdf in the email
  11. [OPTIONAL] In the "File Upload Files", select "Never" or a file size limit if you want the uploaded file to be sent under a certain limit
  12. Save Notification Email

You can find more details about Notification Emails here.

  1. Log into Formstack
  2. Click on the form you want to embed

  3. Click the "Share" tab in the upper right

  4. Under the Quick Start section, copy the code under the label "Embed this form on your website (JavaScript)"

  5. Log into Omni

  6. In the Omni navigation, click the "Content" tab

  7. Select "Assets"

  8. Click the "New" button

  9. Click the Source Code option to create a new Source Code Asset

    1. In the name of your Asset, include your Department or Unit name or acronym, the name of the form, and "Formstack" to make it easy to locate in the future.

  10. Paste the copied code from Formstack into the Asset Content area

  11. Click the "Create" button

  12. Navigate to the page you want to add the asset to

  13. Select the "Edit" tab

  14. Select "Edit Main Content"

  15. Place your cursor where you want the asset to reside

  16. In the toolbar, click on the "Insert Asset" icon (looks like two arrows)

  17. Type in the name of your asset in the “Filter by name” text field

  18. Click the “Insert” button

  19. Save

  20. Publish

To Login:

  1. Go to: lsu.formstack.com 
  2. Click the Log in option in the top right and select “Forms”. You will be logging in through LSU’s SSO.

Login Troubleshooting:

  1. Make sure you are logging into lsu.formstack.com
  2. Close all windows of your browser, then reopen the browser and try logging in again. Or open up an incognito window. This insures that you are not logged into another account that doesn't have access to Formstack.
  3. If you are unsure of which email is tied to your Formstack account, please email wmcs@lsu.edu and we can check our records.

Workflow Forms

Workflows are meant for internal department/unit use only.

Workflow forms allow you to create a form where multiple users can participate in filling out the form. You can control what parts of the form each person can view and edit. If you would like to set up workflow participants for your workflow form, please contact wcms@lsu.edu

  1. In your Formstack folder, click the "Create" button
  2. Select the "Workflow" option
  3. Enter a name for your workflow form (this will automatically generate your URL)
  4. [OPTIONAL] You can rename the URL of the form 
  5. On the Save to Folder dropdown menu, select your department folder
  6. Click "Start with blank Workflow instead" or you can start with a the pre-built form templates that Formstack has provided
  7. Build out your form (Sections are recommended in this type of form so you can break off each section to different Workflow participants)
  8. After you have finished building out your form, click the Workflow tab on the top left 
  9. In the Workflow editor, you will start out with the Entry Step (this step is for the first person who fills out the form which initializes the workflow process) 
  10. For the Entry Step in the Sections tab, assign one or more sections you would like the submitter to fill out 
  11. [OPTIONAL] Add a conditional logic if needed
  12. Add a new step by clicking the plus icon
  13. Enter a name for this step
  14. In the "Participant Filling Out This Step" section, select the Formstack User (Workflow Participant) you would like to assign this section to 
  15. Assign one or more sections you would like the user to view or edit (For example: they should view the first section that the first person submitted and edit the second section that approves this submission)
  16. [OPTIONAL] Add a conditional logic if needed
  17. Repeat this step 12 if you need more Workflow participants to view or edit the form
  18. After you have the workflow process set up, click "Save Settings" then "Publish Workflow"

You can find more information about Workflow Forms here.

Both Workflow and standard forms can be copied into a workflow form but a workflow form cannot be coped into a standard form.

  1. In your folder directory, select the form you would like to recreate as a workflow form
  2. Hover over the "Copy" option
  3. Select "As a Workflow Form"

  1. Build out your form
  2. Click the Workflow tab on the top left 
  3. In the Workflow editor, you will start out with the Entry Step (this step is for the first person who fills out the form which initializes the workflow process) 
  4. For the Entry Step in the Sections tab, assign one or more sections you would like the submitter to fill out 
  5. [OPTIONAL] Add a conditional logic if needed
  6. Add a new step by clicking the plus icon
  7. Enter a name for this step
  8. In the "Participant Filling Out This Step" section, select the Formstack User (Workflow Participant) you would like to assign this section to 
  9. Assign one or more sections you would like the user to view or edit (For example: they should view the first section that the first person submitted and edit the second section that approves this submission)
  10. [OPTIONAL] Add a conditional logic if needed
  11. Repeat this step 12 if you need more Workflow participants to view or edit the form
  12. After you have the workflow process set up, click "Save Settings" then "Publish Workflow"

You can find more information about Workflow Forms here.

GDPR Compliance

In order to be compliant with GDPR, there is certain consent language that must be acknowledged with a check box on all web forms that collect personal data.  The consent language must indicate the types of data collected, how the data is used/shared, how long the data is retained, and a link to our privacy policy. Personal data is anything that can be used to identify an individual (including name & email). Once you draft the consent language for your form, please send it to privacy@lsu.edu for IT Security to review.

Consent Language Template

I authorize that all information provided on this application, including any and all (insert data types here) data may be shared with (insert sharing partners here) to (insert sharing purpose here). This data will be retained for (insert timeframe here).

To learn more about privacy at LSU, please see the LSU Privacy Statement

This example would be something that may appear on a student admissions form:

I authorize that all information provided on this form, including any and all personal, financial and academic data may be shared with the LSU Admissions Department and Analytics Partners to facilitate the recruiting process. This data will be securely retained indefinitely.  To learn more about privacy at LSU, please see the LSU Privacy Statement.

To add the consent language to a form:

  1. When you are within editing mode for the form, add a "Description Area" form field.
  2. Insert your consent language within the text box, then use the editor to link the "LSU Privacy Statement" text to the privacy page: https://www.lsu.edu/privacy/
  3. Beneath the Instructional Text form element, add a "Checkbox" form field. Set it to have only one checkbox, and the text next to the checkbox to say "I Authorize". Set the element to be required.