Building Data Forms That Connect to Your Database

Data Forms

The most efficient way to manage content is through the web console. You can create data forms to do the same thing without logging in to Brick River - but why? There are numerous scenarios in which you may want a contact to access and edit records - but you don't want to make every contact a user and give them access to the web console. 

For example, a large non-profit organization has 1000 volunteers. They like volunteers to submit short articles for their volunteer news page. A data form allows them to submit an article which won't appear on the site until it has been approved. An editor gets an email alert so they know that new articles are waiting to be approved and published. 

If the same organization needs to verify contact information for volunteers each year. Rather than solicit the information and update each record using the web console, a data form can be sent via email to each volunteer. They can edit their own contact information and an administrator gets an email alert when each form is submitted.

Step 1 - Create a Data Form

  1. On the Admin menu, click Data Form. A screen displays existing saved forms. 
  2. Click New to create a new form.
    1. @BRT.DataHelper(): This is used to add links to pages and layouts to launch the data form in a browser. For example, in the screenshot above, the sample Helper:  @BRT.DataLink(254) can be pasted into the source code that renders the navigation bar in our page layout.
    2. Title: Enter a descriptive title for the form.
    3. View: Select the view that defines the fields to be presented on the form. Refer to the administrator guide for details regarding <Relationship> fields included in the view.
    4. Branded Template: Select the template to be used for styling the View.  (Templates configured on the Reg Menu -> Design Templates)
    5. Email for notification: Enter the email address to be notified when a form is submitted by a web user.
    6. Confirmation Text: Enter the confirmation text presented to the user following a submittal.
    7. Redirect (must be full URL): Enter the target URL following submittal. This must begin with 'http' or 'https' and include a complete URL. To add the record Id to the URL use  [[ConfirmId]] to insert the record Id.
    8. Header, Footer: Enter the content of the header and footer for the form.
    9. Add captcha to protect form from bots: Add a captcha field to the form (recommended).
    10. Inactive: Toggle Yes to prevent the use of the form.
    11. Emailable: Toggle Yes to enable the form to be sent via the Brick River Email blaster.
    12. RunAs: Select the user account to be used when unauthenticated users complete the form.
    13. Activity, and Jump To: Click on these buttons to perform the desired actions.
  3. Once you have finished with the data form, click Save to save the record, or click Return to go back to the previous page. When you click the link, you open the Submit News Article form.