Repeatable Sections: Building Repeatable Sections
Contents
About
Repeatable Sections allow users to enter a variable number of entries for the same set of questions—typically used for entering things like parts, labor, or material line items.
Entered line items are laid out in a summary table view, making it easy for mobile users to review their work.
Repeatable sections are easily configured in the Form Builder
The Form Builder is the tool that form designers use to create forms. In the Form Builder, accessed from the ProntoForms Web Portal, form designers can add and edit pages, sections, and questions, as well as attach data destinations and configure the form's settings.. This article describes how to add, edit, and delete Repeatable Sections and associated questions/features in the Form Builder.
Videos
Review the video below for a demonstration of Repeatable Sections in the mobile app.
Review the video below for instructions on adding a Repeatable Section to a form.
Create a Repeatable Section
Go to the place in your form where you would like to add a Repeatable Section; this can be after a Regular
Select Add a Section.
Choose Repeatable as the section type.
Name the section, and optionally customize the Unique Identifier. Read more about general section properties here. Then, select Save.
The Repeatable Section will be created. It will be easily identifiable by the table view.
Tip:When you add a Repeatable Section to your form, the system creates a Regular Section inside the Repeatable Section. When you enter the Repeatable Section, you can add more sections Side-by-Side Sections display questions and answers in a condensed, two-column layout. This can make it easier and faster for field users to scan, complete, and confirm the answers in a form.. The section type determines the layout when a user opens a row (entry)
Editing a Repeatable Section's Information
To edit a Repeatable Section's Information, simply select the 
menu icon next to the section name and select Edit. Here, you will be able to edit any options selected in the initial creation of the section.
Deleting a Repeatable Section
To delete a Repeatable Section, select the menu icon next to the section day and select Edit. At the bottom of the settings and options page, select Delete Section.
Copying a Repeatable Section
Copying a Repeatable Section can be done directly through the menu icon and selecting Copy Section. This will also copy any Conditional Logic contained within the Repeatable Section, but will not copy any Conditional Logic referring to or originating from outside the section.
Anatomy of a Repeatable Section
Repeatable Sections appear as clean, easily read and managed sections on your mobile users' devices. This is an image from the Android client, demonstrating a filled-out Repeatable Section:
For more information on each of these parts, please read:
- Building a Summary Table
- Building a Repeatable Section Footer
- Configure Repeatable Section Settings
Create & Manage Questions in a Repeatable Section
Navigate into a Repeatable Section
Find your Repeatable Section.
Select Edit Summary Table or Questions to open your Repeatable Section.
You will now be "inside" the Repeatable Section.
All sections and questions listed on the right panel are inside of the Repeatable Section.
How to identify that you are in a Repeatable Section
- The "breadcrumbs" in the title show the name of the main form, then the name of the Repeatable Section you are currently in.
- The form building tab says Repeatable Section Builder.
- The Return to Main Form button at the top of the left navigation menu.
- The nested left navigation menu (showing the sections inside of your Repeatable Section).
- The Summary Table Designer at the top of the right panel.
To exit the Repeatable Section, select Return to Main Form, or select anywhere outside of the Repeatable Section in the left navigation.
Add Questions to a Repeatable Section
Creating, editing, and managing questions inside of your Repeatable Section is done on the right panel. All the interactions are identical to adding these items into your main form, except for the following restrictions.
Pushing Information to Other Questions
You can configure some question types to populate answers in other questions. This functionality has some restrictions in Repeatable Sections.
Questions inside of a Repeatable Section can only push answers into other questions inside of the same Repeatable Section (including Repeatable Sections nested within the current one).
Questions that are outside of the Repeatable Section, but come before it, can push information into questions that are in Repeatable Sections.
When you use the Router Setup property, the following limitations apply:
- A source question in a regular section can’t route data to questions in a Repeatable Section, except for questions in the footer.
- A source question in a Repeatable Section can only route data to target questions within the same Repeatable Section.
- A source question in a nested Repeatable Section can only route data to target questions within the same nested Repeatable Section.
- A question in the footer of a Repeatable Section can’t route data to any question in the form.
Referencing Other Questions
Many types of questions, like Calculations, String Concatenation, or filtering of Dropdown questions, use references to previous answers in the form. There are some restrictions around this functionality and Repeatable Sections.
- A question in a Repeatable Section can reference back to:
- Previous questions in the same Repeatable Section.
- Previous footer questions in the same Repeatable Section.
- Questions one level up (i.e., in the main form) that come before the Repeatable Section.
How Many Questions can I have in a Repeatable Section?
There is no specific limit, but keep in mind that questions in a Repeatable Section are listed on a single form page. Too many questions on one page are difficult for a user in the field to handle. If you have excessive amounts of questions on ANY page in a form, you may begin to run into performance issues on a mobile device.
Moving Sections and Questions
Sections and questions that are inside of a Repeatable Section can only be rearranged within the Repeatable Section; they cannot be moved outside of it.
Add Nested Repeatable Sections
Example of Nested Repeatable Sections
You can nest Repeatable Sections inside a main Repeatable Section. Nested Repeatable Sections can help you to keep collected information organized.
The following example shows the summary of a Campus Inspection form with two levels of nested Repeatable Sections.
The main Repeatable Section is Building Inspection. The inspector can add as many buildings as needed.
The first nested Repeatable Section is Floor inspection. The inspector can add as many floors in a building as needed.
The second nested Repeatable Section is Room inspection. The inspector can add as many rooms on a floor as needed.
Steps to Add a Nested Repeatable Section
From the Manage Forms menu, navigate to the form you want to configure.
Select EDIT FORM.
Result: The form opens in edit mode.
Do you have a Repeatable Section configured?
If yes, go to the next step.
If no, add the main Repeatable Section.
Select EDIT SUMMARY TABLE OR QUESTIONS.
Result: The Repeatable Section opens in edit mode.
Select ADD A SECTION, and then select Repeatable.
Result: The system adds a Repeatable Section nested inside the main section. You can add questions to the nested Repeatable Section, or add additional sections
Note:You can only add two levels of nested Repeatable Sections inside a main Repeatable Section.
Next Steps
Once you have created the sections and questions you want, here are the next steps you can take.
Read more:
- Building a Summary Table
- Set up Conditional Logic in a Repeatable Section
- Building a Repeatable Section Footer
- Configure Repeatable Section Settings
- Set Up a Salesforce Repeatable Destination