Overview: Repeatable Sections

Contents

Overview: Repeatable Sections

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. For example, a work order may collect several pieces of information, such as part number, quantity, and price, and allow users to collect that information for multiple parts.

When building forms, Repeatable Sections let you build a single copy of these questions, and then specify how many times they can be re-used. This reduces the need for multiple pages in a form and makes entering information much faster.

In the Mobile App, entered line items are laid out in a Summary Table view, making it easy for mobile users to review their work, and providing a form layout that looks more like the paper or Excel forms your mobile users may be familiar with.

Demo Video

In the Mobile App

Summary Table

Repeatable Sections are easily identified in the Mobile App by the Summary Table format. The Summary Table displays all the entries that have been created in the Repeatable Section A Repeatable Section is a subform that contains a set of related questions. The data captured is “repeating”, because the field user can complete the same subform more than once, which creates multiple entries.. You have full control over which columns appear.

Adding Entries

Select the Add Entry button.
This will bring up a new screen with all the questions in the Repeatable Section. There is no limit on the allowed number of questions. When you have answered all the required questions, tap the check mark on the top right.
This will take you back to the Summary Table view. The item will be added to the table. The "Footer" can automatically aggregate any numeric question, making calculations easy.

Supported Features

The following sections explain which features are supported for forms with Repeatable Sections. There are some limitations on how you can use data that is contained within Repeatable Sections.

Question and Data Types

All question and data types can be included in a Repeatable Section. There are some limitations on what can be included in the Summary Table or Footer.

	Supported Number-Based Questions	Supported Options-Based Questions	Supported Attachment-Based Questions	Other Supported Question Types	Supported Data Types
Summary Table	Calculation Date/Time Selector Date/Time Stamp Digit Extraction Duration Calculation Duration Field Duration Math Slider Stepper	Button Group Card List Dropdown Multiselect Radio Button	Audio Recording Document Editor File Upload Image Signature Sketch Pad	Barcode Scanner Single Checkbox String Concatenation Text Area Text Field	All Data Types
Repeatable Section Footer	Aggregation Calculation			Text Field (Integer, Decimal, and Currency Data Types only)	Currency Decimal Duration Integer

Custom Column Setup

You can set up a custom column to provide your field users with additional context in a Summary Table.

Note:

DREL Data Reference Expression Language (DREL) is used to get form data and metadata and add it to a string, such as dates, usernames, or answers to questions in forms. in a custom column can only reference questions within the same Repeatable Section.
DREL in a nested section can only reference questions within that nested section.
Fields in a custom column are read-only, and you can’t configure them for inline editing.
If you don’t want to display hidden values to your end users, don’t reference those questions when using DREL.

You can use DREL, static text, or both in a custom column to:

Combine multiple answers and add static text to provide more context.
Show the display value instead of the server value of an options-based question.
Tip:You don’t have to use a custom column to show the display value of an options-based question. If you want to enable inline editing:
1. Add the question to the Summary Table.
2. Set the Answer value to display to Display Value.

The following example shows how you can set up a custom column to show multiple answers and static text:

Floor: %a[Floor] Suite: %a[Suite] Room: %a[Room]: This combines answers from three different questions in this Repeatable Section.

The following table lists the DREL expressions that you can use in a custom column:

%a	Reference a question in the repeatable section.
Repeatable Sections	✔ ([`UniqueID`] and [`UniqueID`][display])
Nested Repeatable Sections	✔ ([`UniqueID`] and [`UniqueID`][display])

Info:The topic Introduction to DREL describes how to construct a DREL expression in more detail.

Dispatching

Bulk Dispatching
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔
Nested Repeatable Sections
Portal UI Dispatching
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	(coming soon)
Nested Repeatable Sections
API Dispatching
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔
Nested Repeatable Sections	✔
Dispatch The term "dispatch" refers to the act of sending a form to a mobile user or customer. Typically, a dispatched form includes some information pre-filled to give the recipient context for the work to be done. Dispatch can be manual or automated (using a Dispatch Data Destination or the TrueContext REST API). Destination
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔ (automatic mapping only)
Nested Repeatable Sections	✔ (automatic mapping only)

Data Exports from the Web Portal

Multi-Form Data Tab - Manual & Scheduled CSV Export
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections
Form-Specific Data Tab - Manual & Scheduled CSV Export
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔
Nested Repeatable Sections	✔

Data Destinations

Email Destination
Sending any document type	✔
Destinations sending PDF, Word, HTML only
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔
Destinations sending JSON, XML, CSV only
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔*
Google Sheets
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔*
Nested Repeatable Sections	✔*
HTTP
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔
Salesforce (Any)
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔ (except for Apex REST)
Nested Repeatable Sections
ServiceNow Table
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔
Nested Repeatable Sections
Microsoft SharePoint Document Library
Regular Sections	Sending documents and attachments from any section in the form is supported.
Side-by-Side Sections
Repeatable Sections
Nested Repeatable Sections
Microsoft SharePoint List
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections	✔
Nested Repeatable Sections
SMS and Zendesk
Regular Sections	✔
Side-by-Side Sections	✔
Repeatable Sections