Question Type: File Upload

Use a File Upload question when your field users need to attach files to a form. For example, users can attach a PDF contract or equipment diagnostic text file. This topic describes how File Upload questions work and how to configure them.

Contents

Question Type: File Upload

About

The File Upload question type enables a mobile user to attach files currently saved on their mobile device to a form. TrueContext includes the uploaded files with the form submission, and you can view and download the files in the Web Portal.

Info:

You can set up your Data Destinations to send uploaded files as separate attachments. This is useful when you want to attach the files to an email or store them in a SharePoint document library, for example.

You can also use File Upload Questions in Customer Feedback Forms.

Supported file types

Users can upload any type of file.

Note:If your security policy doesn't allow this, do not add File Upload type questions to your forms.

Access to uploaded files

In your Document settings, you can choose to display a secure link to the uploaded files. When a user selects the link, they are prompted to sign in to the TrueContext Web Portal The TrueContext Web Portal is a web application used to manage security settings, forms, FormSpaces, other users, Data Sources, and Data Destinations. to view or download the files.

Note:Once a field user uploads a file, they can’t open that file in the Mobile App when:

The form is open and in progress.
The user views a submitted form.

File Upload questions in the Form Builder

In the Form Builder, a File Upload question looks like this:

When you add or edit a File Upload question, the Form Builder displays the General, Properties, and Help Options Help Options are ways to add help content, such as YouTube videos, web pages, text, or images, to questions in a form. Mobile users simply tap the help icon next to a question to see the help that the form designer provided. tabs.

General

Question Text

This is the text displayed on the Mobile App to give the user instructions or ask questions. You can use question text formatting to improve readability and highlight important information.

Unique Identifier

The Unique Identifier (ID) is the reference for the question. You can let the Form Builder auto-generate a Unique ID A Unique ID refers to the specific identifier of a question, form page, form section, or Data Destination. Unique IDs are used as reference points when pulling data for conditional logic, Analytics projects, Data Destinations, and Documents. based on the question text, or you can enter a specific Unique ID.

Restrictions

Restrictions control how your mobile users interact with a question. You can set restrictions on the question itself, or control this behavior by applying Conditional Logic.

The following table shows which restrictions you can set for the question type. Note that:

✓ indicates a restriction that you can configure.
✓* indicates a restriction that is always on.
✘* indicates a restriction that is always off.

Required

Read-Only

Hidden on Device

Hidden on Reports

Keep question width to 100%

(Side-by-Side 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. only)

File Upload

✓

✓*

Properties

Properties allow you to set up your question in various ways. Properties depend on the Data Type. File Upload questions use the Attachment Data Type, which supports the following Properties:

Maximum Attachments
Custom Filename Prefix
Router Setup

Info:You can only route data from one structured or unstructured text file. To enable the Router Setup property, set Maximum Attachments to 1.

Help Options

Adding “Help” options to forms gives mobile users access to support and other resources out in the field. Help content is available to users through a button embedded beside a question. Any question in the form can include a link to YouTube videos, web pages, or work instructions.

Dispatch

Dispatch The term "dispatch" refers to the act of sending a form to a mobile user or customer. Typically, a dispatched record 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	Single or Bulk Dispatch from the Web Portal	REST API Dispatch
✓	✓	✓
Dispatch Files	Dispatch Forms to a User	Dispatch Forms

Info:The topic Dispatching Methods describes the different options in more detail.

File names for File Upload questions

Once a record with uploaded files is dispatched or submitted, the server generates new file names. Users don't see the names of the original uploaded or dispatched files. This applies to generated output documents—such as standard PDF, Word, or HTML—and documents dispatched to File Upload questions

Note:Within the mobile app, attachments display their original filenames to provide clearer identification and better organization of uploaded files.

File names in generated output documents

You can show file names as text and as clickable links in a PDF, Word, or HTML output document. The text and links display the server-generated file names, not the original file names. The server-generated file names include a custom prefix (if defined) and the question unique ID.

Tip:The custom prefix-unique ID combination makes it easier to associate files with specific questions in the form.

For example, if the question unique ID is documents:

When you upload	The output shows
plumbing.docx	documents_1.docx
electrical.pdf	documents_2.pdf

Step-by-step: Show attachment file names in a generated output document

If you want to show uploaded file names or create clickable links, you can easily set this up in your output document.

In the output document settings, go to Formatting > Answer Format.
Enable the Show photos, sketches… option.

Result: The system displays more options.
Select the Show attachment filenames… option.
If you want to show clickable links, select the Include attachment hyperlinks… option.

Only users who have access to submitted data in the Web Portal can follow clickable links.

Info:The topic Standard layout options for PDF/Word/HTML documents describes how to set up an output document in more detail.

File names in dispatched files

Files in Regular sections

When you dispatch files to a File Upload question, the server generates a unique file name. Users see the server-generated name, not the original file name.

On the Mobile App, the server-generated file names include a randomly-generated identifier, a custom prefix (if defined), and the question unique ID. This makes it easier to associate files with specific questions in the form.
In the Web Portal and output documents, the server-generated name includes the custom prefix (if defined) and the question unique ID.

Files in Repeatable sections

If you dispatch files to questions in a 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., the file names include the row number. The following example shows how a PDF output document displays the dispatched file names.