When to use these fields
Some forms need more than just text and numbers — they need a photo of a defect, a signature for sign-off, or a scannable code so the team can hop straight to the next step. The five field types in this article cover that ground.
You'll find them in the field palette of the Form Builder.
| Field | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Signature | Capturing a drawn signature on screen |
| Acknowledgement | A tick-box confirmation with the date and time stamped automatically |
| Photo | A photo or several photos uploaded from a phone or laptop |
| QR code | A scannable QR code printed on the form (read-only) |
| Barcode | A scannable 1D barcode printed on the form (read-only) |
The first three are inputs the user fills in. QR codes and barcodes are display-only — they appear on the form so other people can scan them.
Signature
A Signature field gives the user a small box to draw their signature in — with a finger on a phone or tablet, with a mouse on a laptop. There's a Clear button below the box if they want to start again.
When to use it
- Sign-off at the end of a site walk by the inspector
- Client acceptance on a handover form
- Operative confirmation that they've read and understood RAMS
- Visitor sign-in sheets at the gate
- Toolbox talk records — every attendee signs in
Anywhere you'd previously have asked for a wet signature on a paper form, a Signature field is the right replacement.
Settings
- Label — the question, e.g. "Inspector signature" or "Sign here to confirm"
- Helper text — a short instruction, e.g. "Sign with your finger or mouse"
- Required — tick to make sure no one submits without signing
For lighter sign-offs where you don't need a drawn signature, an Acknowledgement field is often enough.
Acknowledgement
An Acknowledgement field is a tick box with a statement above it that the user is confirming. When they tick the box, the system automatically captures the date and time it was ticked.
When to use it
- "I confirm I have read the daily safety briefing"
- "I have inspected this scaffold before use and confirm it is safe"
- "I accept the terms of the visitor induction"
Acknowledgement is the right field whenever you need a record that the user explicitly agreed to a statement, with a timestamp that proves when.
Settings
- Acknowledgement text — the full statement the user is agreeing to
- Label — the small label next to the tick box itself
- Required — usually ticked, so the form can't be submitted without the acknowledgement
Acknowledgement vs Signature vs Checkbox
Three similar-looking fields — here's how to choose:
| Use this | When you need... |
|---|---|
| Signature | A drawn signature, the most binding option |
| Acknowledgement | A tick box with a recorded timestamp — good for compliance |
| Checkbox | A simple yes/no answer with no special tracking |
Photo
A Photo field lets the user upload one or more photos. On a phone, the file picker offers the camera as a source so they can take the picture there and then.
When to use it
- Defect captures on a snagging sheet — a photo of every defect alongside the description
- Site condition photos on a daily inspection
- Evidence of work done on a sign-off sheet
- Damage photos on an incident report
- Pre-pour shots on a concrete check
If you'd want to look at it later to know what happened, that's a photo field.
Settings
- Allow multiple — tick if the user can upload more than one photo per field
- Maximum number — cap on how many photos can be added (e.g. up to 10)
- Maximum size — per-photo file size limit (default 10 MB)
- Required — tick to force at least one photo before submission
Viewing the photos later
When you view a submitted form, photo fields show as small thumbnails. Click any thumbnail to open it full-screen in the lightbox. From there you can flick through several photos in a row.
QR code
A QR code field renders a scannable QR code into the form. Unlike the other fields in this article, it's display-only — the user doesn't fill anything in, they just scan it.
When to use it
- A QR code on a printed form that links straight to the project page
- A scan-to-open shortcut to a related record
- A unique reference generated when the form is created so the printed copy can be tracked
Settings
- Value — the text the QR encodes (typically a URL or a reference)
- Size — how big the QR is rendered
For making a QR code that links straight to the form itself rather than embedding one inside it, see Sharing a form with a QR code.
Barcode
A Barcode field is the same idea as a QR code, but renders a traditional 1D barcode instead.
Use it when your team scans with handheld 1D scanners rather than phone cameras, or when the printed form needs to be scanned by external systems that expect a specific barcode format.
Settings
- Value — the text the barcode encodes
- Format — the barcode standard to use (default is a common format that most readers handle)
Real-world example
A site induction form might combine:
- A Photo field for the operative's headshot
- An Acknowledgement field — "I confirm I have completed the site induction briefing"
- A Signature field — drawn sign-off by the operative
- A second Signature field — drawn sign-off by the inductor
That gives you a complete induction record in one form, with photos and signatures for the safety file.
Next steps
- Adding basic fields — for the simpler input types.
- Organising forms with sections and pages — for repeating sections, conditional groups and page breaks.
- Filling in and submitting a form — for what users see when interacting with these fields.