Registration forms allow organizers to collect registration details from individuals wishing to attend your event. For example, a registration form may collect the registrant's job title, meal preferences, t-shirt size, or other details your event feels are important to understand.
Tips:
It's good practice to keep your form as short as possible. The longer you make your form, the more likely it is that a potential guest will not complete the form, lowering your registrations. Less than two pages are better and about a page or less in length is the best.
Before publishing your registration form, share it with friends or colleagues. Gather their thoughts and impressions to improve the registration experience you have created!
Before you go live, we're also happy to do a quick review of your registration form, so reach out on Chat to the ClearEvent Customer Success Team to request a review. It's often very helpful to have a second set of eyes review your registration form and we're happy to help!
Types of Form Fields
Fields can be added to your registration form from the Fields tab of the Form Designer.
You can add the following types fields to your forms:
Built-In Registrant Detail Fields
Built-in registrant detail fields can be added to any registration form. Use the built-in fields to quickly collect registrant details like:
First Name
Last Name
Email
Alt. Email
Phone
Mobile Phone
Address (e.g. Street, City, Region, Country, Postal/Zip)
The First Name, Last Name and Email built-in fields are required for every registration.
To add other built-in fields to your form, simply click on the "Registrant Details" section in the Form Designer preview area and choose which fields to add.
Built-In fields can be added by clicking the checkbox beside the field name. To make a built-in field required, click the Required button.
Add Custom Fields
The following custom field types can be added to any registration form to collect additional details from the registrant:
Textbox - Displays a textbox to collect text input from the registrant.
Checkbox - Displays a checkbox field to collect 'yes/no' input from the registrant.
Dropdown - Displays a dropdown field to collect a single selected option from a long list of possible options.
List - Displays a multiple choice list field to collect selections from the registrant.
Date/Time - Displays a date/time picker field to collect dates from the registrant.
File - Displays a file upload field allowing the registrant to upload a file.
Add Specialized Fields
Specialized fields are pre-configured fields which can be added to any registration form to collect additional details from the registrant. Adding a Specialized field can save configuration time when building a new form. The following specialized fields are available:
Vax. Proof - Displays a required pre-configured File upload field that will allow a registrant to upload a copy of their proof of vaccination record or vaccination passport. When used on a registration form that has its Approval Mode set to "Manual Approval", this can offer an effective way to pre-screen registrants and ensure all attendees meet local vaccination requirements.
Birth Date - Displays a pre-configured Date/Time field intended to collect the registrants birth date.
Company - Display a pre-configured Textbox to collect a the registrant's company name.
Dietary - Displays a pre-configured, single-select List field containing common dietary requirement options to the registrant.
Job Title - Display a pre-configured Textbox to collect a the registrant's company name.
Office Use - Adds a pre-configured, hidden Textbox field that is not visible to the registrant. This field can be used by Event Managers to record additional private details for a registration, or to support additional registration workflows.
Rich Text - Allows adding rich text to your registration form. This is helpful if you need to provide additional instructions to your registrants.
T-Shirt - Displays a pre-configured single-select List field containing common t-shirt sizes to the registrant.
Yes/No - Add a pre-configured single-select List field containing "Yes" and "No" answer options.
Add a new field to your form
Go to the Registration section > Forms tab.
Add a new form, or Edit an existing form.
In the Form Designer > Fields tab > + Fields tab, click the button for the desired field type you wish to add. Custom fields can be configured to collect almost any type of input from your registrant. Specialized fields are pre-configured and can save you time when building your registration form.
A new field will be added to the registration form and the Field Settings tab will become active to allow you to configure the new field as desired.
To adjust the order of the field on your form, select the field and then use the move up/move down buttons for the field.
Copy an existing field to your form
Copying a field can save time if many fields are similar in configuration. To copy a field:
Go to the Registration section > Forms tab > edit a form > Fields tab.
In the Form Designer, select the field you want to copy from the registration form preview area.
Click the Copy Field button from the field editor toolbar.
The field will be copied and then automatically selected. Make any necessary adjustments to customize the form field and then save your changes.
Field Settings tab (all input fields)
Each field type has a series of settings that control how the field behaves, when it is shown on the form and how it looks.
To view settings for a field, select the field from the Designer area (right pane). The left pane will switch to show the Field Settings tab.
The following descriptions cover the controls generally found on each Field Settings tab - i.e. the General, Validation, and Display settings for each field type. Some input field types have specific settings that are particular to that field type. For example, the Rich Text field type is only used to display rich text on a registration form and does not have many configurable settings.
After a field is added, you can edit the settings for the field. You can configure the settings to ensure the field looks and behaves the way you want it to.
For example, the Field Settings tab for a new Textbox field will look like this:
GENERAL
Short Field Name (Id) - This is the name that will be given to information entered in this field. When exporting registration data, the Short Field Name (Id) value is used as the column heading, so it's best to keep it as short as possible.
Label - This is the label text that will be displayed above the field to instruct registrants on what information should be entered into the field. It defaults to New Textbox Field. Depending on its purpose, you should provide a meaningful label like "Past Experience", or "Company Name".
Tip: We recommend keeping the label short so it's easy for registrants to read. For example, "Past Experience" is better than "Tell us about any past experience you have?". If you need to show more instructions, the Input Hint field is a good place to put it.
Input Hint - Sometimes registrants will need a little help to know what to enter in each field. Use the Input Hint setting to give guidance to your registrants or provide helpful examples. The input hint you enter will be displayed under the input field.
Hover Tooltip - This is another way to help your registrants know what to enter and helps your forms look professional. If provided, the text you enter in this setting will be shown as a tooltip whenever the registrants hover their mouse over the field.
Tip: You shouldn't rely on Hover Tooltips to communicate important information to your registrants. Tooltips are not always obvious and are easy to miss. They may also be hard to see or access on touch-only devices or mobile phones. Tooltips are best used to communicate simple, short instructions for filling out the field. For example, "Please select a t-shirt size".
Link - Use this field when you need to display a link for a particular field to a web page or file. By default, when you supply a valid Link setting for a field, a clickable "More info" link will appear below the question on the form. Registrants can click the "More info" link and it will open it in a new browser tab.
Here are a few things you can use the Link field for:
- Allow your registrants to download a form or PDF file with additional details, or that needs to be filled out and submitted along with their registration.
- Link to a detailed waiver that your registrant needs to sign.
- Link to another website with more information than you can fit on your form.
- Link to a Refund Policy or Terms & Conditions page on your main website.
Link Text - You can change the default "More info" link text to something more meaningful by supplying a value for the Link Text field. For example, "Download Template", "Get the form", etc.
Text Content (Rich Text field only) - Use this field if you need to display additional instructions or information on your registration form. You may apply formatting to the text to create headings, show bolded text, show bulleted or numbered lists, and much more.
VALIDATION
The validation settings for a field control what validation checks are performed and what input will be accepted by your registration form.
Require field? - Checking this item makes the field required. You'll want to make a field required if you expect your participant to provide an answer. It's good practice to keep the number of required fields to a minimum to help improve registration conversion.
TIP: When making a field required, make sure the registrant can easily understand and answer the question. For example, if you require the registrant to provide a link to their Linked-In profile, registrants that do not have a Linked-In profile will be blocked from registering.
Validate field? - Checking the validate checkbox allows you to specify a minimum and/or a maximum number of characters that registrants can enter. You may also add a message that will be displayed when the user enters too many or too few characters based on the minimum and maximum you have specified.
NOTES:
When Conditional Field Display Rules are applied to a field that cause it to be hidden, validation rules are not be applied.
The Rich Text field type does not offer any validation settings.
DISPLAY
The Display settings control how and when the field is displayed on your form.
Field Size (Textbox field only) - Controls the width of the Textbox field.
Lines to show (Textbox field only) - Controls how many lines deep the Textbox field is.
Field Visibility - Controls when the field appears on the form.
Always display field - Indicates the field is always displayed.
Display between - The field will only be shown on the form between the dates you specify. Selecting this display option will allow you to specify a date range within which the field will be displayed on the registration form. If a field is not displayed, validation rules for the field will not be evaluated.
Display field conditionally - The field will be displayed conditionally based on the value of another existing field. When a field is conditionally hidden, the registrant will not be able to fill them in and any validation rules for the field will not evaluated. Selecting this option will allow you to specify additional Conditional Field Display Rules.
Never display field (hidden) - Select this option if you want your field to be hidden and only available for admin-entered information. Validation rules for hidden fields will not be evaluated.
Textbox field
The Textbox field is for gathering free-form text responses from your registrants.
Textbox Settings
See the Field Settings section above for more details on adjusting settings for Textbox fields.
Checkbox field
Checkbox fields are for entries on your form that have just two answers. Use a Checkbox to ask a Yes/No question for example.
Checkbox Settings
In addition to the normal settings for each field, Checkbox fields also have the following settings:
Checked by default? - When checked, this allows you to set the box to "checked" on the form, leaving it up to your registrants to uncheck the box when they answer, rather than check it. This is useful when you expect the most common response to the question to be "checked".
Checked value - Specify what the checked response means. This value will appear in tables of registration information wherever a registrant checked the box for that item. For example, if the question with the checkbox is "Do you have first aid training?" a checked box would mean "Yes" so enter "Yes" in the checked value field.
Dropdown field
Dropdown fields allow you to add a dropdown list question to your form. Dropdown lists are helpful when you need to display a long list of values for the registrant to choose from.
Options setting
The Options setting under the General settings for lists allows you to enter the text for each item in your list and what that item means when selected. It also allows you to add additional items to your list.
To edit an option, select the option in the List field setting editor and click the Edit (pencil) button to open the option editor.
You can edit the following option properties:
Label - The description of the option that is displayed to the registrant. For example, "Advertising and marketing".
Value - The value recorded when the registrant selects the option. It can be beneficial to keep the option value short. For example, "Advertising". The option value is never displayed to the registrant and must be unique in the list of options.
Only one option in the list may have an empty value.Option Group Name - Specify an Option Group Name to group similar options together. Option Groups are useful to make selection from long lists of options easier for registrants. Specifying the same Option Group Name value for multiple options will group those options together. Registrants will then be able to select an Option Group Name to see a filtered shorter list of Options belonging to that option group.
Default - Specifies if the option is selected by default.
Visible - Specifies if the option should be displayed to the registrant. If an option becomes unavailable, we recommend unchecking the Visible setting to hide the option from future registrants.
Hiding (instead of deleting) an option will preserve past registrant answers as well.
Hidden options are still visible to event managers when editing a received registration.
List field
List fields allow you to add a multi-choice question to your form. There are two types of lists:
Single-select A list of radio buttons that allow only a single selection.
Multi-select A list of checkboxes will allow multiple options to be selected.
Options setting
The Options setting under the General settings for lists allows you to enter the text for each item in your list and what that item means when selected. It also allows you to add additional items to your list.
To edit an option, select the option in the List field setting editor and click the Edit (pencil) button to open the option editor.
You can edit the following option properties:
Label - The description of the option that is displayed to the registrant. For example "Large".
Value - The value recorded when the registrant selects the option. It can be beneficial to keep the option value short. The option value is never displayed to the registrant.
Default - Specifies if the option is selected by default.
Visible - Specifies if the option should be displayed to the registrant. If an option becomes unavailable, we recommend unchecking the Visible setting to hide the option from future registrants.
Hiding (instead of deleting) an option will preserve past registrant answers as well.
Hidden options are still visible to event managers when editing a received registration.
Validation settings
If multiple selections are enabled for your list, the validation settings include controls for minimum and maximum numbers of selections., This is helpful when you want to limit how many selections your registrants select.
Date/Time Field
This field allows you to collect date and time responses from your registrants. The field appears on the form as a date/time picker.
In addition to the standard settings, there are a few specific settings to be aware of.
General - Date Input Mode - Set the format of the input date that the registrant is expected to enter. Input modes include Date only, Time only, and Date and Time. Date only will only allow date entries. Time only will only allow time entries. Date and Time accept both a date and a time.
General - Date Default Mode - Sets the default value that appears in the field when the registration forms load.
Validation - This allows setting the minimum and/or maximum date that is considered an acceptable answer.
File Field
This is a special field to enable a registrant to attach (upload) a file along with their registration.
Once the registration is completed, the uploaded file(s) will be available in the Registration section > Registrants tab.
IMPORTANT: Use the File field with caution.
File fields are incredibly helpful but can be a source of frustration for a registrant if your registration form requires that many files be uploaded. Make sure your registrants are prepared with the information they need by clearly describing the format and files you expect the registrant to upload (if any).
Try to minimize the number of file uploads on your form. Requiring more than a few file attachments may cause frustration for some registrants. In some cases, it may be possible to utilize a Checkbox or other form field to digitally collect the information your event needs. For example, signing a waiver could be replaced by agreeing to a Checkbox field.
Depending on the expected computer skill level of your registrants, some registrants may find it difficult to scan a document and attach it to their registration. It may be helpful to provide suggestions to your users about how and where they can make digital copies of the documents you need.
Lastly, be aware that users with slow Internet connections will experience longer upload times when submitting their registration which may also lead to frustration. If your form requires multiple uploaded files, it's good practice to let your users know to complete your form on a device with a fast internet connection.
When to use a File field
There are many scenarios where using a File field is useful. Here are some examples of files that may be needed for your event:
Headshots or photos provided by speakers, presenters, or entertainers.
A sponsor logo file.
A copy of a physically signed waiver or document.
A copy of an insurance certificate.
Proof of certification (e.g. first-aid, driver's license, etc.).
When NOT to use a File field
The File field is a powerful registration feature, however, other simpler approaches may be acceptable to your event that may allow you to avoid uploading a file.
For example, rather than asking a registrant to uploaded a signed document or waiver, consider using a Textbox field and Checkbox field on your registration form to collect an electronic signature that can relate to acceptance, agreement, acknowledgment, waiver, or other key terms or conditions for your event. The settings for the Checkbox field include a URL that can be used to direct the user to more information if needed.
Electronic Signature Example:
File field restrictions
The File field uploads one file per field. If you need more than one file to be attached, add additional File fields as needed.
Note that the total amount of data for all attached files cannot exceed 30 MB.
Users with slow Internet connections will almost certainly struggle to upload large files so it's best to keep the number of File fields to a minimum. If there is a maximum size you wish to enforce, communicate your desired file size or image resolution using the Input Hint field.
File download
Files attached to a registration can be downloaded by opening the Registration section > Registrants tab > editing a registrant, and then clicking on the View File or Download File link as follows:
Alternately, you can go to the Registration section > Worksheet tab to view or download any file attachment:
Tip: Make sure to keep your computer anti-virus software up to date as uploaded files like Word and Excel documents received from registrants may contain viruses.
File Field Settings
General - File Type allows you to limit the type of file your participant can upload. Choose between Document (csv, doc, docx, pdf, pptx, txt, xls, xlsx) and Image files (bmp, gif, jpg, png).
Validation - No specific controls for this field.
Display - No specific controls for this field.
Rich Text Field
Rich Text fields allow you to show additional blocks of content on your registration form. Rich Text fields are read-only and cannot be used to collect information from a registrant. They are only used to display blocks of formatted text (Rich Text) on your registration form.
Rich Text fields can be added between any other form field.
Formatting can be applied to the Rich Text if required. This is useful to create the appearance of sections on your registration form or offer additional guidance to fill out your registration form.
Specialized Fields
Specialized fields are pre-configured versions of our standard field types (Textbox, Checkbox, List, Date/Time, and File). Quickly add commonly used fields like:
Vax. Proof
Birth Date
Company Name
Dietary Restrictions
Job Title
Office-use
T-Shirt
Yes/No
For more details, please review the "Add specialized fields" section of the Form Designer > Fields tab > + Fields tab.
Still have questions, chat with us!
Happy planning!