Create Form #
While in the LineVision Online Reporting module, select Form Builder > Create Form. This will open the Form Editor panel where you can edit the new form. Enter a name and description (optional) for the new form by clicking the pencil icons on the right side.
Make sure to click the check mark to save the new name and description.
Adding Fields #
There are 5 different types of fields that can be added to the form, as seen in the Add Field Type dropdown box at the bottom of the screen. These include Number, Text, Dropdown, Date, and Checkbox. Select the required field type and click the “+” (plus) button to the right of the dropdown to add the field to the Form Editor panel.
Category Names & Field Names #
Each field option allows the user to add a Category Name and Field Name. The Category Name indicates how the related fields will be grouped in the finished form, and eventually the finished report(s). The Field Name is the label that will be displayed beside the field input or selection box.
NOTE: The items in the examples below all have the category name of “Deer”, but a more complex form might have multiple categories with multiple fields. For example, if you were also conducting a survey of coyotes from the the same video file(s) as the deer, you might also have a category name of “Coyote” with multiple applicable fields.
Use Weights & Option Values (Optional) #
The Dropdown and Checkbox fields have the option to apply your organization’s own “value weighting” system to selected field values for later map-based visualization and observation severity or priority scoring. The Weights and Option Values will be discussed in the “Using Weights and Colors” section below.
PRO TIP: Unless your organization requires you to use a value weighting system for your reporting, we generally recommend NOT using this feature. The best way to do this is to leave the Use Weights checkbox “unchecked” and enter a “0” (zero) in the Option Value box.
Field Types #
Number #
The Number option requires a numerical input in the form.
Text #
The Text option adds a free text field to the form.
Dropdown #
The Dropdown option creates a dropdown menu in the form. In the example below, the user would select from pre-filled color options to describe the deer they see in the video.
The Weights and Option Value will be discussed in the “Using Weights and Colors” section below. Use a “0” (zero) for values if no weights are necessary.
Date #
The Date field allows you to assign a relevant date to the form, such as “Date Observed” or “Service Required by [Date]”
Checkbox #
The Checkbox field allows the user to click the box if a certain condition is met. In the examples below, if the deer is standing or resting in the frame, the appropriate box should be checked. Adding this field twice to the form builder will create two different checkboxes in the completed form.
The Use Weights option will be discussed in the “Using Weights and Colors” section below. Leave unchecked if no weights are necessary.
Saving #
Once all applicable fields have been added, click the Save icon at the top of the page.
The system will ask if you would like to create the new report. Click OK to finish saving the form.
After saving, a new set of buttons will appear at the top of the form. Below is a description of the buttons from left to right:
Clone: Makes a duplicate copy of the form. The clone can be edited, whereas the original form cannot be edited if a user has made a report using the form.
Change Available State: Toggles between making the form available and unavailable for reporting. When green (as seen above), the form is available. When red (below), the form is unavailable for reporting.
Change Publish State: Toggles between publishing and unpublishing the form. When red (as seen above), the form is unpublished and cannot be used as the basis for a data entry template. When green (below), the form is visible and available to be used as a data entry template.
IMPORTANT: If the form has been published and a user has used the form to create a report, the form cannot be unpublished! The user should clone the form and make changes to the clone.
Save: Save any changes made to the form.
Using Weights and Colors #
Checkbox and Dropdown field types can be further modified with the “Use Weights” checkbox.
The Option Value can be updated in .25 increments, as shown below. Update the value by hovering over the Option Value box and clicking the arrow to increase or decrease the value. This changes the overall value of the form when it is used and can indicate that certain individuals or points of interest require follow up at a later time.
After creating a report, on the color section below you can associate a color with a number to compare the priority number of each row. You can use the dropdown arrow to view all of the numbers you have associated. Any number above the one that was input will turn the color provided until a new number and color is reached. When you look at the map you will see dots with the colors in the place the data came from so you can compare ratings.
Navigating Existing Forms #
Click Form Builder > Existing Forms. This will open up the Existing Forms panel. From here the form can be renamed, shared, deleted, or opened.
Select a form and click Open to reopen and edit the form in the Form Editor panel.
