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Creating a new form in SafetyStratus
Who is this article for?Administrators responsible for managing permits.
Administrator role and Permits module access are required.
Creating a custom form in SafetyStratus allows your organisation to capture the right data, run it through a defined workflow, and meet programme or regulatory requirements.
1. Understanding form benefits and use cases
A well-structured form improves:
- Data consistency – standardised questions, predictable responses
- Workflow efficiency – clear routing for review/approval
- Task tracking – easy to assign, monitor, and close out
Example uses
- Academia: Injury Report Form for lab accidents
- Manufacturing: Chemical Spill Report linked to EHS follow-up workflows
- Construction: Confined Space Entry Request form
- Industry: Annual Safety Audit checklist for facilities
2. Navigating to the Form Builder
To access the Form Builder, follow these steps:
- Go to Edit Forms from the main menu.
- Click New Form to open the Form Information section.
The Form Information section defines how your form appears, how it is identified, and basic functional settings.
3. Configuring core form information settings
Setting | Purpose and example |
Prefix | Short code that appears before the form number (e.g., INJ-001, SPILL-002). Helps quickly identify form type. Example: "LAB" for Lab Safety forms. |
Form Name | The display name users will see. Should be descriptive (e.g., "Injury Report Form," "Chemical Spill Report"). Appears in Forms page, Permit Authorisation tables, and workflows. |
Category | Organises forms for easier search and linking. Example: Category = "Permits," "Inspections," or "Incident Reports." Add new categories from Edit Forms. |
Submit Button Text | Optional change to the default "Submit" label (max 32 characters). Use only if it improves clarity (e.g., "Send for Review" or "Request Permit"). |
Lock Form on Submission | Prevents editing after submission. Must be enabled on each subform if you want all parts locked. |
Form Lockable/Unlockable | Allows manual locking/unlocking post-submission. Apply to all subforms if used. |
Only Authorised User May Submit Application? | Restricts submission to the original applicant. Prevents admins from submitting on someone's behalf. |
Use AJAX Staggered Loading? | Loads questions progressively to improve performance for large forms (hundreds of questions). Recommended for complex forms. |
Use Kiosk Mode? | Generates a public, no-login link for open access submission (ideal for public kiosks or self-service stations). Kiosk link is found under Data Manager > Permit Types. |
Print to PDF Language Support | Ensures correct language formatting in exported PDFs. Useful for non-English form content. |
Form Page Break | Sets page breaks in PDF exports for better readability and print formatting. |
Tip: Keep prefixes short—three to four characters is ideal for quick scanning in reports. Name forms for clarity, not just internal shorthand, so users immediately know their purpose. Use Kiosk Mode for forms that need to be accessed without login, like public hazard reports. Enable staggered loading on forms with many sections to avoid slow load times.
Scenario examples:
- A university safety office could create a "Lab Safety Inspection" form with a prefix "LAB" and category "Inspections"
- A construction safety manager might set up a "Toolbox Talk Attendance" form with kiosk mode enabled so supervisors can submit from a shared tablet onsite
4. Designing form content
Once you've completed the Form Information setup, design your form content by adding the questions, data fields, and interactive elements that collect the information you need.
SafetyStratus supports a range of basic, specialised, and advanced field types so you can build everything from simple checklists to complex, data-driven workflows.
Example uses
- Academia: Injury Report with date/time fields, injury type dropdowns, and file uploads for photos
- Manufacturing: Chemical Spill form with auto-filled location, SDS upload, and GPS capture
- Construction: Confined Space Entry form with roster-based personnel selection
- Industry: Equipment Maintenance form with dynamic tables for parts replaced and training verification