This article provides instructions on how to set up fields within Penneo form templates. These fields appear in the final form for the recipient to fill in with their information. When creating a new form template, use the Form Template Fields section to select the fields required based on the information you want to collect. After adding fields, you can enable more advanced features under the Show Advanced options menu.
Mandatory RECIPIENT_NAME and RECIPIENT_EMAIL fields
Every Penneo form template requires two mandatory fields: Recipient Name and Recipient Email. These fields are added automatically and cannot be removed as they are essential for the form's functionality. The Penneo system identifies the information typed in these fields using the technical names RECIPIENT_NAME and RECIPIENT_EMAIL. While these technical names cannot be changed, you can edit the Labels to provide clearer instructions to the recipient. These fields are mandatory because Penneo automatically sends a copy of the completed form to the email address provided in the Recipient Email field. If you are editing an older webform, ensure these mandatory fields are present and named correctly to allow you to save your changes.
Field property definitions
Penneo form fields are defined by Name, Label, and Type. The Name is a unique identifier used by the Penneo system; for example, if creating two phone number fields, you must use distinct names like personal_phone_number and work_phone_number. The Label is what the recipient sees, such as 'Please write your full address'. The Type refers to the specific kind of information required and the rules that must be met for the entry to be valid.
Supported data types for Penneo form fields
Penneo supports several specific data types to ensure valid data collection:
- Text: Simple one-line text entry with no specific rules.
- Multiline Text: Provides an area for several lines of description or longer text.
- Multiple Selection: Creates a drop-down menu for specific options, such as Yes or No.
- Email: Requires a valid email address format (e.g., name@domain.com) for system acceptance.
- Date: Displays a calendar picker for dates in dd/mm/yyyy format.
- Social Security Number: Accepts 10, 11, or 12 digits for Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian Social Security Numbers; alphabetical characters are not allowed.
- VATIN: Validates Danish organization numbers, which must not exceed 8 digits.
Configuring field visibility and mandatory status
Control field behavior using the User Editable and Required checkboxes. Checking User Editable makes the field visible in the webform and available for placement in the PDF. Checking Required ensures the recipient must complete the field before the form is considered valid. You can change the display order of fields by dragging the six-squares icon next to each field to the desired position.
Placing and finalizing fields in the PDF template
After configuring the form field settings, click Save and continue to proceed to the PDF layout phase. In this view, you can place the defined fields onto the PDF body of your form template. To ensure accurate placement, enable Show grid lines and Show field order from the top-right menu. Once all fields are placed and sized correctly, click Done to save the changes and publish the Penneo form template.
Editing fields in an existing template
If you need to update the form fields, you must first update the body PDF on your computer and then upload it using the Select a PDF File button in the editor. You can then add, delete (using the cross icon), or rearrange (using the six squares icon) the fields.