Form Builder - Defining Object Fields

The Form Builder is the visual interface used to define fields and properties for Objects. When you create or edit an Object, the "Object Field Definition" section uses the Form Builder component to configure your Object's schema.

Overview

The Form Builder is a unified component used across Monetize360 for:

• Object Field Definition: Defining fields and schema for Objects
• MForm Creation: Building forms for data entry
• Workflow Input Configuration: Configuring input fields for workflows

When working with Objects, the Form Builder provides a drag-and-drop interface to:

• Add fields to your Object schema
• Configure field properties (type, validation, UI options)
• Set up relationships and lookups
• Define field visibility and conditional logic

How It Works

Visual Interface

The Form Builder consists of:

1. Field Palette (Left Side): A tree of available field types you can drag and drop

   • General Fields (Text, Number, Date, etc.)
   • Special Fields (Lookup, Picklist, Attachment, etc.)
   • System Fields (automatically added)

2. Form Canvas (Center): Where you build your Object schema

   • Drag fields from the palette
   • Arrange and organize fields
   • Configure field properties

3. Property Panel (Right Side): Configure selected field properties

   • Field name and label
   • Data type and format
   • Validation rules
   • UI options
   • External data sources (for Lookup fields)

Field Definition Process

When defining Object fields using the Form Builder:

1. Select Field Type: Choose from the field palette (e.g., Single Line Text, Number, Lookup)
2. Drag to Canvas: Drop the field onto the form canvas
3. Configure Properties: Set field name, label, validation rules, and UI options
4. Set Relationships: Configure Lookup fields to reference other Objects
5. Save Schema: The Form Builder converts your visual configuration into a JSON Schema

Field Properties

Each field in the Form Builder has configurable properties:

Common Properties

• Name: Technical field name (used in API and database)
• Label/Title: Display name shown in forms
• Description: Help text for users
• Required: Whether the field is mandatory
• Default Value: Initial value for new records

Type-Specific Properties

Different field types have additional properties:

• Text Fields: Min/max length, pattern validation
• Number Fields: Min/max values, decimal places
• Date Fields: Date format, date range constraints
• Lookup Fields: Target Object, display field
• Picklist Fields: Enum values, multi-select option

Object vs MForm

The same Form Builder component is used for both Objects and MForms, but with different configurations:

Best Practices

Field Naming

• Use clear, descriptive names: customerName instead of name1
• Follow consistent naming conventions (camelCase)
• Avoid reserved words and special characters

Field Organization

• Group related fields together
• Use logical ordering (e.g., personal info before contact info)
• Consider user workflow when arranging fields

Validation

• Set appropriate required fields
• Use validation rules to ensure data quality
• Provide clear error messages

Relationships

• Plan Lookup fields early in your design
• Choose meaningful display fields for Lookup fields
• Consider cascade behavior for related data

Example: Creating a Customer Object

1. Start: Open Object creation dialog
2. Basic Info: Enter name "Customer" and description
3. Field Definition Tab: Use Form Builder to add fields:
   • Drag "Single Line Text" → Name: name, Label: "Customer Name"
   • Drag "Email" → Name: email, Label: "Email Address"
   • Drag "Lookup" → Name: accountManager, Label: "Account Manager", Target: "User" Object
4. Configure: Set validation rules (required fields, email format)
5. Save: Form Builder generates the JSON Schema and creates the Object

Related Introduction

• Field Types - Complete reference for all field types
• Creating Objects - Configure Object-level settings
• Lookup Fields and Relationships - Creating relationships between Objects