Use snippets to keep your forms consistent and up to date

Snippets are little (or not so little) bits of text that you can re-use throughout your forms. 

When you update a snippet, that text is also updated anywhere the snippet has been used. In this way, snippets can save you time by dropping in bits of premade text wherever they’re needed, but also keep text consistent and up to date.

Types of snippet

Basic snippets

Basic snippets can be used for:

• Field labels.

• Email subjects.

• Workflow notes (both notes to respondents and internal notes).

• Anywhere that advanced snippets can be used.

Basic snippets are limited to 150 characters and cannot be formatted. These are best used for short items like department names, phone numbers, and addresses.. 

Advanced snippets

Advanced snippets can be used anywhere that you can use the content editor: 

• Field and section descriptions.

• Email bodies.

• Confirmation messages.

• The content field.

There is no character limit on advanced snippets, and this text can be formatted. Use advanced snippets for for lengthy text like privacy statements, terms and conditions.

Create a snippet

This is an admin task

To create a snippet:

1. Go to Admin > Snippets.

   

2. Select Add snippet.

3. Enter a Snippet name.

4. Select the Type of snippet.

   
   The name and type of your snippet cannot be changed after its created

5. Enter your snippet Content.

6. Select Add.

Edit a snippet

As you create snippets, they’ll begin to populate a list in the Snippets screen. Snippets that are used in forms or field sets will be marked In use. 

Select any snippet in the snippet list to edit the content. 

If the snippet is in use, this will also show you how many forms or field sets are using that particular snippet. Select See all to view a complete list of where that snippet is used.  

Delete a snippet

To delete an unused snippet, find it in the snippet screen, open its "..." menu and choose Delete.

Snippets that are in use cannot be deleted, however snippets in deactivated or archived forms do not count as “in use”.

Insert a snippet

To insert a snippet:

1. When entering text in a field that accepts snippets, type “{{“ to initiate snippet insertion or answer piping.
   
   
   Select the snippet you'd like to use under the Snippet heading to insert it.
2. Alternatively, when entering text using the content editor, you can also use the Snippets dropdown.