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Using Standard and Repeatable Groups

Groups are a type of layout field that you use to collect fields together and organize your form. There are two types of Group:

  • Standard groups: Add fields to this group so you can move, copy, and delete them together, and apply display logic to the whole group of fields at once. They differ from Sections in that Sections are used to organize your form into logical chunks to make it easier for respondents to interact with them.
  • Repeatable groups: Repeatable groups allow you to collect multiple answers to the same questions without creating the same fields over and over. Use them in the same way as a standard group but allow respondents to generate additional iterations of the group fields.
    add a group

OpenForms also allows you to add standard or repeatable office use only groups. These work the same was as groups do, but are for reviewers to complete the fields as part of the workflow process.

Some fields, logic, and piping options are unavailable for groups, and these limitations can differ between standard and repeatable groups.

Add a Standard or Repeatable Group to a Form

To add a standard or repeatable group to your form:

  1. Create or edit a form.
  2. Expand the Layout fields and drag a Group into your form.
  3. Set the type of group by selecting Standard group or Repeatable group. You cannot change this later.
  4. Select Add group, name it, and start dragging fields into the group.
  5. Select the gear icon to change the group's settings, if required.
    add group.gif
  6. Save your form.

You can drag fields from the Basic, Advanced, or Layout fields, but there are some restricted fields. Please take note of the group limitations.

Standard Group Settings

The settings for a standard group are the same as for most fields. You can select the gear icon to add a Description and apply Display Logic to the complete group of fields. 

standard group settings

You can also use the break icon to split the group into separate fields. Any settings that you have applied to the group will no longer apply to the individual fields; you must reapply them separately. 

break group

Repeatable Group Settings

Like a standard group, you can apply a Description and Display Logic to the complete repeatable group. There are also some additional settings when you select the gear icon:

  • Repeat label: Add a label for each repeated group to display to respondents and we will automatically number each instance (e.g., “Contact 1” and “Contact 2”).
  • Minimum number of repeats: Set the minimum number of times respondents must complete these fields. Set this as “0” to make the group optional.
  • Minimum repeat error message: Enter an error message to display if a respondent doesn’t meet the Minimum number of repeats before submitting or proceeding.
  • Maximum number of repeats: Set the maximum number of times respondents can repeat the group.
  • Maximum repeat error message: Enter an error message to display if a respondent attempts to exceed the Maximum number of repeats.
  • Set repeats for a printable form: Set the number of instances this group will display on a printable form.

We recommend applying these settings as soon as you create the group, as they may be essential to the function of the repeatable group.

repeatable group settings

You cannot currently break a repeatable group or move fields out of it once they have been added. You can instead delete the repeatable groups entirely or hide them with display logic.

If you want a deeper understanding of how repeatable groups work, or want some hand-on experience, please check out the repeatable group example in the form template library.

Group Limitations

Some functions are not available for groups, or work differently. The following restrictions apply to standard and repeatable groups, respectively:

  Standard groups   Repeatable groups
 Restricted fields (cannot be added)
Smart logic
  • Smart logic can be applied to standard groups just like any other field
  • Smart logic can reference any individual field in a group
  • Smart logic can be applied to entire repeatable groups just like any other field
  • Smart logic can only reference individual fields in a repeatable group if those fields are number or calculation fields.

    When this is done, smart logic will reference the sum of every repetition of that individual field.

    For example, you might use smart logic to show an additional authorization field if the sum of an employee's numerical "expense" entries in a repeatable group exceed a particular amount.
Answer piping
Calculations
  • Calculation fields within standard groups work as normal 
  • Calculations on fields within standard groups work as normal
  • Calculation fields within repeatable groups work as normal
  • Calculations on fields within repeatable groups use the sum of every repetition of that field, unless the calculation field is within the same repeatable group as the field(s) referencedSome calculations require at least two values. This means it is not currently possible to calculate the average, maximum, or minimum of every repetition of an individual field within a repeatable group. 
Data connections
  • Individual fields within standard groups can be sent and received as normal
OpenForms API
  • Individual fields within standard groups can be sent as normal

  • Individual fields within a repeatable group can be sent with updated field syntax and behavior.

    Go to Integrations > Web API > API Documentation for more information.

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