This article describes the primary user interfaces within MachForm. Familiarizing yourself with these distinct areas will help you navigate the system efficiently, from creating forms to managing submission data.

Upon logging in, you interact with three main environments:

1. Form Manager: The central dashboard for organizing and accessing forms.

2. Form Builder: The workspace for constructing and designing forms.

3. Entry Manager: The interface for viewing and analyzing collected data.

Global Navigation Bar

The main navigation bar persists at the top of the screen throughout the application. It provides quick access to system-wide tools.

Main Menu Items

• Forms: Returns you to the main Form Manager dashboard.

• Themes: Opens the Theme Editor to manage custom designs and branding.

• Users: (Admin Only) Manage user accounts, permissions, and roles.

• Settings: (Admin Only) Configure system-wide settings such as SMTP servers, license keys, and security policies.

• Account: Update your personal profile, change your password, and manage security settings.

The Form Manager (Dashboard)

After logging in to MachForm, the system defaults to the Form Manager. This dashboard serves as your central repository, displaying a list of all active forms.

Key Interface Elements

• Create New Form: The green button located in the top-right corner. It initiates the setup wizard for a new form.

• Form List: The central area displaying your forms. Each form is represented by a colored bar (row).

• Search and Filter: Located above the form list, the orange search bar allows you to find forms by title or tags.

Form Action Panel

To manage a specific form, click on the form's row in the list. The row will expand to reveal a comprehensive action panel with the following tools:

The Form Builder

The Form Builder is the visual editing environment used to construct the layout and structure of your form. It utilizes a "drag-and-drop" interface divided into a main canvas on the left and a control panel on the right.

1. The Form Canvas (Left Side)

The large area occupying the left and center of the screen represents the live preview of your form.

• Adding Fields: You can drag a field button from the right-hand panel and drop it directly onto the canvas to insert it at a specific location.

• Reordering: Click and drag any existing field to move it to a new position within the layout.

• Selection: Clicking a field on the canvas makes it "active" (highlighted in green) and loads its specific settings in the right-hand panel.

• Field Actions: When a field is selected, buttons appear below it to Duplicate or Delete that specific field.

2. The Control Panel (Right Side)

The panel fixed to the right side of the screen is the command center for the builder. It is organized into three distinct tabs:

Tab A: Add a Field

This tab displays the palette of all available form elements. To add a field, you can either:

• Click the button for that field type (adds it to the bottom of the form).

• Drag the button onto the canvas (inserts it at a specific spot).

Tab B: Field Properties

This tab becomes active only when you select a specific field on the canvas. The options displayed here are context-sensitive, meaning they change based on the type of field you have selected.

• General Settings: Available for most fields, including Field Label, Field Size, and Guidelines for User.

• Rules & Visibility: Options to mark a field as Required or set its visibility (Visible, Hidden, or Admin Only).

• Field-Specific Options: Advanced settings unique to the selected field type.

  • Example: Selecting a File Upload field reveals distinct sections for Allowed File Types, Upload Limits, and Image Processing (compression/resizing).

Tab C: Form Properties

This tab controls global settings that apply to the entire form rather than individual fields.

• Form Info: Edit the Form Title and Description, or choose to hide them from the public view.

• Submission Confirmation: Choose to display a success message text or redirect the user to a specific website URL upon completion.

• Language & Alignment: Set the form language (e.g., English, German, Spanish) and control whether field labels appear above or next to the input fields.

• End-Users Options: Enable user-centric features such as Save and Resume Later, Edit Completed Submission, or Show Review Page Before Submitting.

• Security: A suite of protection tools including:

  • Spam Protection: Enable CAPTCHA to prevent bot submissions.

  • Access Control: Restrict access via Password Protection or IP Address Limiting.

  • Data Encryption: Enable encryption for sensitive data at rest.

• Automatic Scheduling: Define specific start and end dates/times for when the form should be active.

• Advanced Options: Enable Approval Workflows or load custom JavaScript files to extend form functionality.

The Entry Manager

The Entry Manager provides a spreadsheet-like view of all submissions received for a specific form. It allows you to sort, filter, and export your data.

Top Action Bar

The toolbar above the data grid contains primary management tools:

• Delete: Permanently removes selected entries from the database.

• Export: Downloads the selected data (or all data) to Excel, CSV, or Tab-Delimited formats.

• Filter Entries: Allows you to create complex search queries to find specific submissions (e.g., "Show all entries where Status is Open").

• Select Fields: Controls which columns are displayed in the grid. You can hide fields to make the view less cluttered.

Data Grid

The central area displays your submissions in rows and columns.

• Entry Details: Clicking on any row opens the full detail view for that specific submission.

• Selection: Use the checkboxes on the left to select multiple entries for bulk actions (Delete/Export).

Footer Controls

• Pagination: Navigate through large datasets using the page numbers on the bottom left.

• Sort By: Use the dropdown menu on the bottom right to change the sorting order (e.g., Oldest First, Newest First)