When you need to gather information from clients, forms are your go-to tool in Dubsado. This article covers form templates, types, and how to use the form builder.
Form templates overview
Form templates serve as reusable blueprints you can apply across multiple projects and clients. Creating standardized templates saves you time and helps maintain consistency in your client experience.
To access your form templates, click Forms in the left-hand sidebar and navigate to under Form Templates.
The templates you create here should cater to the majority of your clients. When you need customization for specific clients, you can make those adjustments within each individual project.
Form types
Dubsado offers five different form types, each serving a specific purpose:
Lead capture forms
Collect information about new leads
Create new projects automatically upon submission
Can be embedded on your website or shared via direct link
Often serve as your first point of contact with potential clients
Questionnaires
Gather additional information from existing clients
Used within existing projects only
Cannot be embedded on external websites
Perfect for collecting additional project details or client preferences
Proposals
Function like order forms
Allow clients to choose from your service packages
Automatically generate invoices reflecting selected packages
Can include a contract and payment options
Create a streamlined booking process
Contracts
Allow clients to sign or initial your agreements
Can be signed online from any device without additional software
Are legally binding
Support countersignatures
Each project can have one contract
Sub-agreements
Also allow for client signatures and initials
Perfect for addendums, proofs, and other items requiring approval
Each project can have multiple sub-agreements
Managing all forms
The Forms section provides a centralized hub for managing all forms associated with your projects. To access it, click Forms in the left-hand sidebar navigation.
Viewing and organizing forms
The All Forms list displays all forms that have been applied to any project. You can:
Sort forms by clicking the dropdown menu at the top of the list. Select from: Title, Client, Project, Created date, or Status
Filter forms by clicking the Filter button (funnel icon) next to the sort dropdown. Filter by:
Search title (type keywords into the search bar)
Client (select a specific client)
Project (select a specific project)
Form Type (Contract, Questionnaire, Proposal, Sub-agreement, Lead Capture)
From and To dates (select date ranges)
Quick filters
In the left sidebar, under All Forms, use these quick filters:
Sent: View all sent forms
Viewed: View forms that have been opened by recipients
Action Required: View contracts that require a countersignature from you
Completed: View all completed forms
Working with individual forms
Click on any form in the All Forms list to view its preview in the right-hand pane. From there you can:
Edit Form: Click the pencil icon in the top right corner to edit the form in the Form Builder (only available for forms not yet completed)
Delete Form: Click the trash can icon next to the pencil icon
Managing form templates
Display options
Click the Display settings icon (three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner to adjust how you view templates:
Switch between Board view (cards organized by form type) and Table view (templates listed in a table)
Group by: Change how cards are organized (by Form Type or No Grouping)
Show empty groups: Toggle to display or hide groups with no templates
Show in table: Control which properties are visible on each template card (Title, Form Type, Last Edited, Created At)
You can drag and drop properties to reorganize the order they appear on template cards.
Finding templates
Search: Click the magnifying glass icon to search for form templates by name
Sort: Click the sorting icon to sort by Name, Type, or Created At
Filter: Click the Filter icon to filter by Form type
Opening a form template
Click on any form template card or row to open it in the Form Builder for editing or review.
Creating a new form template
To create a new form template:
Click +New template in the top right corner of the form templates page
Select the type of form you'd like to create
Alternatively, select Upload PDF to upload a read-only PDF
The form builder
The form builder provides a drag-and-drop interface to easily customize your forms. Here are the various elements you can add:
General elements
Containers: Organize content into columns
Text boxes: Add blocks of text
Image elements: Add JPG, PNG, or GIF files
Divider elements: Add a line between content sections
Spacer elements: Add space between content
Short answer elements: Collect brief information (names, emails, etc.)
Free response elements: Give clients more space for detailed answers
Date select elements: Let clients choose dates (can map to project dates)
Dropdown elements: Allow clients to select one option from a list
Checkbox elements: Allow clients to select multiple options
Multiple choice elements: Allow clients to select one option from several
File upload elements: Let clients upload files directly to the form
HTML blocks: Add custom HTML for greater customization
Short answer fields and date select elements are the only form elements that are mappable. Use these form elements to collect and store client and project information that you can reference and use later within a project.
Form type-specific elements
Workflow elements: (Lead capture forms only) Apply conditional logic so client responses trigger specific workflows
Package elements: (Proposals only) Utilize package templates so clients can select packages that automatically generate invoices
Project tracking elements: (Lead capture and proposal forms) Track where clients found you
Signature and initial fields: (Contracts and sub-agreements) Allow clients to agree to your terms
Since not all elements function correctly in every type of form, it's good practice to double check your form's elements when changing the form's type.
Form styling
Use the Styling tab to customize:
Font type
Font size
Font color
General styling and padding
Submit button text
Form builder tips
Preview: Click Preview at any time to see how your form looks
Use the Save button: The form builder does not have an auto-save function, so save your changes periodically
Drag and drop: All elements can be rearranged by dragging and dropping
Final save: When finished building your form, click the down arrow next to Save form and click Save and close to return to the form templates page
Managing forms within projects
When working within a specific project, you can manage forms directly from the project view:
Navigate to a project by clicking Projects in the left-hand sidebar and selecting your project
Click the Forms tab at the top of the project details page (next to Messages, Invoices, Tasks, etc.)
The All Forms list here shows only forms applied to this specific project
All sorting, filtering, editing, and deleting actions work the same as in the main Forms view, but apply only to forms within the current project.
Accessing form templates from a project
While in the project's Forms tab, click Form Templates in the left sidebar under Templates. This allows you to browse all available form templates and select new forms to apply to the current project.
FAQ
If I delete a form template, is that form removed from my projects?
No. If a form has already been applied to a project, deleting that form's template will not affect the copy of the form that's inside of a project or client profile entry. In fact, forms can be re-added to the form templates area by choosing to Save and create template when editing a form within a project.
Why can't I edit a form?
The Edit Form action (pencil icon) is only available for forms that have not yet been completed by the recipient. Once a form is completed, it's typically locked to preserve the signed or submitted data. Exception: Questionnaires can be edited after completion.
Why isn't my form appearing in a project's Forms tab?
When viewing the Forms tab within a specific project, the All Forms list is automatically filtered to show only forms linked to that particular project. If you're looking for a form, ensure it was applied to the project you're currently viewing. If not, navigate back to the global Forms section from the main sidebar or apply the template to the correct project.