Configure input form screen actions

Learn how to configure actions that affect the whole input form screen. These actions can be accessed with an icon or within a more menu button, located in the top menu bar. For example, you can configure a writeback action to save your work progress on the input form.

Before you begin

Role required: admin

A loading mechanism is required to refresh the input form screen with updated data. The options available are autofill variables and data sources. For more information, see Loading mechanisms for input form screens.

If your input form only includes input values for loading, and you don’t need to load an input type of attachment, then the autofill variable option is sufficient. If your input form includes either attachments, comments, or descriptive elements, the data source option must be used. The data source option also handles input values.

About this task

Input form screen actions are accessed in the top menu as either an icon () or within the more menu button options ( ). The configuration of the writeback action in this task explains how to create a function that enables users to save the progress of data entered in an input form screen before users submit the final version. This feature enables multiple users to collaborate on a single input form screen. Once a user saves the data, it becomes visible to all other users working on the form when they refresh their input form. Writeback actions use the action item function. For more information, see Configure an action item.

Note:

Input form screens contain a submit button. For this configuration you have the option to configure a save-as-you-work option, the data of which is available to other users after it is saved.

Top navigation more menu (iOS)	Top menu icon for input form screen action

Procedure

1. Navigate to All > System Mobile > Mobile App Builder.
   The Mobile App Builder opens in a new browser tab and displays the application scope selection screen.
2. Search for the application scope you're working in and then select the name of the application scope.
   The Mobile App Builder categories home screen displays.
3. Select the Screens category and then either select an existing input form screen or New.
   If you select New, select the Input form option in the Create a screen page, and then select Continue.
4. In the Input form screen page, select Screen in the Presentation style field.
5. Complete the Input form screen form as required.
   For information about the various fields, see Configure an input form screen.
6. Select one of the following options:
   • To add the input form screen action as a top menu icon, select New in the Top icon function instances area.
   • To add the input form screen action as a function in the top menu more () button, select New in the Top menu function instances area.

   Note:

   The subsequent instructions are the same for either top icon or top menu function instances.
7. In the Function instance form do the following:
   1. Enter a Name for the function instance.
   2. Enter a name in the Display label field.
   3. Select an icon from the Icon field.
      Note:

      This field is required if you selected the Top icon function instances option.
   4. Select New in the Function area, to display the function form.
8. Enter a Name for the function.
9. Select Action item in the Type field.
10. Select Record in the Context field.
11. Either Choose or create a New action item.
    For more information, see Configure an action item.
12. In the Data field, select the table relating to what the input form is representing.
13. In the Button attributes area, do the following:
    1. Select New.
    2. From the Name field, select retain_parent_parameter_screen. This attribute verifies the parent input form (the input form that you're working on) opens when the user taps the button, as opposed to launching a new input form.
    3. Enter true in the Value field.
    4. Select Save.
    5. From the Name field, select refresh_parameter_screen_after_action. This attribute refreshes the input form with the latest data from the instance.
       Note:

       To display the data in the input form after the save action, you must configure one of the following loading mechanisms:

       • Autofill variable: For more information, see Configure input form screen inputs.
       • Data source: For more information, see Data sources.
    6. Enter true in the Value field.
    7. Select Save.
14. Select Save.

What to do next

Use timestamps to track users changes in the input form. To monitor the changes made by different users on an input form screen, you must enable the track timestamps option and use a script. The Track timestamps for input updates field is on the main input form screen record. For more information, see Configure an input form screen. It tracks the time the input’s value changed. This information is accessible using the scripted writeback action. For a code example of this writeback action, see Using timestamps to track user changes in an input form.