Knowledgebase

Form Groups are the organizational foundation of your Site Manager's form system. They serve as containers that help you categorize and manage related form fields in a logical, hierarchical structure. Think of Form Groups as folders that help you organize your form fields for easy management and reuse across different parts of your website.

This article will guide you through creating, organizing, and managing Form Groups to build an effective form structure for your Orthodox parish or organization.

Understanding Form Groups

What Are Form Groups?

Form Groups are organizational containers that:

• Group related form fields together (e.g., "Contact Information", "Event Registration Details")
• Create hierarchical structures with parent and child groups
• Allow you to reuse common field sets across multiple forms
• Maintain consistency in data collection across your website

Why Use Form Groups?

Organizing your form fields into groups provides several benefits:

• Better Organization - Keep related fields together for easier management
• Reusability - Use the same group of fields in multiple locations
• Consistency - Maintain standard data collection practices
• Flexibility - Easily add or modify field groups as your needs change
• Efficiency - Manage large numbers of fields without confusion

Accessing Form Group Management

Getting to Form Groups

1. Log into your Site Manager admin panel
2. Navigate to Forms in the main menu
3. Click on Form Fields
4. The Form Fields page displays your hierarchical structure of groups and fields

Understanding the Interface

The Form Fields interface uses a tree-like structure where:

• Folders represent Form Groups
• Items within folders represent individual Form Fields
• Expand/Collapse buttons help you navigate large structures
• Action buttons appear when you hover over groups or fields

Creating Form Groups

Creating a New Top-Level Group

1. On the Form Fields page, click the "Create group" button
2. Enter a descriptive Name for your group (e.g., "Contact Information", "Membership Application")
3. Click Save to create the group
4. Your new group will appear in the hierarchical list

Creating a Child Group

To create a group within another group:

1. Find the parent group in the list
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to the parent group
3. Select "add group" from the menu
4. Enter the Name for the child group
5. Click Save

The child group will appear nested under the parent group.

Group Naming Best Practices

• Use Descriptive Names - "Event Registration" instead of "Form 1"
• Be Consistent - Follow a naming pattern across your groups
• Consider Context - Include purpose or location if helpful ("Contact Page Form", "Membership Directory Fields")
• Keep It Concise - Long names can clutter the interface

Managing Existing Form Groups

Editing Group Properties

To modify a Form Group:

1. Locate the group in the Form Fields list
2. Click the "edit" button next to the group name
3. Update the Name as needed
4. Click Save to apply changes

Organizing Groups with Drag-and-Drop

The Form Fields interface allows you to reorganize your structure:

• Reorder Groups - Drag groups up or down to change their order
• Change Hierarchy - Drag a group to make it a child of another group
• Move to Top Level - Drag a child group outside its parent to make it top-level

Duplicating Form Groups

To copy an existing group structure:

1. Find the group you want to copy
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to the group
3. Select "duplicate group" from the menu
4. A copy of the group and all its fields will be created
5. Rename the duplicated group as needed

Deleting Form Groups

Important: Deleting a group will also delete all fields within that group and any data collected through those fields.

To delete a group:

1. Locate the group in the Form Fields list
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to the group
3. Select "delete" from the menu
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Organizing Your Form Structure

Planning Your Hierarchy

Before creating groups, consider:

• Common Field Sets - What fields do you use repeatedly?
• Logical Groupings - How do fields naturally group together?
• Future Needs - What additional forms might you need?
• User Experience - How will visitors interact with these forms?

Recommended Structure Examples

Basic Church Structure:

Contact Information
Event Registration
  ├── Wedding Information
  ├── Baptism Details
  └── Memorial Service
Membership Directory
  ├── Personal Information
  └── Family Details
Ministry Involvement

E-Commerce Integration:

Customer Information
  ├── Basic Details
  └── Preferences
Order Customization
  ├── Special Instructions
  └── Delivery Options
Product Options
  ├── Books and Media
  └── Religious Items

Managing Large Structures

For organizations with many form groups:

• Use Parent Groups as Categories - Create broad categories with specific child groups
• Collapse Unused Sections - Keep your interface clean by collapsing groups you're not actively editing
• Regular Maintenance - Periodically review and clean up unused groups
• Document Your Structure - Keep notes about what each group is used for

Working with Groups and Fields

Adding Fields to Groups

Once you have groups created:

1. Navigate to the group where you want to add fields
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to the group
3. Select "add field" from the menu
4. Configure your field settings (covered in the next article)

Moving Fields Between Groups

If you need to relocate fields:

1. Use the drag-and-drop interface to move fields
2. Drag a field from one group to another
3. The field will be moved to the new group

Viewing Group Contents

To see what fields are in a group:

1. Click the expand button (arrow) next to the group name
2. All fields within the group will be displayed
3. Each field shows its type and status (required/optional)

Best Practices for Group Management

Organization Tips

• Start Simple - Begin with basic groups and add complexity as needed
• Group Related Fields - Keep fields that work together in the same group
• Use Consistent Naming - Develop a naming convention and stick to it
• Plan for Growth - Consider future needs when creating your structure

Maintenance Guidelines

• Regular Reviews - Periodically assess your group structure for efficiency
• Clean Up Unused Groups - Remove groups that are no longer needed
• Test Before Deleting - Verify that groups aren't being used before deletion
• Backup Important Structures - Export form data before making major changes

Performance Considerations

• Avoid Overly Deep Hierarchies - More than 3-4 levels can become confusing
• Balance Group Sizes - Very large groups can be hard to manage
• Consider Loading Times - Many groups with many fields may impact admin performance

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Groups Not Displaying Correctly

• Refresh the Form Fields page to reload the structure
• Check that you have proper admin permissions
• Verify the group wasn't accidentally deleted

Cannot Create New Groups

• Ensure you're logged in with administrative privileges
• Check that you're clicking the correct "Create group" or "add group" button
• Try refreshing the page and attempting again

Drag-and-Drop Not Working

• Ensure JavaScript is enabled in your browser
• Try using the dropdown menus instead of drag-and-drop
• Clear your browser cache and try again

Lost Group Structure

• Check if groups were moved rather than deleted
• Use the expand/collapse buttons to reveal hidden sections
• Contact Orthodox Web Solutions support if groups appear to be missing