Rules let your form respond to the answers people give. You can show a field only when it's needed, lock it until something else is answered, or make it required in certain situations. Rules can be added to fields and to whole sections.
Try out a few rules to get the hang of it - it is easy once you have done a couple of them. When building them, you can use the 'preview' mode to try them out to make sure that they work how you expect them to.
Example: if the RAG rating for "Scaffold condition" is Red, show a Photo field and make it required.
Before you start Rules: It is really important to label every field clearly. When you are introducing rules, you need to make sure you are selecting the correct field so labelling clearly is essential!
The three types of rule
Show if
The field is hidden until the condition is met. By default fields are "Always shown."
Example:
The rule has been set that a 'Yes' answer will show the next field. A 'No' answer will not show the next field.
If answer 'Yes', the next RAG section will 'show' and you can complete it
If answer 'No', the RAG section will NOT 'show'
Enable if
The field is visible but locked until the condition is met. By default fields are "Always editable."
Example:
The rule has been set that a 'Yes' answer will enable the next RAG field, whereas a 'No' answer will not enable it.
If answer 'Yes', the next RAG section will allow you to make a selection
If answer 'No', the RAG section will be 'greyed' out and not allow any selection
Require if
The field must be answered when the condition is met. By default fields are "Never required by a rule."
Example:
The rule has been set that a 'Yes' answer will make the RAG field required (ie mandatory) whereas a 'No' answer will make the RAG field non required (ie. can answer it but it isn't mandatory)
If answer 'Yes' the RAG section is mandatory now (* red asterix)
If answer 'No', the next RAG section will allow you to make a selection but it isn't required.
Adding a rule
Select the field or section you want the rule to apply to.
In Rules, select Add a condition under Show if, Enable if or Require if.
In the first box, pick the field the rule checks.
Fields are listed under the section they belong to.
Choose how to compare: equals, does not equal, is one of, is not one of, is empty or is not empty.
Enter or pick the Value to compare against.
Optional: select Add another to add more conditions.
Choose all if every condition must be true, or any if only one needs to be true.
Select Preview to test your rule.
Removing a rule
Select the bin icon next to the condition.
Tips
Give your fields clear labels before adding rules. The rule picker lists fields by label, so "Untitled" fields are hard to tell apart.
A rule can only check fields that are already on the form.
Use is empty / is not empty to react to whether something has been answered at all, whatever the answer.