Try RMail PRE-Crime Services – The Dependencies feature allows you to create fields that depend on the inputs of other fields, enhancing the document's interactivity and ensuring that signers provide all necessary information.
Dependencies enable you to establish a relationship between fillable control fields, which can be configured in multiple combinations. For example, if a signer chooses “Married” from a Marital Status dropdown, a new field can activate that requests the spouse's name. Or If a signer completes a text field with certain content, then a dropdown becomes visible for them to select a value.
This approach makes the document more intuitive and ensures that relevant information is collected only when necessary.
To begin using this feature, ensure that the Dependencies option is enabled first.
The dependency fields
Four types of fields are involved in creating dependencies: the controlling field, the dependent field, the conditions field, and the actions field.
- Controlling field: This is the field that controls the dependency. When a certain action is applied to the controlling field, that action triggers the dependent fields to appear. The following options can be set as a controlling fields: text, checkbox, radio button, dropdown.
- Dependent field: This is the field that will become available after the controlling field is acted upon by the signer. Any of the fillable control fields can be set as a dependent field, except for labels and time & date stamps.
- Conditions field: This field sets the conditions for the dependent field to appear. The conditions are based on their controlling field types (text, checkbox, radio button, dropdown).
- Actions field: This field shows the action required by the signer. The following options are available: visible & required or visible & not required.
Type of conditions field
Depending on the control field type used to create the condition, there will be different options for you to use:
- Text conditions:
. Specific text: The dependent field will become available when the specific text, as configured by the sender, is entered by the signer in the text control field.
. Contains text: The dependent field will become available when any text containing certain words, as configured by the signer, is entered in the text control field.
- Checkbox conditions:
. Checked: The dependent field will become available when the value set as a controlling field is checked.
. Unchecked: The dependent field will become available when the value set as a controlling field is left unchecked.
- Radio conditions:
. Selected: The dependent field will become available when the value set as a controlling field is selected.
- Dropdown conditions: The dependent field will become available based on the dropdown options the sender selected from the controlling field.
How to create dependencies
To create dependencies, follow these steps while preparing a envelope to be sent for signature:
In this example, if the signer clicks on the “Married” radio button, a text field will appear prompting them to enter their spouse name.
1. Add all the control fields to the document, including the controlling and dependent fields.
2. Press the Add dependencies button. The top dependencies toolbar will slide down to show all the dependency options.
Note: Dependencies can also be added for a specific controlling field by clicking on the Add dependency icon. This action will also take you to the top toolbar to set the rest of the options.
3. Set the controlling and dependent fields accordingly.
Tip: Confirm the controlling and dependent fields are highlighted with the same color in the document. Multiple controlling and dependent field sets will be shown in different colors.
4. Apply the conditions for the dependent field to appear. Lastly, choose if the action on the dependent field is required or optional.
5. Press the green Save button. A message will appear confirming the dependency was created.