Conditional Fields

Learn how to set up and use conditional fields in a custom form in AroFlo

Updated on July 14th, 2025

Using Conditional Fields on Custom Forms is a great way to create simple, uncomplicated compliance or safety forms, because they can guide a user through a series of choices. Your form will show or hide elements depending on the information being entered into the form fields, making them much more user-friendly.

 

Create a Form with Conditional Fields

Before you begin, make sure you understand how to create a custom form, because you'll need one to start with.

Next, map out what you want the final version of your form to look like, and what ‘path’ users will take to get there.

Examples

  • You could have an Inline Document field appearing, showing a diagram of a connection type if ‘plumbing’ was typed into a previous Text field.
  • A Documents & Photos field could appear asking for a photo of damages if ‘yes’ was selected on a previous Radio field asking if there are signs of damage.
  • You might have a Multiselect field asking what PPE was used, but if ‘No’ is selected on a field asking if PPE is required, the Multiselect field is hidden.
 

Which Field Types can be used as Conditions?

Field Type How can it be used
Canvas  
Check Box (Equals > Checked / Unchecked)
Documents & Photos  
Inline Document  
Date Field (Equals > Date entered)
Heading  
Numeric (Equals > String of text)
Radio (Equals > String of text)
Select (Equals > String of text)
Multiselect (Equals / Includes > String of text)
Text Block / Box (Equals / Includes > String of text)
Text / Notes / Weblink  
 
 

Once you've mapped out the path of the form, you can start building your conditional elements:

  1. Access your custom form as described above and click Edit under the Fields column
    1. Alternatively, if you clicked the name of the form, click Form Fields
  2. For each field you want to apply conditions to, click to edit the cell
  3. Use the dropdown in Conditional Visibility to Show or Hide the field if the conditions of another field are met (e.g. if ‘fire’ has been typed as the answer to a question for a Text field, or if a Check Box has been checked).

    More information on conditions

    - See above for which fields can be used as conditions and how.

    - Conditional fields involving a string of text are case-sensitive, regardless of the Field type (i.e. whether the user filling out the form is typing into a Text field, or selecting a Radio or Select option). If your conditions are Radio or Select fields, ensure you're using the right cases (i.e. initial capitals or not), and if you're using Text fields, the conditions will only work if the user filling out the form meets the case conditions you're setting now (e.g. ‘Fire’ vs ‘There is a fire’).

    - You can also use ‘Includes’ instead of ‘Equals’. For Text fields, this means that word needs to be included in the string of text as opposed to only entering that word (as per the above example, but remember the case conditions). For Multiselect fields, using ‘Includes’ means you can set the multiple values you want for this condition to be met. Separate the values with a comma and again remember the case conditions.

     
     
  4. Repeat this process as necessary for each field you want to apply conditions to

    If you've changed your mind for a field and you no longer want it to be conditional, set the Conditional Visibility to ‘None’

     
  5. Save Form when finished.
  • If not working with an already-established form, we recommend you create all your form fields and Save your form before adding your conditions, otherwise you will need to save your form after adding each field that you want to be used as a condition.
  • Once saved, click Preview at the top right to test the user experience and ensure your form is working the way you're expecting it to (with the exception of Multiselect fields as these do not display correctly in the Previewer). If it's not, make changes to your form as necessary.
 
In this example, a tickbox has enabled two items to be checked. On one of them we've seleted a radio option which has triggered a documents and photos field. We've then typed in some text in another field which has then triggered a Notes field containing a reminder to fill out a linked form.
In this example, a tickbox has enabled two items to be checked. On one of them we've seleted a radio option which has triggered a documents and photos field. We've then typed in some text in another field which has then triggered a Notes field containing a reminder to fill out a linked form.
 

 

Conditional fields in layouts

When using conditional fields on layouts, your form will automatically be set to apply the conditions. i.e. if the form has been filled out and conditions met, the end result of the form will display.

If you want your form to show all fields, regardless if they've been filled out or not:

  1. Customise your form
  2. Click the Custom Form Field Area element
  3. Select ‘Show All’ for the Conditional Fields option
  4. Save your layout as necessary.

More on creating Custom Layouts