Custom Forms Overview

Create, assign, and manage custom forms to collect information from parents and guardians digitally.

Custom Forms

The custom forms system allows nursery administrators to create dynamic forms, assign them to children or staff, and manage submissions digitally. Parents and guardians can complete forms online via secure email links or through the Pigeonhole app. Forms can also be made publicly accessible via a shareable URL for enquiry forms, feedback, or collecting information from anyone.

Creating Forms

How to build custom forms with sections, fields, and previews.

Assigning Forms

How to assign forms to children and manage form distribution.

Managing Submissions

How to review, approve, and manage form submissions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit a form after it has been assigned to children?

Yes, but changes will only apply to non-completed form assignments. Completed forms remain unchanged to preserve data integrity. If you need to make significant changes, consider creating a new version of the form.

What happens if I delete a form that has active assignments?

You cannot delete a form that has active assignments or completed submissions. You must first remove all assignments and submissions before the form can be deleted. This protects existing data from accidental loss.

How do automatic reminders work?

Automatic reminders are sent 2 days before the due date, and overdue notifications are sent after the due date has elapsed. You can enable this feature when assigning forms with due dates.

Can staff members create and assign forms?

Staff permissions depend on the form settings. You can enable ‘Staff Can Create’ to allow staff to assign forms through the register, and ‘Staff Can Read’ to allow them to view form submissions for children in their care.

What's the difference between 'Assign' and 'Assign & Send'?

Using ‘Assign’ creates the form assignment but doesn’t notify parents - you’ll need to send it manually later. ‘Assign & Send’ immediately creates the assignment and emails the form link to parents.

Can I assign forms to people who aren't registered in the system?

Yes, you can assign forms anonymously to any email address. This is useful for pre-registration forms or when collecting information from people not yet in your system. They’ll receive the form link via email. You can also make a form publicly accessible so anyone with the link can submit it — see Public Forms.

What are public forms and how do they work?

Public forms are forms with ‘Allow Public Access’ enabled. They generate a shareable URL that anyone can use to submit the form without needing an account. Submitters must provide their name and email address, and reCAPTCHA protects against spam. Public form submissions appear on the Form Submissions page and can be assigned to a child or staff member afterwards.

Why is my form showing 'Awaiting Signoff' status?

This status appears when a form has been submitted but contains required fields that are marked as not parent-editable (such as staff signatures). These fields need to be completed by staff members before the form can be fully completed.

Can parents complete forms without logging into the system?

Parents can complete forms through secure email links without logging in, but they can also log into Pigeonhole to see all their assigned forms in one place and complete them through the app interface.

What file formats are supported for manual form uploads?

The system supports PDF uploads for completed paper forms. You can scan or photograph completed forms and upload them to create permanent records alongside any manually entered data.

How do I handle forms for children who haven't started yet?

Use the ‘Auto Assign’ feature to automatically assign forms to new children when they’re added to the system. You can also assign forms anonymously using email addresses for pre-registration scenarios.

What happens if a parent completes a form multiple times?

After a form has been submitted by a parent, the link will be disabled and they cant submit through it again. Only forms in the sent status can be completed by parents or staff.