Building a Form with the Field Builder

Overview

The field builder is where a form takes shape. You add fields one at a time, choose a type for each, and configure its label, whether it's required, a placeholder, and — for choice fields — the options. This article covers every field type and the settings that make a form clear and easy to complete.

Field types

StretchForms offers the standard question palette. Use the right type for each answer so you collect clean, structured data:

Type	Use it for	Notes
Short text	Names, titles, short answers	Single line
Long text	Messages, descriptions, feedback	Multi-line paragraph box
Email	Email addresses	Validates email format
Phone	Phone numbers	Accepts common phone formats
Number	Quantities, budgets, ages	Numeric input
Date	Deadlines, appointments, birthdays	Date picker
Dropdown / choice	A pick from a fixed list	Requires an options list
Checkbox	Yes/no, opt-ins, consent	Great for terms and privacy consent

Add and configure a field

Open your form and click Add field.
Choose the field type from the list above.
Enter a clear label — the question the respondent reads (for example, What's your project budget?).
Toggle Required if the respondent must answer before submitting.
Add an optional placeholder — hint text shown inside the field (for example, you@company.com).
For a dropdown/choice field, add each option on its own line (for example, Under $5k, $5k–$25k, $25k+).
Repeat for each question, then Save.

Order and structure

Fields are collected in the order you add them; drag or reorder so the flow feels natural — identity first, then the substance, then consent.
Group related questions together. If a form is getting long, consider splitting it into steps (see Building multi-step forms and partial saves).
Keep required fields to the essentials. Every extra required field lowers completion.

Example: a service request form

A cleaning company builds a Service Request form:

Full name — short text, required.
Email — email, required, placeholder you@email.com.
Phone — phone, optional.
Service needed — dropdown, required, options: Standard clean, Deep clean, Move-out.
Preferred date — date, required.
Notes — long text, optional, placeholder Anything we should know?.
I agree to the terms — checkbox, required.

The result is a short, structured form where every answer arrives in a predictable shape.

Tips

Match the type to the answer. Using Email and Number types means you get valid emails and real numbers instead of free text you have to clean up.
Write labels as questions, not keywords. What's your company name? beats Company.
Use placeholders for format hints, not for the label itself — placeholder text disappears once the respondent starts typing.
Add a consent checkbox when you collect personal data, so consent is captured with the submission.

Troubleshooting

My dropdown shows no choices. A choice field needs at least one option. Open the field and add options, one per line.

A required field isn't blocking submission. Confirm the Required toggle is on and re-save the form; then test again as a respondent.

Answers arrive as plain text when I expected structured data. Change the field to the correct type (Email, Number, Date, Dropdown) and re-save — free-text fields don't enforce a format.

FAQ

How many fields can a form have? Enough for any realistic intake form. If it's getting long, split it into steps instead of one giant page.

Can I change a field's type after responses arrive? Yes, but new answers will follow the new type. Change types before a form goes live where possible.