Question Type: Button Group

Available on all tiers, with more options on the Advanced and Enterprise tiers:

Essentials
Advanced
Enterprise

Contents

About

The Button Group question type allows a mobile user to choose an answer from two to five color-coded buttons, providing easy visual feedback. Button Group questions are often used in inspection forms to show a Yes/No/Not Applicable question, and can collect additional comments when specified answers are selected.

Form Builder

In the Form BuilderClosed The Form Builder is the tool that form designers use to create forms. In the Form Builder, accessed from the TrueContext Web Portal, form designers can add and edit pages, sections, and questions, as well as attach data destinations and configure the form's settings., a Button Group question displays as shown in the following image:

A Button Group question for mobile users to select the state of equipment. Options are Excellent, Good, Acceptable, Poor, and Broken.

The Button Group question type has four tabs: General, Options, Properties, and Help OptionsClosed Help Options are ways to add help content, such as YouTube videos, web pages, text, or images, to questions in a form. Mobile users simply tap the help icon next to a question to see the help that the form designer provided. (Advanced and Enterprise tiers only). This topic describes each of these tabs.

General

Unique ID

The Unique IDClosed A Unique ID refers to the specific identifier of a question, form page, form section, or Data Destination. Unique IDs are used as reference points when pulling data for conditional logic, Analytics projects, Data Destinations, and Documents. is used to reference the question in Conditional Logic, DRELClosed Data Reference Expression Language (DREL) is used to get form data and metadata and add it to a string, such as dates, usernames, or answers to questions in forms. expressions, Destinations, and Documents. You can customize the Unique ID or let the system generate an ID based on the question text.

Info:The topic Overview: Unique IDs describes how to use Unique IDs in more detail.

Data Types

Data types describe the format in which a user answers a question. For example, a user might select a name (Text) in one question, and a dollar amount (Currency) in another. A data type also supports validation.

The Button Group question type supports the following data types:

Free Text Email URL Phone Number Integer Decimal Currency
Button Group

Choose a data type that matches the options in the question. Some data types allow you to use the data in other parts of the form, select where the form sends the data, or reference the data in Conditional Logic.

  • Email: Use this data type to select an email address. If your form has an Email Data Destination, you can use this answer to identify the destination email.

  • Integer, Decimal, and Currency: Use one of these numeric data types if the answer will be used in a calculation or aggregation later in the form.

    Tip:To calculate a score using Button Group questions, such as for an inspection form, use a numeric data type.

Restrictions

Restrictions control how your mobile users interact with a question. They can be set on the question itself or controlled by Conditional Logic.

The following table shows which restrictions you can set for the question type. Note that:

  • indicates a restriction that you can configure.

  • * indicates a restriction that is always on.

  • ✘* indicates a restriction that is always off.

Required Read-Only Hidden on Device Hidden on Reports

Keep question width to 100%

Side-by-Side SectionsClosed Side-by-Side Sections display questions and answers in a condensed, two-column layout. This can make it easier and faster for field users to scan, complete, and confirm the answers in a form. only)

Button Group

Options

The Options tab is where you set up two to five answer choices. You can also select a display color for each option.

Button Group options that show "Value submitted to server" as "10, "Text displayed on device" as "Excellent", and "Display color" Green (the color applied once the field user selects the option).

Properties

Properties allow you to set up your question in various ways. Question Properties change depending on the data type chosen.

Free Text Email/URL/Phone Number Integer/Decimal/Currency
  • Validation Type: Validation checks that your users have entered information correctly.
  • Default Value
  • Allow mobile users to launch Email, Browser, SMS, or Phonecall to this entry
  • Default Value
  • Allowable Range (Min/Max)
  • Decimal Place Precision (Decimal Data Type)
  • Currency
  • Default Value

Answer Exceptions

Available on the Advanced and Enterprise tiers:

Essentials
Advanced
Enterprise

Answer Exceptions are used to categorize problems identified during the course of a field technician's work as the user completes a form. For example, if configured on an Inspection form, if a user selects "No" for an answer, an Exception could trigger that fails the entire inspection until problems are fixed.

Info:The topic Configure Exceptions on individual questions describes how to set up Exceptions on individual questions in more detail.

Additional Comments

Additional Comments are useful for when certain answers from a user require further information, like a comment or reason. On a Button Group question, the additional comment field shows up when a user selects a particular answer. For example, if the options are Yes, No, and N/A, a comment could be configured to appear on a "No" answer, requesting details.

Info:The topic Additional Comments on Questions describes how additional comments work in more detail.

Help Options

Available on the Advanced and Enterprise tiers:

Essentials
Advanced
Enterprise

Adding "Help" content to forms gives mobile users access to support and other resources out in the field. Help content is available to users through a button embedded beside a question. Any question in the form can include a link to YouTube videos, web pages, or work instructions.

Info:The topic Add Help Options to Questions describes how to set up help content in more detail.