How can a manager add information to a form that an applicant has filled out?

I am trying to make a workflow like so:

1. New recruit fills out basic info.
2. Manager assigns the applicant an ID number and clicks OK.
3. The ID number then goes into the data flow: a welcome email is sent saying "this is your ID num," and the ID number is also assigned to the recruit's file as a data point, etc.

Step 2 is where I'm hung up. I'm trying to figure out the best way forward. It seems like I need to create a second, near-identical, form with an extra page, and import all data from the first? If so, how to properly notify both the immediate supervisor (dynamic), and us at the upper management that someone needs to fill out the extra information?

Hi PTRX,

Thank you for reaching out to Jotform Support. You can use Jotform Workflows to create a follow-up form for the manager to fill out additional information, such as the assigned ID number. Instead of creating a second near-identical form manually, you can add a follow-up form element in the Workflow Builder and set it to be sent to the manager dynamically based on the recruit's submission. Here’s how to do it:

1. In the Workflow Builder, add a Form Element to your flow as a follow-up form for the manager.
2. Configure the form properties to prefill data from the recruit's initial form submission, so the manager sees the applicant's info and can add the ID number.
3. Set the Assignee Email Address dynamically using the recruit's form fields, or specify the manager's email to receive the follow-up form.
4. Customize the Invitation Email sent to the manager, so they know to fill out the extra information.
5. Set up notifications for both the immediate supervisor and upper management by adding notification emails to alert them when the follow-up form is submitted or needs attention.

This approach avoids duplicating forms manually and streamlines the process by automating data flow and notifications. Now you can prefill data from the recruit's initial form submission. Prefilling your form using another form is easy. Let me show you how:

1. In Form Builder, in the orange navigation bar at the top of the page, click on Publish.
2. Now, click on Prefill in the menu on the left side of the page, and then select Form Prefill.
3. Click on the Downward Arrow icon and select the form that you want to prefill from, and then match the fields.
4. Finally, click on Save Settings on the bottom-right side of the Form Prefill section.

Now that you’ve set up the prefill settings, you'll need to add a new prefill. Let’s do it:

1. Click on Add a New Prefill and select a row or the rows you want to be prefilled.
2. Then, click on the Create button in the right corner of the page.

That's it. Now, a prefill link's been created, and you can share that with people. When they open the link, the matched fields will be filled automatically. Check out the screencast below to see how it works:

If you want your prefilled fields to be read-only and not editable, you can change the options for those:

1. In the Form Prefill settings, click on Can Edit next to the prefill link.
2. In the dropdown menu that opens, select Read only, and that's it.

Give it a try and let us know if you need any other help.

I'm struggling to understand if this is going to save me any time. Don't create a new form manually, but just go into the workflow and add a new form element? So you mean, a second form? Are you just telling me not to rebuild one from scratch, but rather I need to clone the first one? Your screenshot has a form labeled clone.

You seem to want me to go in and create a link for the managers at every application. Is that what you're showing me? Because that would definitely not be helpful. It's now two layers of approval instead of one. I might as well slap the ID number on the applications myself and get the hiring process moving faster.

Unless I'm misunderstanding something with your instructions?

Why can I not see my new (cloned) form in the dropdown list of my form element in the workflow builder? I see it cloned the workflow also. I deleted the cloned workflow. The dropdown menu shows me what I believe to be all my forms except my new one.

It sure seems like this is a bug in your software. All my other new forms are appearing, in order, except the one I need.

When I click on "View Workflow" for my new form, it keeps showing me a cloned workflow, even though I keep deleting it. I can delete all the other elements off this new workflow, but can't delete the form element.

I got the cloned workflow to delete by purging it from the trash. But I still need help automating the flow such that a manager can hire his own people without my involvement "creating" prefilled forms for him every 12 hours, please

Hi PTRX,

I didn’t get that right at first, but I do now. To confirm after the new recruit fills out basic info, the manager will edit the submission and assigns the applicant an ID, is that correct? If that is the case, then you can add an edit link in the notification email for the manager so that he/she can edit the submission and assign an applicant ID.

You can set up an Autoresponder Email, enabling the manager to edit the submission to add the applicant ID and submit the form again. Take note that the recipient of the autoresponder email is the email field containing the email address of the manager. Let me show you how:

1. In Form Builder, in the orange navigation bar at the top of the page, click on Settings. 

2. In the menu on the left side of the page, click on Emails.

3. Hover your mouse over your Autoresponder and click on the Pencil icon to customize it.

4. Click on the Email Content window, then click on Form Fields, and select Edit Link.

5. Customize the Edit Link the way you want, and when you're finished, click on Save on the bottom-right side of the Email Content window.

After submitting the form, responders will receive an email like the one below. Once they click on it, they'll be able to edit the submission:

Reach out to us again if you have more questions.

Is this really the best you can do? There is no way to automatically prefill information in the workflow, as each form is assigned out for completion? So when I gather the name and address for instance, and I need someone to fill out their W9, their Direct Deposit form, and the contract, the options are to either make the applicant retype that information in three times, or I have to babysit my computer "creating" a prefilled form for them four times in one day?

Easiest way is to use the Edit Submission option. After the applicant submits, send the manager an edit link so they can open the same form and add their notes or ID details. That way everything stays in one place.

Additionally, even if I were to follow your guidance on having a manager use the Edit links, is there a conditional command that will allow the manager to see the fields but the applicant won't? I give instructions for the managers to stop the onboarding process if the candidate does not appear to be a good fit. There is no way any recruiter should allow the recruit to see that information. I'm starting to be disappointed that my partner paid for this service, if you aren't able to provide a better solution for me.

I'm sorry, no, that doesn't even answer my question about how to have the recruit fill out multiple forms, with varying levels of sensitive and personal information. Direct Deposit forms cannot be left in the "open" for anyone to click an Edit link and be able to see (and change!) the information.

Hi PTRX_Delivery,

What you are trying to do is possible either way, single form or multiple form. But to avoid confusion with the steps, let's go with the multiple form option. It's possible to automatically fill a form via Workflow. When I checked your Contractor Information Form, I see that you've successfully set up the prefill. Take a look at the screenshot below:

Now, if you would like to hide certain form field from the applicant, you can add the Get Form Page URL widget to your form, then create a Show/Hide Field conditional logic. Let me show you how:

1. In Form Builder, in the orange navigation bar at the top of the screen, click on Settings.
2. Click on Conditions on the left side of the screen.
3. Select the Show/Hide Field.
4. Set a condition like what you see in the screenshot below, then click on Save.

If you're referring to the information sent in email, you can customize the content of the email. Explore our guide on How to Edit Notification and Autoresponder Emails to dive in deeper.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Hey, this works just fine. It's what I had assumed it was supposed to do when I first started building a workflow, but the persons answers last night was telling me otherwise.

I do have another question, but I will ask it as a new question for everyone else's benefit.

Thanks