Yes — IndyForms lets you pre-fill forms or documents before sending them out for signatures. Depending on your workflow, there are two main approaches. Use the table below to choose the right method for your situation:
Method | When to Use | Examples |
Option 1: Pre-Fill During Record Creation | Tailoring details for each individual case | Employment contracts, incident reports, service agreements |
Option 2: Pre-Fill at the Design Stage | Sending the same information to many people | Excursion forms, service policies, event notices |
Option 1: Pre-Fill During Record Creation
Use this method when you need to tailor details for each individual — for example, an employment contract or incident report.
Find the Form
Go to Forms in your sidebar.
Select the form you want to use and click Create New Record.
Pre-Fill the Record
Enter the details you already have (such as names, dates, or contract terms).
Administrators can pre-fill all fields.
General Users will only see fields based on the form’s permissions.
Share with Contributors
Click Share → Add Contributors.
Choose an existing user, select a group, or create a new user.
Add a message (optional), then click Share.
Track Contributors
All contributors appear under Record Contributors.
They can complete the remaining editable fields (such as signatures).
Use Case Examples
Employment contracts — HR pre-fills job details; the employee just signs.
Service agreements — all terms are completed, leaving only the client’s signature.
Toolbox talks / staff sign-offs — session details are pre-filled; staff simply sign.
Incident reports — managers pre-fill event details; witnesses sign off for confirmation.
✍️ Option 1 works with Internal Forms only.
You cannot pre-fill a record on a Public Form and then share it. For Public Forms, use Option 2 instead.
Option 2: Pre-Fill at the Design Stage
Use this method when you want to send the same information to many people while leaving only specific fields (such as Name, Date, and Signature) editable.
Open the Form in the Form Builder
Edit the form design you’ll be publishing and sharing.
Add Fixed Information
Use Rich Text fields to provide excursion/event details, instructions, or disclaimers.
Use the Document Library field to attach files such as policies, risk assessments or instructions.
Add Tables with pre-entered text in column fields (e.g. schedule, item lists, session details).
Add Editable Fields for Respondents
Leave only the required fields editable, such as Name, Date, and Signature.
Set sections or table columns to Read Only so they can’t be changed.
Publish and Share
Once published, all respondents see the same fixed information and only fill in the editable fields.
Use Case Example:
A childcare centre builds an Excursion Authorisation Form with:
Rich Text describing the destination, date, and purpose.
A Document Library field shares the risk assessment.
A pre-filled table listing the schedule for the day.
Editable fields for Parent/Guardian Name, Date, and Signature.
When published, the form can be bulk sent to parents — all details stay consistent, and only the required sign-off fields are filled in.
✍️ Option 2 works with both Internal and Public Forms.
Design the form with fixed details and share it in whichever access mode suits your use case.
What Happens After Signing?
Once a contributor submits their signature:
The record is updated automatically and the signature is saved.
Administrators receive a notification and can view the completed record under Record Contributors.
Signed records can be exported or shared as needed from the Records section.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Can I restrict contributors to only complete the signature field?
A. Yes — use form section permissions to control which sections General Users can access, and set all other sections to Read Only. See Field Options in the Form Builder for step-by-step instructions.
Q. Can I capture multiple signatures on the same record?
A. Yes — add multiple signature fields, or use a table with expandable rows to collect sign-offs from many users.
Q. Does the signature automatically record the date and time?
A. Yes — enable Show Time Entered in the signature field options to add a timestamp automatically.
Q. Who can pre-fill the form before sharing?
A. Administrators can access and edit all fields. General Users can only pre-fill or edit fields allowed by the form’s settings.
Q. What if a contributor cannot edit a field?
A. Check the form’s section permissions and confirm the relevant fields are not set to Read Only. If you’re using Option 1, also verify that the contributor has been added correctly under Record Contributors.
💡IndyTips
In tables, deselect the Editable option to lock pre-filled data so contributors cannot change it.
Add a Signature field or an Expandable Table with signatures to capture multiple sign-offs.
Enable Show Time Entered and Show User Last Edited in signature field options to ensure compliance and auditing.
Double-check your pre-filled data before sharing to avoid corrections later.
Use Groups for quicker sharing when multiple people need to sign.