--- title: "Form Scope" slug: "form-scope" status: "new" updated: 2026-07-08T18:16:53Z published: 2026-07-08T18:16:53Z canonical: "knowledge.technolutions.net/form-scope" stale: true --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Form Scope A Slate [form](/v1/docs/forms-overview) updates or adds data to a Slate [record](/v1/docs/getting-started-with-records) or related data object. The form’s **scope** tells Slate which type of record to send the form submission data to. A person-scoped form will make updates to a person record, a dataset-scoped form makes updates to a [dataset record](/v1/docs/datasets-overview), like [funds](/v1/docs/funds-dataset) or [organizations](/v1/docs/the-organizations-dataset), and an application-scoped form will make updates to an application record. When you [create a form](/v1/docs/creating-a-form), select **Edit Form,** then select **Edit Properties**. In the popup, you can select the form’s scope. Form scopes fall under the following scope categories: ## Records ### Person These forms should be used for things like your inquiry form, to collect or enter information on students while on the road, or for events that do not require a student to be an applicant. There are other use cases, but largely, this scope should be used to update anything related to the person record. ### Application Application-scoped forms are associated with a specific application, so a that a person record with multiple applications (either simultaneously active, or compiled over the years) can have distinct form responses for each one. This scope is often used for [decision reply forms](/v1/docs/decision-reply-form), updates to major or other application-specific credentials, or to collect supplemental information from an applicant after the submission of their application (post-enrollment program requirements, etc.). Application-scoped forms are secure and will require a login if the applicant is not already authenticated into their application or Application Status Page. ### Application Creation Application creation-scoped forms let prospective applicants create (and, if desired, submit) an application in Slate through the submission of a form. They can collect a combination of person- and application-scoped data. Login is not required to access or submit the form by default, but this can be configured if desired. This form scope can also be used in a secure [application management portal](/v1/docs/application-management-portal#creating-the-application-widget). Submission of an application-creation scoped form will generate an application as long as two fields are mapped: “Round” and “Generate PIN” (the latter is often hidden, but is necessary to give the applicant their login credentials). You may also choose to map "Submitted Flag" if the resulting app should be submitted. Review the documentation on [application creation forms](/v1/docs/form-scope#application-creation) for a full breakdown of mapping considerations and use cases. ### Dataset Forms with a dataset scope update and add data to the dataset with which they are related. When you select the *Dataset* scope, a list of the datasets to which you have access appear. Select a dataset to relate this form to that dataset. Dataset-scoped forms for form and event registrations are intended only for a particular dataset (e.g., organization contacts, organizations, alum volunteers, etc.). > [!WARNING] > 📝 Dataset records are distinct from person records: forms scoped to a dataset will not create or update person records. ## Related ### Reader Review Form (Application/Person/Dataset) Reader-scoped forms should be used when creating forms that you wish to display within the reader. For example, your Reader Review form will be Reader scoped. The scope is likely incorrect if you are attempting to add your Reader Review Form to the Reader and do not see it as an option in the dropdown. ### Event Survey Configures the form as an [event survey](/v1/docs/event-surveys). ### Unsubscribe Survey Configures the form as an [unsubscribe survey](/v1/docs/custom-unsubscribe-follow-up-form). ## System ### Form/Event Notes Creates a form that can be tied to a specific form or event for internal use. Once created, these forms become selectable options on a form or event. Organizations often use these to comment on college fairs, high school visits, etc. ### Material [Material-scoped forms](/v1/docs/material-metadata) add or update metadata associated with a material. ### Source Metadata [Source-metadata-scoped forms](/v1/docs/capturing-source-format-metadata) add or update metadata associated with source formats. ### Inbox Message Metadata Configures the form to add or update [metadata associated with an Inbox conversation](/v1/docs/replying-to-and-resolving-messages#edit-metadata). ## Page Construction ### Application Page Application page-scoped forms are used to compile the fields that should be displayed and updated internally from an application-scoped tab on each application record. They can host entity widgets where the entity has a scope of application. ### Slate-Hosted Application Page [Slate-Hosted Application Page-scoped forms](/v1/docs/creating-a-custom-application-page) create custom pages that can be added to the Slate-hosted application through the Application Editor. Use this scope for custom application pages. They can host any page-construction widget. ### Person Page This scope is used to create custom tabs to display person-scoped data points on the person record. After creating the form with this scope, add a field with the ID `tab_Tab Name` and choose this form from the drop down list. ### Dataset Page Dataset Page-scoped forms are used for [custom tabs](/v1/docs/custom-tabs) on dataset records. Select the dataset when you set the form scope, then link the form to a dataset-scoped tab. ### Reference Page Reference page-scoped forms allow you to build a [custom external reference page](/v1/docs/external-reference-page) form to be sent to recommenders that an applicant has entered in the Slate-Hosted application through a reference widget. It is essentially a recommendation form designed to be submitted by a teacher, counselor, manager, etc., and collects primarily reference-scoped information. ### School Report Page School Report Page-scoped forms create a custom [school report page](/v1/docs/external-school-report-page) that a school official completes after a student requests a school report (similar to reference page-scoped form functionality). ## Page Construction Widgets When you select this scope, the form you build is scoped to a **widget**. A widget in this context is like a form-within-a-form: you can add multiple widget forms to a host form, and the registrant can submit the widget form one or more times. Widget forms appear as popups, or **widget modals**, when the registrant adds or edits an item. The various scopes you see in this category correspond to the Slate-hosted application pages of the same names.