An application creation form lets applicants create and submit an application in Slate through the submission of a form. Login is not required to access or submit the form by default, but can be configured if desired. You can use the form as:

• A shorter version of your primary application (like a fast app)

• A more user-friendly way of creating an application for a particular purpose, such as a scholarship, an honors application, or a specific program

• A two-part process that enables applicants to start an application quickly, so that the applicant can subsequently be sent login credentials to finish the application through the traditional application architecture at a later date

An application creation form can be used if applicants are not required to provide the following within the form in a "traditional" Slate-hosted application manner:

• Recommendations

• Portfolio

• Video Essay

• School Report

Periods and Rounds

Before creating an application creation form, configure the following:

1. Create an Application Period. Application periods help keep application rounds organized. They designate applications as active or inactive. Think of the application period as an on/off switch for your applications.

2. Create an Application Round. Application rounds classify a distinct category of application types in an application period. Using separate application rounds in a single application period is helpful if there are separate application deadlines and decision notification dates for your different types of applications.

Creating the Form

1. Select Forms on the main navigation bar.

2. Click New Form.

3. Enter a Page Title to name the form and click Save.

4. Click Edit Form and retain the default fields on the form.

5. Click Edit Properties. In the dialog box, set the Scope to Application Creation. Setting this scope allows the form to serve as the foundation of your application.

6. For Security, consider the two optional settings: 

   • Require secure link/login: When selected, the form submitter must sign into their existing account to access the form. Additionally, filters for previously captured data points will be available for conditional logic. For example, a process might call for a form field to appear based on previously captured data points for Citizenship.

   • Allow secure link/login filters: When selected, the filters made available with "Require secure link/login" can be accessed, but no login is required for the form submitter. Slate can still access the record data, typically through query string parameters. Be aware that if a student who is not logged in opens the form through an open link, Slate will not b able to identify them, so some filters may not work. It is a best practice to thoroughly test filters to be sure that form fields, sections, and prompts appear conditionally as expected.

7. Click Save and continue editing the form.

Add Form Fields

In addition to any application-scoped custom fields and personal information fields added to the form, it is necessary to include the App:Round and Generate PIN fields.

Confirmation and Login Information

Because the scope of this form is Application Creation, use form communications to create communications that include applicant login information. This ensures that the applicant receives login credentials immediately and that there is a consistent approach to communications for all applications created. It potentially prevents students from receiving “duplicate” communications if they submit applications through various means.

To set up the mailing to confirm the form submission or application creation and to inform an applicant of login details:

1. From the Application Creation form summary page, click Edit Communications.

2. Click New Mailing.

3. Enter the appropriate configurations and select Save.

4. When editing the message, include the 'sys-pin' merge field.

This merges the PIN generated during the submission of the Application Creation form into the confirmation mailing so that the applicant receives their login credentials and can access the status page immediately.

5. Add a hyperlink in the confirmation mailing to direct applicants to the status page. Append "?id=" and the 'Form-Person-ID' merge field to the end of the login URL. When configured this way, the hyperlink directs applicants to the login page, where they are asked to enter the PIN provided in the mailing and their birth date before being prompted to create and set a new password.

✨ Tip

You can configure a separate form communication on the Application Creation form to create a confirmation page to acknowledge the form submission and instruct the applicant to check their email to receive their login credentials.

Additional Optional Form Fields

The Application Creation form provides access to some optional Slate standard settings that can be used for matching and submission capability. You can find the following in the list of application fields on the form:

f242d4ab-b4f2-41ab-8f08-abe8cf289893:slate-applications

Troubleshooting Common Application Creation Form Issues

Here are some common application creation form issues and initial troubleshooting steps you can take.

My application creation form is not creating an application upon submission.

An application will not be created upon submission if a Round is not set correctly. Ensure that you've mapped to your Round and configured the field appropriately: if there is only one round, set the Default Value to this round and check the Hidden option. If there are multiple options for the applicant to choose from, ensure that the field is not Hidden and check the Required option. If you need to curate the list of Rounds that may be selected, you can just build logic in the Edit Prompt Conditions window to avoid unnecessary Rounds from a selection.

If you have used Briefcase or Suitcase to import your application creation form and are using the "Override system prompts" checkbox, you will want to verify that your Round prompt is mapping to the appropriate Round ID post-import.

When collecting data on previously attended schools on our application creation form, any name entered appears in all school name fields.

Each section intended to collect school data will need to given a separate group number and separated by section breaks. The best practice consists of using a hidden school-scoped CEEB Code field in conjunction with the school name field; you can configure both of these fields to be set to the same group and use their respective auto-suggest features for a quick and easy process.

Data in my field(s) are not showing upon submission.

This can occur when the same field is mapped multiple times in your form. If the applicant qualifies for multiple submissions of this field, Slate will work from top to bottom and use the last value provided from these fields, which can nullify the value provided by the applicant. Whenever possible, it's best practice to map a field once per form and use prompt logic to show the appropriate prompts for selection. 

My widgets in my application creation form aren't working.

At this time, widgets are not compatible with application creation forms. If widgets are necessary, consider having the applicant jump directly into a Slate Hosted application (Direct Round URLs can make this more manageable if you are only reaching out to students for a specific round) or use the App Creation form as a fast application to get them started and then direct them towards your Slate Hosted application via the form communication that provides them with their account information. They can then provide the necessary material in the application itself or from their status portal post-submission.