In this article, you will learn how to generate different templates based on the section submitted.
Generate different templates based on response submitted
timer 20 min.
- Create different sections on your Google Form
- Add a third or more templates
- Generate conditional templates based on response submitted
- Good knowledge of Google Form
- Knowing how to configure Form Publisher
- Understanding templates & markers
- As customer service manager, Alice wants to have a feedback from her users about the new features.
- As user, Bob gives his feedback about the 'Approval workflow' feature.
- Bob submits the 'Approval workflow' section.
- Alice receives the 'Approval workflow' template.
1. Create your original Google Form
First create your Google Form, and collect user information like email and name.
If you want to add sections to your Google Form, then create at least one question as Multiple choice or Dropdown in your Google Form.
2. Add different sections
In our example, we decided to create three different sections based on our new features:
- Approval workflow
- Conditional templates
- Multiple templates
To do so, once you have your multiple choices question, click on the three dots button. Then, click Go to section based on answer.
Then, to create your different sections, click the icon below. An Untitled Section appears. Then you can fill your section.
Finally, go back to section 1. Click Continue to next section next to Approval workflow. Select the right section. In our example, we selected Go to section 2 (Approval workflow).
Repeat the operation for each choice.
Below section 2 and section 3, make sure to select Submit form instead of Continue to next section by default.
3. Configure Form Publisher for the 'approval workflow' template
To do so, open Form Publisher. Then, click Get started.
Finally, create and personalize your current template. In our example, we selected our own Google Doc as template.
Form Publisher warns you that it can't handle duplicated question title. This is expected as the question I would like to suggest the following improvements is present in each section. Users will only answer to it once so it is not a problem. Click Continue.
Check that all your markers are valid. In our example, our first template does not cover the question from section 3 and 4, so it is expected that some markers are not found. Click Next.
Configure all the settings of your original form. In the Sharing options and notifications sidebar, add the marker <<Email address>> exactly as the question in your Google Form. Then click Next.
Each recipients will then receive the generated file by email. In our example, we decided to insert Alice's email so that the customer service receives the feedback.
Once done with your first template configuration, set up the second template.
4. Configure Form Publisher for the 'conditional template' template
4.1 Configure the condition of the additional template
Open Form Publisher. Then, click Additional template.
Then, click Get Started.
In our example, we want to generate the template depending on the multiple choice question Leave a review for one of our new features either on:
- approval workflow
- multiple template
- conditional template
You have now access to this new menu where you can set up the template that will be created based on the answer to the form.
Under Rules select Create current template if. Then, select Leave a review for one of our new features in the Question field from the additional template sidebar.
All the possible answers are then listed next to Is answered by, so simply select the one you want (Approval workflow in our example).
In our example it means that if the respondent answers Approval workflow to the multiple choices question Leave a review for one of our new features, Form Publisher will generate the Approval workflow file, otherwise it will generate one of the two other files.
4.2 Add the 'Conditional templates' template into your connected form
Click Open to open and to configure your connected template.
Open Form Publisher. Then, click Get Started.
Create and personalize your connected template. In our example, we selected our own Google Doc as template.
As for the original form, Form Publisher warns you about the duplicated question, click Continue.
Check that all your markers are valid. Click Next.
Configure all the settings of your connected form. Into Sharing options and notifications, add the marker <<Email address>> exactly as the question in your Google Form. Click Next.
Each recipients will then receive the generated file Form by email. In our example, we decided to insert Alice's email address so that the customer service receives the feedback.
Once done with your second template configuration, set up the third template.
5. Configure Form Publisher for the 'Multiple templates' template
5.1 Configure the condition of the 'connected to connected to' template
Open Form Publisher. Then, click Additional template
Then, click Get Started.
You have now access to this new menu where you can set up the template that will be created based on the answer to the form.
Under Rules click Create current template if. Then, select Leave a review for one of our new features in the Questions field from the additional template sidebar.
All the possible answers are then listed next to Is answered by, so simply select the one you want (Conditional templates in our example).
In our example it means that if the respondent answers Conditional templates to the multiple choices question Leave a review for one of our new features, Form Publisher will generate the Conditional templates file, otherwise it will generate one of the two other files.
5.2 Add the 'Multiple templates' template into your connected to connected form
Click Open to open and to configure your connected template.
Open Form Publisher. Then, click Get Started.
Create and personalize your connected template. In our example, we selected our own Google Doc as template.
Check that all your markers are valid. Click Next.
Configure all the settings of your connected to connected form. In the Sharing options and notifications sidebar, add the marker <<Email address>> exactly as the question in your Google Form. Then click Next.
Each recipients will then receive the generated file Form by email. In our example, we decided to insert Alice's email address so that the customer service receives the feedback.
6. Send your Google Form
Once you are done with your third template configuration, go back to your original form.
Send your Google Form.
In our first example, bob.fordemos@gmail.com fills the form. He selects Approval workflow. Then, he clicks Next.
Finally, he fills the Approval workflow section. He clicks Submit.
He receives an email confirmation with the Approval workflow Google Doc.
The customer service receives the generated file as well.
In our second example, bob.fordemos@gmail.com fills the form. He selects Conditional templates. Then, he clicks Next.
Finally, he fills the Conditional templates section. He clicks Submit.
He receives an email confirmation with the Conditional templates Google Doc.
The customer service receives the submitted form as well.
In our third example, bob.fordemos@gmail.com fills the form. He selects Multiple templates. Then, he clicks Next.
Finally, he fills the Multiple templates section. He clicks Submit.
He will receive an email confirmation with the Multiple templates Google Doc.
The customer service receives the submitted form as well.
Comments
22 comments
Hello, Many thanks for this documentation. My question is that I have three choice in my form and so I have a third templates. Is it possible to do it? Because I tried but it does not work. I have only two templates used.
Hi,
Did you tried to reproduce your first configuration on the second form ? So that the third one will get the rest of the response ?
What do you mean by "reproduce your first configuration on the second from?" Do you mean the connected form?
And what do I have to reproduce?
Hi
Could you contact the support at support@form-publisher.com ?
HI.
I have more than two options in a selection list, how can I configure this tool , that will generate for every option an extra document from several pre- defined templates?
Hi,
In that case, the best way is to use the "Only create current if" on each form so that Form Publisher generate only the needed document if the condition is respected, and in all the other cases, the data will be transferred to the next form which will have the same behavior.
What does this mean for the start form and a additional one response form for every option? Regards.
Hi,
Yes you will need a new Form for each template that you want to use. But it was not developed to be used in that way, we can't assure you that it will work with more than 5 forms.
Hi team!
Awesome product! ... but I seem to have the same problem as the guys above; I need more than 2 forms! Do you have some step-by-step documentation on a workaround?
Furthermore, I have problems to transfer the marker <<Username>> / <<Email Address>> to the additional template (I'm using Google email collect feature)... Any tips or tricks?
Thanks for your attention!
I also have a Form with a question with 3 options.
When I Add Template > click Additional Form (to create a 'third' connected form) a pop up with this message appears. "This will replace the form currently linked with a new one, continue?". I proceeded but it 'breaks' the previous connection to the 2nd form.
Please advise if this tool will work with more than one connected form. It currently does not appear to be working with more than one connected form.
Thank you
Hi,
You have to do activate the Additional template option on the second form.
Yes, the catch is to add "additional" forms "subsequently"; from the first form, add the second form, from the second form, add the third form and so on...
I appreciate your prompt reply, thank you so much. Unfortunately I need clarification.
If I understand correctly the first form can have 1 connected form (form #2). Then, I would have to add additional template to form #2? (the forms would be linked like a chain)
I just tried this. Here's a description of my set up. Form #1. The default template is called 'dummy' (so I can catch any responses that aren't forwarded as expected) I 'added a template' and only forwarded if option #1 is chosen in my question. This generated Form #2. Form #2 has a template & is being sent to 1 user. This works as expected. On form #2 I 'added a template' and chose only forward if the response matches option #2 in my question. This generated Form #3. Form #3 has a template & is being sent to 1 user. I stopped here because this is not working.
I followed your instructions as I understood them. I questioned whether it would work or not but I decided to try. How would the first form know to forward the response to option #2? In the initial form, commands have been written to only forward if there's a match for option #1. Commands for continuing to a third option is on form #2.
If I view form #3 through a direct link and complete the fields it generates the correct template and email is sent. This confirms that I have set it up to work with Form Publisher properly.
I believe I can work around Form Publisher's limit by staging my question another way. My first form will display direct links to 3 separate forms (no need to run Form Publisher on this form. It is simply a launch pad) The 3 forms are tailored specifically and I will run Form Publisher on each form. Each form is connected to it's own template and results will be sent to specific people. No need to use the 'additional template' feature at all.
So in conclusion, Form Publisher can only route responses to two forms. (the original form and one connected form) Not three. Please correct me if I have misunderstood.
Dear Rebecca,
I'm just another user of this stuff... ;) I've managed to link 3 templates "like in a chain". I think maybe you have to rethink the logics regarding forwarding to next template.
This is the first forward from the first template to the second template: (If formal then create current ELSE "forward")
This is the second forward from the second template to the third template: (If "slideshow" then create current ELSE "forward")
In the third template a third type of CV is produced...
It works for me but I can't guarantee it works for you... ;) Above they say it will work for 5 templates but they don't guarantee it ... Anyway, I looked for more than 5 templates so I will do it with with traditional programming... :(
Good luck, pls let me know if you get it working... ;)
Hi.
Excuse me I have a question How I link the files to make the templates?, I tried use this option but I am a little lossing, could you help me?
I'm having the same/similar issue. I have a form with three templates to map to based on the answer to one multiple choice question (MCQ) (w/3 corresponding options). Here is what I am doing:
When I test run the form, doing a test on each of the three questions on the MCQ, all answers generate Template C. None generate template A or B. So, next, I did the following:
When I run a test again, no outputs are generated at all.
Any advise? I am really hoping to make this work, but so far, having tried several approaches, have been unable to.
If you need specific assistance for this feature, we advise you to contact support@form-publisher.com to get help.
I can not get additional templates added. I click add templates and the old one keeps popping up OR the configure pops up.
Hi,
Could you logout and then only login with the needed account?
I cannot get the "Additional Templates" to work. I select the checkbox "Activate additional template" but nothing pops up. When following your steps here, I do not see "Add new template." Is that a paid feature? Thanks.
Jason
The screenshots shown here do not match what is available to me. Here's what I have:
The connection to a 2nd template is an "either/or" option - not AND?
I'd like to have the first template generated ALWAYS, and the 2nd template generated based on a condition (yes or no).
Am I correct? This is not possible?
Hi Kristen Klett,
You can also use the option "Always create both templates" and then activate additional template to your second template.
Hope it makes sense.
Best,
FP Team
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