Once you've become familiar with your account, you'll want to create at least one online form. Forms can be applications or tracking forms, such as adoption application, foster applications, requests to borrow equipment, requests for trap-neuter-vaccinate-release (TNVR) help. The limit to the forms you can create is your organization's needs.

This guide will walk you through the creation of your first online form, and include lots of information about creating any additional forms you need. Each step of the process is detailed for you, and we hope you'll sail through the creation of your first form!

Where do I start?

If this is your first RescueGroups.org account, it would be good to read through our Getting Started with RescueGroups.org guide, particularly these chapters:

• Logging in to your RescueGroups.org account
• Getting familiar with your account interface
• How information is organized in your account
  

Your online forms are listed in data tables 

The information in your account is arranged in data tables. Online forms are no exception. Both your forms and the data you use to create them are saved in data tables and available for your use.

Data tables are simply tables with columns and rows of information. They allow you to manipulate the information in the table, arranging it in a coherent and meaningful way for your purposes.  Much of the information collected and managed by the Data Management Service relies on data tables. We'll help you understand how to use the data you collect.

With data tables you can:

• Quickly sort by headings
• Change your view (change to one of the other built-in views)
• Create custom views (change the fields and field order)
• Share your custom view
• Export your view to a spreadsheet
• Add filters to your data table views

All data tables in your account have the same look and feel. Most data tables have the same controls, buttons, and options.

Your online forms will be listed in a data table. With it, you can run reports about those forms. For more details about data tables, read the chapter, How information is organized in your account in the Getting Started with RescueGroups.org guide.

How do my visitors fill out the forms?

Visitors go to your website and click a link to access your forms. For instance, the link to your adoption application is added to every adoptable pet on your website. Here's an example.

You can also add a link to your forms and applications from any of your RescueGroup.org Website Service webpages. Visitors simply click the link. Your forms are listed in the drop-down Links menu on each of your Website Service web pages.