Initiating Workflows
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      Configure Workflow Public Forms

      Learn how to create easy-access URLs for users to initiate your workflow processes.

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         Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes

          Estimated Configuration Time: 5-10 minutes

      Sections in this article:

      What are Public Forms?

      Intake/Request-Form workflows are initiated manually by users when they have a need for a new contract/a new vendor onboarding assessment/etc. These forms collect the key data, documentation and context about the process up-front, so that your approvers, reviewers, and other colleagues have all the necessary information.

      Public Forms are the free version of these intake forms. They allow you to create a static URL which can be opened by any user to complete the initial form, submitting a new workflow card.

       

      Note: Alternatively, you can initiate a workflow with triggers. These will create cards to begin a process automatically based on factors such as a key renewal date approaching, or a key metadata value changing/being updated. See Configuring a Workflow Trigger for further details.

      Configure a Public Form

      Once you have created the workflow and set up a form, you can create the easy-access URL for users to be able initiate the workflow by filling in the form.

      1. From the navigation menu, click Workflows.
      2. Click the relevant workflow to open it. 
      3. Hover over the first phase and click the pencil icon to edit.
        edit phase
      4. Click the Form Access section.form access section
      5. Select the Public Form radio button. Your changes are saved automatically.

      You can now click the  Copy icon to copy the URL to your clipboard. This can now be opened to submit a request and create a workflow card.

      Note: This link will remain the same, so can be saved in any internal documentation or resource hub for easy access.

       

      Additional Configuration to Consider

      Form Title

      Whether the form will be accessed by Internal users or External (Vendor) users, the title should clearly indicate its purpose to ensure users know they are in the right place.

      Note: It's recommended to amend the default title "Start Form" if you have multiple Public Form workflows. 

      To update the form title: 
      1. Edit the first phase in the Workflow
      2. From the Core section, enter a new title. Changes are saved automatically when you click away.
        change title

      Add Guidance to the Form

      The Phase Description will not display to users accessing the Public Form, so it's recommended to add an introductory description for your users.

      1. Edit the first phase in the Workflow
      2. From the Form section, click Add Section.
      3. Enter a name, for example Instructions.
      4. Enter a description,  and select Description Visible.
      5. Edit the all other phases of the workflow and select the Hidden radio button for this section. This will ensure it only displays for users on the Public Form.

      Side Menu Layout

      Changing the form to a chaptered Side-bar Layout (rather than one continuous form) can make the sections easier to navigate and progress through.

      This applies to any phases of your workflow, but can be especially relevant to your request forms where users will be starting from scratch.


      To do this:

      1. Edit the first phase in the Workflow
      2. From the Form section, click Layout.
      3. Select Side Menu, then click Update

      Branding

      By populating the Application Logo in the Employee Portal branding section, your forms will contain your logo in the header.

      Please contact your CSM or reach out to our CS Team to add this.

      Prompting users to Log in

      Since these forms are publicly accessible, Gatekeeper restricts some of the functionality which is otherwise available to authenticated users (i.e. in Employee Portal Request Forms).

      To minimise these limitations, ensure users are logged in to Gatekeeper in another tab of their browser:


      To prompt your users to log in, an instruction could be added to the guidance at the start of the form. 

       

      Restrictions of Public Forms

      Retrieving Associated Data

      Since these URLs are publicly accessible, certain security restrictions are in place. For example, if a form allows selecting an existing Vendor or Contract (e.g., for a Contract Amendment Request), Gatekeeper will not auto-fill data from your repository to prevent unintentional exposure of sensitive information.

      Using ☑️ Card Creator in AutoActions 

      If a Public Form is submitted by a user whose email does not match a user in your Gatekeeper tenant, AutoActions may not function correctly.

      In particular, the Create Contract AutoAction will fail if you have set the AutoAction values to use the Card Creator as the internal owner. This can cause workflow cards to get stuck, leading to delays.

      To prevent this, it's recommended to assign backup values by selecting ☑️ Take Value From Form as well as setting a backup user.

      Other settings you could configure to minimise the risk of delays with cards are:

      • Add a 1 day reminder notification email to an admin letting them know a Contract Request is stalled so they can manually correct it.
      • Assign a '0-Hour' SLA Timer for the AutoAction phase, paired with a transition to move cards onwards when the AutoAction doesn't.

      FAQs

      Q: What if a requesting user's email address does not match a user in my environment?

      A: Gatekeeper will create a 'guest' profile in the background (with no access to your tenant). This means if you decide to add these email addresses as users later on, all of their previously submitted forms will be linked to their new account.

      CC Card Creator emails will still send if your workflow is configured to send automated updates.

      It's recommended to avoid using the Card Creator Form Access setting in later workflow phases, as users without a valid Gatekeeper Account will not be able to log in and view their form.


      Q:       If we purchase the Employee Portal, can we switch an existing workflow from Public Form to Authenticated forms?

      A: Yes, this change can be made easily for your existing workflows


      Q:       Can we create multiple links to the same workflow form?

      A: Public Forms can only have 1 link created

      Q: Can users in Public Forms save and come back to complete their submission later?

      A: No, there is only the option for users to Submit the Form.

      Additional Reading 📚

      • Setting up a Form - A complete guide on how to build and maintain a workflow form
      • Employee Portal Guide - If you're interested in the features available in the upgraded version of Public Forms, this covers how best to leverage the Employee Portal to improve the experience for your users.