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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: 6 minutes

    Estimated Configuration Time: 5-10 minutes

Sections in this article:


What are Public Forms?

Intake and request form workflows are initiated manually by users, for example when a new contract or vendor onboarding is required. These forms collect the key data, documentation, and context about the process up front, so that approvers and other colleagues have all the necessary information.

Public Forms allow you to create a static URL that anyone can use to complete the initial form, automatically creating a new workflow card on submission.

Note: See Employee Portal Overview to learn how users benefit from a centralised requests dashboard via the Employee Portal.

Configure a Public Form

Note: To configure workflows, users must be a Workflow Administrator or Local Workflow Administrator. To learn more, see Workflow Authorisation Overview.

Once you have created the workflow and set up a form, generate the URL for users to access it:

  1. From the navigation menu, click Workflows.
  2. Click the relevant workflow to open it. 
  3. Click the start phase to edit it.
    edit phase
  4. From Form Access, select the Public Form radio button. Your changes are saved automatically.
    public form config
  5. Click the  Copy icon to copy the URL to your clipboard.

Note: This URL is permanent and can be saved in internal documentation or a resource hub for easy access.

Additional Configuration to Consider

Update the Form Title

It's recommended to amend the title to ensure users know they are in the right place.

To update the form title: 
  1. Edit the first phase of 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. To do this:

  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 all other phases of the workflow and select the Hidden radio button for this section, so it only displays on the Public Form.

Prompt Users to Log in

Since Public Forms are publicly accessible, some functionality available to authenticated users is restricted. To minimise these limitations, ensure users are logged in to Gatekeeper in another browser tab.

To prompt users to log in, it's recommended to add an instruction to the guidance section at the start of the form.

 

Restrictions of Public Forms

Auto-fill Restrictions

Since Public Form URLs are publicly accessible, certain security restrictions apply. For example, when selecting an existing vendor or contract (for example, on a Contract Amendment Request form), Gatekeeper will not auto-fill repository data to prevent unintentional exposure of sensitive information.

Using Card Creator in AutoActions 

If a Public Form is submitted by someone 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 the AutoAction values are set to use the card creator as the internal owner, causing workflow cards to get stuck.

To prevent this, it's recommended to assign backup values by selecting Take Value From Form as well as setting a backup user. See Assigning Contract Owners for further details.

To further minimise the risk of cards stalling:

  • Add a 1-day reminder email to an admin when a contract request stalls, so it can be manually corrected.
  • Assign a 0-hour SLA Timer for the AutoAction phase, paired with a transition to move cards onwards when the AutoAction does not complete.

FAQs

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

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, their previously submitted forms will be linked to their new account.

Card Creator emails will still send successfully if enabled. However, avoid assigning the Card Creator as a phase owner of later workflow phases, as requestors without a valid Gatekeeper account will not be able to log in and access the form.

Can we create multiple links to the same workflow form?

Public Forms can only have one link created.

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

No, there is only the option for users to submit the form. If you want users to be able to save drafts before submitting, consider using the Employee Portal instead.

What's the difference between a Public Form and the Employee Portal?

Both allow users to submit workflow requests. The key difference is the experience after submission; the Employee Portal gives employees a centralised dashboard to track all their requests in one place, whereas a Public Form is a standalone URL with no tracking available. See Employee Portal vs Public Forms for further information.

Can I restrict who can access the Public Form?

No, anyone with the link can access and submit a Public Form. If you need to limit submissions to authenticated users only, consider using the Employee Portal instead.

Additional Reading 📚