Creating Custom Forms

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to create custom forms in SmartRecruiters to collect additional candidate information.

Custom Forms to Collect Additional Candidate Information

SmartRecruiters allows you to create custom forms to gather specific details, such as references or additional qualifications from candidates, streamlining the hiring process and ensuring you have all the necessary information to make informed decisions.

Custom forms in SmartRecruiters are a powerful tool for gathering additional information from candidates who have already applied. These forms allow you to capture specific details beyond the standard application process, ensuring you have a comprehensive view of each candidate. Forms can be sent ad hoc or associated with email templates and even sent through bulk or automated distribution using hiring process workflows.

This approach can be used in situations where additional information is required but a screening question would be inappropriate due to the early stage a screening question is asked. For example, you may want to gather references towards the end of a hiring process rather than at the beginning so the form could be attached to an email template that is automatically sent to the candidate when they reach the final interview step of the hiring process.

Hint

Best practice - It is important to train the recruitment team to only move candidates forward in the process once all mandatory information is provided by the candidate.

Under Settings, there is a page called Forms which allows administrators to see basic information such as:

a list of all forms
which email templates a form has been added to (click on the number of templates to see a complete list)
when the form was last modified (and by whom)
whether the form is active or not (more details in the Sending custom forms section)

Forms Library displayed with list of forms including name, used in, last modified, and active columns, and create new button.

All edits will only apply to forms that are sent on a going forward basis. All forms that have been sent to candidates regardless of whether they have returned the form will not be updated. Recruiters will need to be notified of the change and determine whether the updated version of the form needs to be sent to the candidate.

While there is no limit to the number of forms that one account can set up, each form can only include a maximum of 100 application fields.

Hint

For optimal candidate experience, it is recommended that each form stays well below this maximum count. Application fields can be split into different forms if needed so that candidates are not overwhelmed by the number of questions.

Sending Custom Forms to Candidates

Custom forms can be shared with candidates in three ways:

Sending Forms Ad Hoc: You can send forms individually to candidates by composing a message and attaching the desired form. This is useful for targeted information gathering based on individual candidate profiles.
Associating Forms with Email Templates: Forms can be integrated into email templates, allowing you to automatically send them to candidates at specific stages of the hiring process using workflows. This ensures consistent data collection and saves time.
Creating Custom Forms: To create forms, navigate to Settings and under Configuration, select Forms. This section displays a list of existing forms, their status (active or inactive), associated email templates, and modification history.

Tracking Candidate Submissions

Once a form is sent to a candidate, the form name, status and last updated date will be available in the candidate’s profile in a new tab called Forms. With three different status available:

Scheduled: to be sent (if the form is attached to a Send Message notification through Workflows Automation)
Sent: pending candidate to complete the form
Completed: by the candidate

All behaviors of an application field will stay the same (for example, public API integrations and Report Builder functions using application fields will continue to work as-is).

When a recruiter clicks on a form, they will be able to see the list of fields that were sent to the candidate underneath the summary to make it easier to review candidate submissions. This list will be limited to what has been configured in Application Management, if this is selected to appear on the Candidate Profile and if the user needs full access to see it.

Edits to candidates fields can now be completed through the Application fields widget as well as on the Forms tab. Users will just need to select the form they would like to make edits to or select View all fields to see all application fields, and click on the Edit button on the top right corner in the summary box to make changes. A Save and Cancel button will appear at the bottom once the user is in Edit mode to save all edits.

Forms tab displaying forms that were sent to the candidate.

What each user sees in this tab is controlled by the permissions set in Application Management and Settings→ Hiring team roles under Application Fields and Restricted Application Fields.

Form submissions are tied to a candidate's application and will not be transferred if they are moved to another job. Recruiters will need to send the form based on that application to ensure the data is up-to-date and relevant to the new job they are added to.

Build a Custom Form

Steps

Navigate to Settings.
Select Forms within the Configuration section.
Select Create New.
Enter a name for your form (for example Referee Information).
Use the available candidate fields on the left-hand side and drag and drop them onto the form.
Customize your fields using the following options:
1. Field Title: Change the presentation of the field to the candidate. This is useful if the internal field name is not easily understood by candidates.
2. Hint Text: Provide tips or instructions to guide candidates on completing the field.
3. Required: Specify whether the field is mandatory.
Create new fields, if necessary, directly within the form builder.
1. Select Add and enter a name for the new field (e.g., House Name/Number).
2. Configure the field type (for example, free text, hint text, and whether it's required).
3. Specify where the field should appear within the system (for example, candidate profile, new hire form).
Organize your form by using the drag and drop functionality to arrange fields in a logical order. Use divider lines to visually separate sections of the form.
Select the Design tab to include instructions and dividers in your form.
Select Save.
1. The form is not yet available for use.
Publish the form to enable the form for use.
1. You will be prompted to return to the library or go to templates to add it to an email template.
2. Once published, the form is available in the Add Form list when composing messages to candidates.
Watch the video below for more information on this topic!
This video is for demonstration purposes. Any references made in this video to previous or later videos in this course (including titles, numbers, links, or sequence) may differ from the current course structure. Additionally, some functionalities shown may have evolved over time due to ongoing enhancements or business decisions.

Summary

Custom forms in SmartRecruiters allow you to collect specific information from candidates beyond their initial application.
Forms can be sent ad hoc or associated with email templates for automated distribution.
You can create and customize forms by dragging and dropping existing candidate fields or creating new ones.

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