Account creation form

Find the required functions for the setup

Go to Configuration / Participants / Account registration form to configure the form.

Overview of existing fields

You can view and modify a list of fields included, or available for inclusion, on the form, at 1. Configure the form. It consists of a number of predefined fields that are commonly found on account creation forms, and optionally, of any number of user-defined fields (custom fields that are created by administrators). For each field, the following data are displayed:

Field ID: It uniquely identifies the field in the database. It is not used on the form, but can be used in your correspondence with COMS, to identify the field. Example: "105".
Label: It identifies the field on the form. Example: "Last name".
Type: This refers to the type of component: [Edit box / Radio buttons / Check boxes / Drop down list / Date / Date & time / Separator / Text].
Usage: The usage attribute consists of a value chosen in a drop down list, among the following options : [Not to be used / Optional / Required].
Display order: This refers to the position of the field on the form. It consists of an edit box that contains the order value of the field. The position of the field can be modified by modifying its order value.
An edit button: The edit button allows you to edit additional properties of the fields that are not displayed in the overview list described above. For example after clicking on the button, you can edit instructions for the field (e.g., "Please provide a single email address") or edit the options of a drop down.
A delete button: A delete button is provided to remove user-defined fields. Predefined fields cannot be deleted.
Note: When you delete a field, all the data collected for this field are deleted too. To suppress a field from a form, without erasing the corresponding data, it is enough to switch the usage of the field to Not to be used.
A clone button: It allows you to duplicate an existing field. This can be handy if the field to be created is similar to an existing one. You can then edit the attributes of the new field and modify them as needed. The clone button is only available for user-defined fields.

Modify existing fields

Modify the order of the fields

Use the edit boxes in the column labelled Display order. The edit boxes contain positive integers. Taken together, they form a sequence that defines the order of the fields on the form.
You can modify the order of the fields by modifying that sequence and saving it by using the button labelled Update order, at the bottom of the Display order column. The digits forming the sequence should all be different. They do not need to be contiguous. In fact, it is recommended to define the sequence as 10, 20, 30 .... It is then easy to insert a field between two others, by using an intermediary number (e.g. use 15 to place a field between the fields with display orders 10 and 20).

Modify the usage of a field

Select a suitable option in the drop down list located in the Usage column and click on Update usage, at the bottom of the overview, to save the change.
There are three options to choose from: [Not to be used / Optional / Required]. The Required option will add a star next to the field, to indicate its mandatory status; Not to be used will remove the field from he form. If this is done at a stage where data have already been collected for that field, the data will not be erased. If the usage is later set to one of the other options, the data will be accessible again.

Modify the label or instructions of a field

Click the Edit button to access the edit boxes for the label and instructions of the field.

Modify other attributes of the field

You can access and modify other attributes of the fields, for instance the options of a drop down list, by clicking on the Edit button.

Add a custom field to the form

Go to 2. Add a component to the form, select a component in the list and click on Add this item to create a new field on the form.
You will first have to input the attributes of the field (label, instructions etc.).
After saving the form, the new field will be added at the bottom of the form.
You can then adjust its position and usage in the overview list.

Add instructions above the form

Go to 3. Edit the instructions displayed above the form. An editor is available to help with the formatting of the text.

Set permissions to access the form

Participants can access the form externally (when registering an account with the site) and on their account, once logged in, if they wish to modify their profile and other data contained on the form. Access rights can be set for both.
Go to Configuration / Access rights / Access to functions & deadlines to set the permissions.
Go to 2. Access to the forms on the login page / Activate the account creation form to control access to the account creation form (the external form). In order for the form to be accessible, you need to activate access and define a suitable period of availability. Typically, this period should coincide with the account registration deadlines.
Go to 3. Accounts / Allow users to edit their own profile and set suitable permissions, including dates of availability, to control access to the form after login.

Set up a welcome email

You can set up the site to automatically send a welcome email to users who have just created an account.
For this, go to Emails / Automatic emails / Activate and edit the emails / 2. Registration with the system.
Set the Activate dropdown to Yes.
Default texts for the subject line and content of the email are provided. They can be edited and adapted to your needs.