Note about Drupal webforms:
Due to campus IT security protocols and various content management issues, Drupal webforms are no longer recommended as a viable option. It is strongly recommended to review the following options and transition your existing Drupal webforms to a more viable alternative. Depending on your need, there are a variety of approaches or options available.
Types of Forms
- Contact Forms
- Student Forms
- General Webforms
Contact Forms
Contact forms are for enabling users to reach out to you for general inquiries.
For the Contact section of your university website, direct contact information is often the best approach. This information often includes:
- Unit primary phone number
- Unit generic email address (e.g. [email protected])
- Unit physical address (if your users need to be able to find you on campus)
- Unit mailing address (if you have users that need to be able to ship documents to you)
- Link to the directory page (in case your user is looking to contact a specific member of your department)
Providing direct contact information gives your users transparency as to where their inquiry is going, and allows them to choose their preferred method of reaching out (phone vs. email). Even if you elect to only include an email address, this method allows users to track their sent messages and any responses from their inbox, whereas a form might not. Direct contact information is also preferable for faculty, staff, and administrators trying to reach your unit.
Depending on the complexity of your unit, or the types of communication you manage, you may include more than one channel of contact with corresponding information or opt to include a link to a Google Form.
For example: If your department has multiple programs or a secondary generic email account for students with advising inquiries, you can also include direct contact information for those areas on your contact page, allowing users to identify and reach out to the area that best suits their needs.
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Contact Page
Watauga Residential College Contact Page
If your unit gathers contact inquiries from users that require the inclusion of specific types of information (e.g. app state email address), you may opt to include a link to a Google Form on your contact page. As a best practice, Google Forms should be used in addition to high-level direct contact information.
Important Note
- Google Forms associated with university websites should be created and managed using a generic university Google account.
- Google Forms can not accept attachments or uploads from non-App State email accounts.
- Google Forms should not collect Confidential data. See more on Data Elements to understand what classifies as Confidential.
Resources
See our Knowledge Base article on notification settings for more setup details.
For advanced functionality, see Google’s Forms documentation.
Example
Disco Student Learning Center Contact Page
Student Forms
Student web forms often found on university websites include:
- Request change of major/minor/catalog year
- Permit request form
- Field experience forms
- Program/event interest or registration forms
- Other advising/registration-related forms
- Application forms
Depending on the purpose of the form and/or the type of information being collected in the form, there are different options available.
General Webforms
General webforms are used for a wide variety of reasons, from student processes to event RSVPs. Depending on the type of information you are gathering, the level of security you need, and the way your unit manages information, there are various options available:
- Dynamic Forms (Varied use)
- Google Forms (Varied use)
- Qualtrics (Surveys)
- Cayuse (Research Proposals & Grants)
- Jira Service Desk (Ticketing System)
Jira is used by the Appalachian Technology Service Desk (ATSD) and other areas across campus as a portal to request assistance and manage the workflow of current and past service requests related to assistance and access to software and services on our campus.
Anyone with an appstate.edu account can access the Appalachian Technology Service Desk.
Employees with a Jira Software license can create and resolve issues (e.g., tasks), query work, organize work under issue hierarchies (e.g., epics), and develop reports.
JIRA forms offer a robust and sustainable alternative to Drupal forms, providing enhanced security and centralized management that's particularly beneficial for institutional use. Utilizing Jira forms, you can ensure continuity and accessibility of important data, regardless of individual staff changes or departures. If you're interested in converting an existing Drupal form to a JIRA form or creating a new one, follow these steps to submit a Service or Software Request ticket, specifying the form you'd like to transition and any specific requirements or customizations needed.
Submit a Service or Software Request by following these steps
JIRA forms offer a robust and sustainable alternative to Drupal forms, providing enhanced security and centralized management that's particularly beneficial for institutional use. Utilizing Jira forms, you can ensure continuity and accessibility of important data, regardless of individual staff changes or departures. If you're interested in converting an existing Drupal form to a JIRA form or creating a new one, follow these steps to submit a Service or Software Request ticket, specifying the form you'd like to transition and any specific requirements or customizations needed.
- Click the Software tab in the left sidebar and then click Service or Software Request.
- Search for Jira In the Service or Software search bar, then click on Jira Service Manager.
- Enter a summary title, a short description (this is where you would specify the Drupal form you'd like to transition and any specific requirements or customizations needed).
- Then click Create to submit your ticket.
See more information on Jira.
Examples
Learn More
LinkedIn Learning
Looking to learn more about how to build great forms and conduct surveys or polls? Want to learn more about creating accessible forms?
Check out this collection of videos in LinkedIn Learning (App State login required), a free professional development resource for all faculty, staff, and students, and explore the catalog for more resources.
Office of Access and Equity
For accessibility resources, visit accessibility.appstate.edu.
Data Governance & Security
For information on secure file storage and sharing, visit Information Technology Services Governance.