Field types

Applies to: anota, all plans Roles required: Editor or above (to add and edit fields) Regulatory references: none

Overview

This page describes every field you can put on an anota form, in the same groups as the Form elements panel of the editor. For each one you'll see what the person filling in your form sees, and the settings that make that field different from the others.

The examples come from a Customer Feedback Survey for Café Aurora, a coffee shop that asks its guests how their visit went. It uses every field type, so you can see them all in one place.

Key concepts

Form elements panel: the list of field types that opens when you click ＋ Add element in the editor. It has a Search fields… box and eight groups: Basic, Contact, Choice, Date & time, Survey, Uploads & more, Payment and Security.
Properties panel: the settings of the selected field, on the right of the editor. Fields have up to three sections: Content (what it says), Validation (what counts as a valid answer) and Appearance (how it's laid out). Some fields add their own settings to these sections; this page shows them.
Common settings: most fields have a Label (the question), a Help text (a hint under the field), Required, Hidden (shown by a rule) (see Conditional logic) and Width (Full, Half, Third or Quarter). These work the same for every field; see The form editor.
Display-only elements: Heading, Paragraph, Image, Divider and Section show content but don't collect an answer, so they have no Required or Hidden (shown by a rule) option.

Task 1 — Add a field and set it up

Prerequisites

A form open in the editor (see The form editor) and a role of Editor or above.

Step-by-step

On the Build tab, click ＋ Add element. The Form elements panel opens with every field type, grouped by category. Here the Survey group holds Rating, Scale and Matrix.

The field types are grouped the same way as the sections of this page.
If you know the name, type part of it in Search fields…: the list keeps only the matching fields. Click a field to add it below the selected field (or at the end of the page), or drag it to the exact spot on the form.

Typing "sig" leaves only Signature.
Select the field on the form and open Properties (the gear next to it). Type your question in Label, then adjust the settings for that field type. Here the Rating field "How was your coffee?" is Required and has 5 Stars.

The Properties panel shows the common settings plus the ones for this type (here, Stars).

Result

The field is on the form with your settings. As with any change, it reaches the public form when you click Publish (or Update if the form is already live).

Basic

Heading and Paragraph

A Heading is a large title that opens a part of the form; its Help text shows as a subtitle under it. A Paragraph is a block of text for welcome words or instructions, written in its Text box. Neither collects an answer.

A published form showing the heading Tell us about your visit with the subtitle It takes about three minutes, followed by a thank-you paragraph A Heading with a subtitle, and a Paragraph.

The heading's Size is under Appearance: Large, Medium (the default) or Small.

The Appearance section of a heading's properties, with the Size list set to Large outlined Heading Size.

Short text

A one-line answer, for a name, a code or a short reply. You can add a Placeholder, grey example text shown in the empty box.

The question Which drink did you order? with the grey example text e.g. Oat flat white in its box A Short text field with the placeholder "e.g. Oat flat white".

Under Validation, Length & pattern opens three optional rules: Min length, Max length and Pattern (regex). Long text has the same rules.

The Validation section of a Short text field with Length & pattern opened and outlined, showing Min length, Max length and Pattern (regex) Click Length & pattern to show the text rules.

Long text

A larger box for comments and descriptions. It is 4 rows tall by default; change it with Rows under Appearance (2 to 20).

The question What could we do better? with a tall text box and a placeholder A Long text field.

Email and Phone number

Email only accepts a valid email address; otherwise the respondent sees "Label must be a valid email address." Phone number needs at least 7 digits; otherwise the respondent sees "Label must be a valid phone number." Both can have a Placeholder. Here both are set to Half width, so they share a row.

Email and Phone number fields side by side on one row Two Half fields sit side by side.

Number

Accepts numbers only. Use it for things like a group size or an age.

The question How many people were in your group? with the placeholder e.g. 2 A Number field.

Under Validation, Minimum and Maximum limit the accepted range. Here the group can be 1 to 20 people.

The Validation section of a Number field with Minimum 1 and Maximum 20 outlined The allowed range of a Number field.

Contact

Full name

One question with separate First Name and Last Name boxes, so you don't need two text fields. When it's required, both parts must be filled in.

The Full name question with First Name and Last Name boxes side by side A Full name field.

Address

One question with Street Address, City, State / Province and ZIP / Postal Code boxes. Use it when you need a mailing or delivery address.

The question Mailing address (for your free drink voucher) with Street Address, City, State / Province and ZIP / Postal Code boxes An Address field.

Choice

Dropdown, Single choice and Multiple choice all start with three sample options ("Option 1", "Option 2" and "Option 3"). Replace them with your own under Options in Properties.

Dropdown

A drop-down menu that shows Select... until the respondent picks one option. It saves space when there are many options.

The required question Which Café Aurora did you visit? as a drop-down menu showing Select... A Dropdown. The options (Downtown, Riverside, Airport kiosk) appear when it's opened.

Single choice

A visible list of options; the respondent picks one. With Allow "Other" ticked, the list ends with Other: and a Please specify box for an answer you didn't list.

The question How did you order? with the options At the counter, Mobile app, Delivery and Other with a Please specify box A Single choice list with Allow "Other" on.

Multiple choice

A list of checkboxes; the respondent can tick one or more. It also offers Allow "Other".

The question What did you have? with checkboxes for Coffee, Tea, Pastries and Sandwiches A Multiple choice list.

In Properties, edit each option's text, remove one with ✕ and add more with + Add option. Allow "Other" is below the options (Single choice and Multiple choice only). On a published form, removing an option asks for confirmation first; see The form editor.

The Content section of a Single choice field with the Options list and + Add option outlined, and Allow Other ticked and outlined Options and Allow "Other".

Date & time

Date and Time

Date opens a date picker, for a visit date, a due date or a birth date. Time opens a time picker, for a time of day on its own.

The required question Date of your visit with a date box, and Roughly what time were you here? with a time box A Date field and a Time field.

Appointment

A booking in one question: a Date and a Time chosen from Select a time…. The times run every 30 minutes from 09:00 to 16:30. When it's required, both the date and the time must be chosen.

The question Book a free tasting session with a Date box and a Time list showing Select a time… An Appointment field.

Survey

Rating

A row of stars; the respondent clicks one to rate.

The required question How was your coffee? with five stars, the first four filled in A Rating field rated 4 out of 5: the chosen star and every star before it fill in.

Stars, under Appearance, sets how many stars to show: 3 to 10 (5 by default).

The Appearance section of a Rating field with Stars set to 5 outlined The number of stars.

Scale

A row of numbered buttons from 1 to 10, with a label at each end. It suits "how likely…" and agreement questions, such as a recommendation score.

The question How likely are you to recommend us? with buttons 1 to 10 between Not likely and Very likely, with 9 selected A Scale field.

Change the end labels with Left label and Right label (they start as "Not likely" and "Very likely"), and the top of the scale with Scale max under Appearance (5 to 11).

The Properties of a Scale field with Left label Not likely, Right label Very likely and Scale max 10 outlined The labels and length of a Scale.

Matrix

A grid that asks several things on the same scale at once: each row is a question, each column an answer, and the respondent picks one answer per row.

The question How would you rate our… with rows Service, Food and Ambience and columns Poor, Good and Excellent A Matrix rating service, food and ambience.

Type the rows in Rows (one per line) and the answers in Columns (one per line). A new matrix starts with 2 rows and 3 columns. On a published form, changing them asks for confirmation first.

The Content section of a Matrix field with Rows Service, Food, Ambience and Columns Poor, Good, Excellent outlined Rows and columns, one per line.

Uploads & more

File upload

A Choose Files button that lets the respondent attach files, with the size limit shown underneath. See Signatures and file uploads.

The question Photo of your order (optional) with a Choose Files button and the note Max 10 MB per file A File upload field.

Under Validation, Max files (1 to 10, default 1) and Max size (MB) per file (1 to 50, default 10) set the limits. With more than 1 file allowed, the respondent can pick several files at once.

The Validation section of a File upload field with Max files 3 and Max size (MB) 10 outlined Upload limits.

Signature

A Sign here box where the respondent signs with the mouse, a finger or a pen. Clear wipes it to start again. See Signatures and file uploads.

The question Your signature (lets us quote your review) with a signature drawn in the box and a Clear link below A Signature field after signing.

Quantity

A number box meant for a count, such as a number of units. Like Number, it has Minimum and Maximum under Validation (here 0 to 50).

The question How many coffees do you drink a week? with a number box A Quantity field.

Image

Shows a picture on the form, for a banner or an example. Its Label becomes the caption under the picture. It doesn't collect an answer.

A photo of three coffee cups raised in a toast with the caption Freshly brewed at Café Aurora An Image with a caption.

In Properties, paste the picture's web address in Image URL (it must be an image already online), and describe it in Alt text for people who use screen readers.

The Content section of an Image with Label, Image URL and Alt text, with Image URL and Alt text outlined The image address and its description.

Divider and Section

A Divider is a thin line that separates parts of the form. A Section is a titled block: its Label is the title and its Help text the description under it. Neither collects an answer.

A thin divider line, then the section title Stay in touch with the description Leave your details if you'd like us to reply A Divider followed by a Section.

Payment

Products

A list of products, each with a checkbox, a price and, when allowed, a Qty box. The respondent ticks what they want to build an order. By default the order is only recorded; if Stripe payments are enabled for your workspace and turned on for the form, the respondent pays when they submit.

The question Pre-order beans for your next visit with three products: House blend beans, Single-origin Colombia (both with a Qty box) and a Café Aurora ceramic mug, with prices A Products field with three items.

The product list (Currency, and for each product its name, price, Allow quantity and maximum quantity) is edited in Properties only when Stripe payments are enabled for your workspace. Setting up products and payments is explained in Products, orders and Stripe payments.

Security

Verification (CAPTCHA)

Protects the form against automated spam. The respondent doesn't solve a puzzle; the form shows "This form is protected against automated spam." and anota checks the submission in the background. If the check fails, the respondent sees "Please verify you're not a robot." This field is always enforced, so it has no Required option.

The Verification (CAPTCHA) field with the note This form is protected against automated spam. The CAPTCHA note on the public form.

Field settings at a glance

Field	Settings of its own (besides Label, Help text, Required, Hidden and Width)
Heading	Size (Large, Medium, Small). No Required or Hidden.
Paragraph	Text (instead of Label and Help text). No Required.
Short text	Placeholder; Length & pattern (Min length, Max length, Pattern (regex))
Long text	Placeholder; Length & pattern; Rows (2–20, default 4)
Email, Phone number	Placeholder
Number, Quantity	Minimum, Maximum (Number also has Placeholder)
Full name, Address	—
Dropdown	Options
Single choice, Multiple choice	Options, Allow "Other"
Date, Time, Appointment	— (Appointment times: every 30 minutes, 09:00–16:30)
Rating	Stars (3–10, default 5)
Scale	Left label, Right label, Scale max (5–11, default 10)
Matrix	Rows (one per line), Columns (one per line)
File upload	Max files (1–10, default 1), Max size (MB) (1–50, default 10)
Signature	—
Image	Image URL, Alt text; Label is the caption. No Required.
Divider	— (only Width)
Section	Label is the title, Help text the description. No Required.
Products	Currency and the product list, when Stripe payments are enabled
Verification (CAPTCHA)	— (always enforced)

Roles & permissions

Role	Add, edit and delete fields
Owner / Admin	Yes
Editor	Yes
Viewer	No

See Roles and permissions.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Resolution
I can't find a field type	It's in a different group	Type part of its name in Search fields….
I added a field but it isn't on the public form	The change is still in the draft	Click Publish (or Update) after you set up the field.
A field doesn't force an answer	Required is off	Tick Required under Validation in the field's properties.
A Heading, Image or Section has no Required option	Display-only elements don't collect answers	Nothing to fix; use a question field if you need an answer.
The Products field has no product editor in Properties	Stripe payments aren't enabled for your workspace	See Products, orders and Stripe payments.
The Image field shows "No image"	Image URL is empty	Paste the web address of an image that is already online.
Claude can't edit or delete a field on a published form	Through the MCP connector, the existing fields of a published form are locked. The editor itself doesn't have this lock.	Edit the field in the editor, or ask Claude to add a new field or clone the form. See Connect Claude and ChatGPT (MCP).

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