Create a Service Request Form In 3 Steps

How to Create a Service Request Form

In this guide, we outline the steps necessary to create and launch a service request form using Five’s advanced form builder.

The process involves:

1. Creating the database

2. Designing the form

3. Deploying the form

We will also cover securing the form logins, authentication and, permissions, although this is an optional step.

What is a Service Request Form?

A service request form is an interface used to gather, store and manage service-related data. These forms capture essential information such as client details, service types, appointment schedules, and completion statuses, which can be used for tracking, reporting, and decision-making.

Service request forms can range from simple web forms to more complex systems integrated with databases and analytics tools.

Key Components of a Service Request Form

Web Forms: Online forms that users fill out to submit service-related information.

Databases: Systems like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB that store collected service data in an organized manner. (Don’t worry if you’re not familiar—Five makes it easy.)

Data Security: Measures to protect sensitive service data from unauthorized access and breaches.

Analytics Tools: Software that allows users to query the database, generate reports, and visualize service data.

Dashboards: Interactive interfaces that provide real-time insights and trends on service requests and completions.

Why a Traditional Form Builder Might Not Cut It

Service requests often involve managing relationships between various pieces of information, such as client details, service histories, and schedules.

Standard form builders typically struggle to handle these complex data structures, making it difficult to create a comprehensive picture of each submission.

Security and compliance are also major concerns, especially when dealing with sensitive customer data. Service requests often include personal and service-specific information, necessitating robust security measures.

Most off-the-shelf form builders lack the necessary security infrastructure to handle such sensitive data safely and in compliance with regulations.

Furthermore, service request forms often require advanced calculations, such as scheduling optimizations and cost estimates. Many standard form builders have limited capabilities and lack the ability to perform these complex calculations accurately and in real-time.

Lastly, advanced reporting and analytics are crucial in service management. Organizations require comprehensive tools to analyze request data, track service performance, and generate detailed reports. Most traditional form builders offer only basic reporting features that fall short of these needs.

Building a Service Request Form with Five

Creating a service request form in Five offers significant advantages over traditional form builders, making it ideal for those who need robust, secure, and analyzable service data.

Unlike traditional form builders, which only store submitted data, Five allows you to directly connect your service request form to a database. This connection enables you to query your database and generate visual representations of your data, making it easier to identify trends, patterns, and service performance.

Most traditional form builders require exporting data to third-party tools for analysis, adding extra steps and potential for errors.

While traditional form builders may suffice for basic service request tasks, they often struggle with large datasets or high submission volumes.

Five’s database-connected solution, on the other hand, is designed to handle substantial amounts of service data efficiently, maintaining performance as your application needs grow.

One of the standout features of Five is the ability to create login-protected forms. This ensures that only authorized users can access and submit service data, enhancing the security of your service request process.

Traditional form builders often lack these advanced security features, leaving your data vulnerable to unauthorized access.

In addition to its advanced data management and security features, Five allows you to build dashboards and generate detailed reports directly from your service request data.

You can create visual data representations such as charts and graphs, providing a clear overview of request statuses, service trends, and completion schedules.

With Five, you can:

• Quickly deploy your service request form with a secure database.
• Build a user-friendly interface that protects sensitive data with login authentication.

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Step 1: Database for Your Service Request Form

To get started, sign up for free access to Five and create a new application by navigating to the Applications section and clicking the yellow plus button.

Create a New Application:

• Click the yellow plus button.
• Name your application (e.g., “Service Form”).

• Confirm by clicking the check icon in the upper right corner.
• Click on the blue Manage button to enter the development environment.

Create Database Tables:

• Go to Data > Table Wizard, a user-friendly interface for creating database tables.
• Name your table descriptively (e.g., “ServiceRequests”).

Add fields to your table using the plus button, specifying appropriate data types:

• Name (Text): Stores the name of the client.
• ServiceType (Text): Describes the type of service requested.
• RequestDate (Date): Records the date the service request was submitted.

Remember to choose appropriate data and display types to ensure your data is stored and displayed correctly. If you are unsure – just ask ChatGPT.

Save your database table, and it’s now ready to store service request data.

Step 2: Designing the Service Request Form

Next, navigate to Visual > Form Wizard in Five to design your service request form.

Select Data Source:

In the Form Wizard’s General section, select the “ServiceRequests” table you created as the main data source. This links your backend (database) with your frontend (form).

Finalize the Form:

Click the check icon in the upper right corner to complete the form creation. Your form is now ready and connected to your database.

Add Form Submit/Cancel Buttons

Next navigate to Visual then select Forms and scroll down. Under Complete Caption you can add your submit button (you can change this to whatever you’d like). You can also change the Cancel Caption. Remember to click the tick to save afterwards.

Add your URL

Next you need to add your URL. Navigate to Setup then select URL and add an item. You must make this lowercase.

Also select your form in the action field.

Step 3: Deploying the Service Request Form

To deploy your service request form:

Click the “Deploy to Development” button in the top right corner. This action opens your service request form in a new browser tab, allowing you to preview it.

Once you run your application your default URL will look something like this: https://control-default-serviceform-ryan.5au.dev/?reloadSchema=21c04e1e-b76d-44f5-bb89-5801219cc3d2&inspect=false

Delete this URL section ?reloadSchema=21c04e1e-b76d-44f5-bb89-5801219cc3d2&inspect=false and replace it with what you named your URL above:

Based on this demo the new url would be https://control-default-serviceform-ryan.5au.dev/url/form and this will lead you to your form.

Securing Your Service Request Form: Logins, Authentication, Permissions

One of the benefits of Five is the ability to add a login-protected backend for submitted form data.

Here are the steps to add user roles and logins:

• Turn your application into a multi-user app by automatically adding a login screen.
• Create user roles with specific permissions. For example:
  • Client Role: Can submit service requests.
  • Admin Role: Can review requests, update statuses, and access the dashboard summarizing all submissions.

Explore More Security Features: Utilize Five’s documentation for detailed instructions on securing your service request form with authentication and permissions to ensure only authorized users can access or modify data.

Conclusion: Building a Service Request Form

Building a service request form with Five’s application development environment offers numerous advantages over traditional form builders.

The process involves three key steps: creating the database, designing the form, and deploying the web form. Five’s provides security features, including login protection, authentication, and user permissions, ensuring that your service request form is secure and only accessible to authorized users.

By using Five, you can directly connect your service request form to a database, enabling efficient data management and real-time analysis through custom charts and reports.

This capability allows you to easily track requests, monitor completion statuses, and manage service data effectively—tasks that are often cumbersome with traditional form builders that require exporting data to third-party tools.

With Five, you can improve your service request process, enhance data security, and leverage analytical tools to gain insights, making it the superior choice for creating a comprehensive and efficient service request form.

What Else You Can Do With Five

Here’s a more advanced form for property booking, this shows Five’s calculation capabilities.