How do I troubleshoot my form?

Modified on Fri, 21 Mar at 7:04 AM

Droplet forms and workflows are robust, offering unmatched flexibility to design processes that work exactly how you need them to. But with great power comes the potential for missteps. Whether it’s a notification not sending, a workflow step not advancing, or a calculation that doesn’t add up, troubleshooting your form can be the key to uncovering what’s gone wrong and learning more about Droplet along the way.

Thankfully, Droplet has tools like the Activity Log and Workflow Tester to make troubleshooting easier. So, before we dive into the specifics of troubleshooting, be sure you know about these two tools. They are critical!

The Activity Log

The Activity Log, found on the Submissions page, provides a timeline of actions for any submission: when it was started, who advanced it, who received notifications, and more. It’s invaluable for identifying gaps in the process.

The Workflow Tester

The Workflow Tester lets you simulate submissions to preview how your form and workflow behave. You can check everything from field visibility and validation to step transitions and dynamic assignees, all without affecting live data.

Troubleshooting by Area

Here are key areas of Droplet to explore when troubleshooting your form, along with important considerations for each.

Form-Level Issues

Previewing the Form
Use the Workflow Tester to preview your form as a submitter. This ensures field logic, visibility, and validation are working as you intended.

Field IDs
Field IDs are the secret backbone of your form. They can be used in formulas, logic, and notifications, so keeping them descriptive and accurate is key.

If something seems broken, ensure the field ID reference is an exact match: it’s case-sensitive.

Required Fields vs. Validation Logic
Setting a field as ‘Required’ but then applying isOptional() in validation logic can cause conflicts. Double-check these settings to avoid unexpected behavior.

Calculations and Conditional Logic

Rely on AI
There are often multiple ways to write a formula to achieve the same result. If your formula isn’t working as expected, consider turning to Droplet AI for a fresh perspective. Simply describe what you need, and it will generate an expression for you. Test the new expression to see if it resolves the issue.

Math with Currency
Convert currencies to numbers with the helper function fromCurrency() before doing calculations, then wrap the final expression in toCurrency() to reformat the result.
ALL ABOUT HELPER FUNCTIONS ▸

Debugging in the Workflow Tester
Use sample data to test formulas, and check the Inputs & Values panel in the Workflow Tester for raw data insights.
CHECK OUT THE WORKFLOW TESTER ▸

Common Operator Errors
Sometimes, the issue can be as simple as an overlooked operator. Ensure you’re using && instead of & and === instead of =, for example.
BRUSH UP ON FORMULA WRITING ▸

Troubleshooting the Workflow

Test Step Transitions
If a step has multiple possible next steps, ensure conditions are set up correctly. The Workflow Tester simulates these pathways, so you can validate your configurations. It's a good idea to walk a sample submission through all potential pathways using the Workflow Tester.
LEARN ABOUT TRANSITION LOGIC ▸

Test Dynamic Assignees
In the Workflow Tester, dynamic assignees are evaluated as you advance a submission into the corresponding workflow step. Their name and email will display at the top of the left-hand form panel, allowing you to confirm that your dynamic assignment expressions are functioning correctly.

Check Flow Connections
Confirm all workflow steps have connecting lines (transition pathways) that reflect your intended flow. Could be a simple mistake!

Notifications

Notifications play an important role in keeping your users informed. If they’re not triggering, check the Activity Log for details like missing recipient emails or incorrect notification logic. Then, reconfigure your notification setup accordingly.
ALL ABOUT NOTIFICATIONS ▸

Visibility

Use the Workflow Tester to simulate submissions and ensure that only the appropriate fields are visible or editable at each step. To adjust these settings, visit the Visibility tab in the Form Editor.
READ MORE ABOUT VISIBILITY ▸

Proactive Troubleshooting Checklist

A handy checklist you can breeze through before initially publishing your form and releasing it to the masses:

Form Layout
Are fields clear? Do labels make sense?
Have you used hints, tooltips, and placeholders to guide submitters?
Where feasible, have you opted for dropdowns, radio buttons, and checkboxes instead of text input fields to ensure clean data entry?

Workflow
Do all relevant steps have assignees?
Are all transition pathways (connecting lines) in place?
Does transition logic (rules for how a submission flows) behave as expected?

Notifications
Are all recipients' email addresses correct?
Are there enough notifications to the right people? Too many? Fine-tune the amount.
Do all notifications contain a link to the form in the body of the message?

Visibility
Can the right people see the right fields on the right steps?
Can the right people edit the right fields on the right steps?

Additional Support

Troubleshooting may feel daunting, but with tools like the Activity Log and Workflow Tester, you’re never alone in solving problems. And if you need extra help, our Support Team is always available at [email protected]. We also offer Open Office Hours for personalized assistance.

Every problem solved brings you closer to mastering Droplet and creating processes that elevate your organization’s workflows. Keep going!