Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with the Form Portal in 5 minutes.

Step 1: Access the Form Portal

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: accessing-form-portal] Description: Show the Ambience main menu with Form Portal module highlighted. How to capture: From Ambience home screen, show the modules menu with Form Portal option visible.

  1. Log into Ambience with your credentials
  2. Click on Form Portal from the main menu
  3. The portal opens with two tabs: View and Create

Step 2: Understand the Interface

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: view-tab-first-look] Description: Show the View tab with “My Forms” expanded in the sidebar. How to capture: Click View tab, expand “My Forms” in sidebar, show the clean three-panel layout.

The Form Portal has three main areas:

  • Left Sidebar - Navigation tree with form categories
  • Center Panel - List of forms in the selected category
  • Right Panel - The actual form when you select one

The Two Tabs

View Tab - For forms you already have: - Current forms (in progress) - Submitted forms (completed) - Archived forms (historical)

Create Tab - For starting new forms: - Browse templates by role - Create new instances

Step 3: View Your Forms

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: my-current-forms] Description: Show “My Forms > Current” selected with a list of forms displayed. How to capture: In View tab, click My Forms > Current, show the resulting form list.

  1. Click the View tab
  2. In the sidebar, expand My Forms
  3. Click Current
  4. You’ll see a list of forms you’re working on

Step 4: Open and Complete a Form

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: opening-first-form] Description: Show clicking on a form in the list and it appearing in the right panel. How to capture: Click a form in the center list, show it loading in the right panel.

  1. Click on any form in the list
  2. The form appears in the right panel
  3. Fill out the fields
  4. Click Submit when done

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: completing-simple-form] Description: Show a simple form with fields filled out and Submit button highlighted. How to capture: Fill out 2-3 fields in a form, highlight the Submit button.

Tips for Completing Forms

  • Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*)
  • Validation errors appear in red if you miss something
  • Multi-page forms have Next/Previous buttons
  • Auto-save may preserve your work (where supported)

Step 5: Create a New Form

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: create-tab-overview] Description: Show the Create tab with roles in sidebar and form templates in center. How to capture: Click Create tab, show the interface with available templates.

  1. Click the Create tab
  2. In the sidebar, select a role (e.g., “Owner”)
  3. Click on a form template from the list
  4. Click “Create New Form” button (if shown)
  5. Fill out and submit the new form

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: creating-new-form] Description: Show selecting a template and the “Create New Form” button. How to capture: Select a form template, show the right panel with creation button.

Form Types

You’ll see different icons indicating form types:

  • 🎹 Piano keyboard - Standard form
  • ⌨️ Keyboard - Workflow form (approval process)
  • 📋 Clipboard - Checklist

Step 6: Search for Forms

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: using-search] Description: Show the search box with text entered and filtered results. How to capture: Type “leave” or another term in search, show filtered list.

  1. Use the search box at the top of the form list
  2. Type part of the form name
  3. The list filters as you type

This works in both View and Create tabs.

Common Tasks Quick Reference

Task How To
View my forms View tab → My Forms → Current
Create new form Create tab → Select role → Pick template → Create
Search for form Type in search box at top of list
Submit form Fill out all fields → Click Submit
Check submitted forms View tab → My Forms → Submitted
Find old forms View tab → My Forms → Archived

Understanding Form States

  • Current - You can still edit it
  • Submitted - It’s been sent (read-only)
  • Archived - It’s completed and stored

Working with Workflow Forms

[SCREENSHOT MARKER: workflow-form-indicator] Description: Show a workflow form with the keyboard icon. How to capture: Select a workflow form, show the keyboard icon clearly.

Workflow forms (keyboard icon) go through approval processes:

  1. You fill out and submit the form
  2. It routes to approvers automatically
  3. You may get notifications about progress
  4. It may come back to you for more information

Tips for Success

✅ Do This

  • Search instead of scroll - Use the search box for large lists
  • Complete forms promptly - Don’t let them pile up in Current
  • Review before submitting - You usually can’t edit after submission
  • Check all pages - Multi-page forms have navigation buttons

❌ Avoid This

  • Don’t ignore validation errors - Red messages mean required fields are missing
  • Don’t close without submitting - Use the Submit button
  • Don’t skip required fields - They’re marked with *

Troubleshooting

Can’t Find a Form?

  • Check all categories (My Forms, role categories)
  • Use the search feature
  • Check the Archived section
  • Ask your manager or administrator

Form Won’t Submit?

  • Look for red error messages
  • Check all required fields are filled
  • Try refreshing the page
  • Contact IT support if it persists

Need Access to More Forms?

  • Ask your administrator to grant you additional roles
  • Verify you’re in the right workgroup
  • Check you have the necessary privileges

Next Steps

Now that you know the basics:

  1. Explore your forms - Browse Current and Archived forms
  2. Try creating a form - Use the Create tab
  3. Read the full guide - See Using the Form Portal
  4. Get help - See Troubleshooting

Ready for more? Continue to Using the Form Portal for detailed information on all features.

Next: Using the Form Portal