Template Builder
Field types, conditional logic, and everything you can configure in the template editor.
The template builder is a three-panel editor where you design your onboarding forms. Steps on the left, fields in the center, configuration on the right.
Steps
Steps divide your onboarding into pages. Each step becomes a screen in the client's form with a progress bar showing how far along they are.
- Add a step — click the + button in the left panel.
- Reorder steps — drag and drop in the left panel.
- Rename a step — click the step name to edit it inline.
- Optional steps — toggle a step as optional so clients can skip it entirely.
- Delete a step — removes the step and all its fields.
Field types
Portico supports 18 field types grouped by what they collect:
Text inputs
| Type | Use for |
|---|---|
| Short Text | Names, titles, single-line answers. Supports min/max character limits. |
| Long Text | Descriptions, notes, multi-line responses. Supports word count limits. |
| Email addresses with format validation. | |
| Phone | Phone numbers. |
| URL | Website links with format validation. |
Choices
| Type | Use for |
|---|---|
| Dropdown | Single selection from a list of options. |
| Multi-select | Multiple selections from a list. |
| Checkbox | A single yes/no toggle with a custom label. |
| Radio | Single selection displayed as radio buttons. |
| Yes / No | Binary choice displayed as two buttons. |
Data
| Type | Use for |
|---|---|
| Number | Numeric values with optional min/max range. |
| Date | Date picker, displayed in the client's locale format. |
| Address | Structured address fields (street, city, state/province, postal code, country). |
Uploads & signatures
| Type | Use for |
|---|---|
| File Upload | Documents, images, spreadsheets. Configure accepted file types and max size. |
| Signature | Legally-binding e-signatures with timestamp and IP logging. |
Payments
| Type | Use for |
|---|---|
| Payment | Collect a payment via Stripe. Set a fixed amount or let the client enter one. Requires Stripe keys in Settings. |
Special
| Type | Use for |
|---|---|
| Info Text | Display-only content — instructions, context, or legal text. Not a form input. |
| Repeater | Dynamic rows where clients can add multiple entries (e.g., list of team members, inventory items). Each row has its own set of sub-fields. |
Field configuration
Select any field to configure it in the right panel:
- Label — the question or prompt the client sees.
- Help text — smaller text below the label for additional context.
- Required — whether the client must fill this field before submitting.
- Validation — type-specific rules like character limits, file size caps, or regex patterns.
- Translations — multi-language labels and help text (Pro and above).
Conditional logic
Show, hide, or skip content based on client responses. Access the logic builder from any field or step's configuration panel.
Rule types
- Show / Hide — control whether a field or step is visible based on another field's value.
- Skip to — jump to a different step when a condition is met (e.g., if "Business Type" is "Sole Proprietor", skip the "Corporate Documents" step).
- Set value — auto-populate a field based on another field's answer.
Building rules
Each rule has three parts:
- Condition — which field to watch and what value to compare against (equals, not equals, contains, greater than, etc.).
- Logic — combine multiple conditions with AND (all must match) or OR (any must match).
- Action — what happens when the condition is true.
Logic Map
Click Logic Map in the builder toolbar to see a visual graph of all conditional dependencies across your template. Useful for auditing complex forms.
Preview
The builder supports three view modes, accessible from the toolbar:
- Editor — the default three-panel editing view.
- Split — editor on the left, live form preview on the right.
- Preview — full-screen preview showing exactly what the client will see.
Template settings
Open the settings panel (gear icon) to configure:
- Welcome page — toggle on/off and customize the message shown before the form starts.
- Custom CSS — inject your own styles for full visual control (Business plan).
- Due date messaging — customize the text clients see about their deadline.
Tips
- Start with a pre-built template from the Templates page and customize it, rather than building from scratch.
- Keep steps focused — 3-5 fields per step is a good target. Clients are more likely to complete shorter pages.
- Use Info Text fields to set context at the top of a step before asking questions.
- Test your template using Preview mode before sending it to real clients.