Template builder
Design multi-step onboarding forms with 18 field types, conditional show-hide and skip logic, repeater rows, translations, and a live split-screen preview.
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 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.
- 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 and 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 and max range. |
| Date | Date picker, displayed in the client's locale format. |
| Address | Structured address fields: street, city, state or province, postal code, and country. |
Uploads and 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 through 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 add multiple entries (for example, a list of team members or inventory items). Each row contains its own set of sub-fields that you define in the builder. |
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 number ranges.
- Translations — multi-language labels, help text, placeholders, and options (Pro and above). Supports 9 locales including English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese.
Conditional logic
Show, hide, or skip content based on client responses. Open 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. For example, 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, does not equal, contains, greater than, and more).
- 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. This is useful for auditing complex forms with many branching paths.
Preview
The builder supports three view modes 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 or off, and customize the message shown before the form starts.
- Custom CSS — inject your own styles for full visual control (Business plan only).
- Due date messaging — customize the text clients see about their deadline.
Tips
- Start with a template from the Template gallery and customize it rather than building from scratch.
- Keep steps focused — 3 to 5 fields per step is a good target. Shorter pages have higher completion rates.
- Use Info text fields to provide context at the top of a step before asking questions.
- Test your template using Preview mode before sending it to real clients.
Frequently asked questions
- How many field types does the template builder support?
- 18 field types including short text, long text, email, phone, number, date, dropdown, checkbox, radio, file upload, signature, payment, address, URL, country picker, repeater row, static content, and conditional logic.
- Can I show or hide fields based on previous answers?
- Yes. Conditional logic lets you show, hide, or skip entire steps based on any field value. Set conditions in the field settings panel.
- Does the template builder have a preview mode?
- Yes. A live split-screen preview shows exactly what your client will see as you build.