Field Types

Reference guide to the field types available in the PEARS Module Builder form builder.

The Module Builder provides a variety of field types for designing custom module forms. Each type controls how data is entered, validated, and stored. This page describes each field type and its configuration options.

Screenshot: The element type picker in the form builder showing available field types organized by category — Choice Inputs, Number Inputs, Text Inputs, Date and Time Inputs, Static Elements, and System Fields

Choice Fields

Choice fields require you to define the response options users can select from. See Build a Form for instructions on adding options.

Checkbox Group

A set of checkboxes where users can choose multiple options. Use this when users may need to select more than one option from a list.

Radio Group

A set of radio buttons where users choose one option. Use this when the list of options is short and all options should be visible at once.

Single Checkbox

A single checkbox that is either selected or not. Use this for yes/no questions, acknowledgments, or toggle fields.

Dropdown

A dropdown menu where users choose one option. Use this when the list of options is long (roughly 5 or more) and only one selection is allowed.

Multiselect Dropdown

A dropdown menu where users can choose multiple options. Use this for multi-selection when the list of options is long.

Number Fields

All number fields support optional minimum and maximum value constraints in the field configuration (Validation Rules).

Whole Number

Accepts whole numbers only. Use this for counts, quantities, or integer values.

Decimal

Accepts decimal numbers. Use this for measurements, percentages, or other values that require decimal precision.

Currency

Accepts dollar amounts with cents. The field displays a currency symbol and formats the value with two decimal places.

Text Fields

Text

A single-line text input for short responses such as names, titles, or brief descriptions.

Text Area

A multi-line text input for longer responses. Use this for open-ended questions, notes, or detailed descriptions.

Rich Text

A text input with basic formatting options (bold, italic, lists). Use this when users need to provide formatted responses.

Date and Time Fields

Date and time fields support optional minimum and maximum value constraints in the field configuration (Validation Rules).

Date

A date picker for selecting a single date.

Time

A time picker for selecting a time of day.

Date and Time

A combined date and time picker for selecting a specific date and time.

Date Range

A pair of date pickers for selecting a start and end date. Use this for tracking periods or durations.

TIP: Date range fields cannot be used as the source field in conditional logic.

Layout Fields

Layout fields do not collect data. They organize and annotate the form visually.

Instructional Text

A static block of descriptive or instructional text. Use this to provide context or guidance between form fields.

Heading

A static text heading for visually separating or labeling groups of fields within a section.

Group

A container that groups related fields together visually. Fields inside a group are displayed as a unit on the form. Groups support one level of nesting — you cannot place a group inside another group. You can set conditional logic for a group of fields.

System Fields

Subform (Related Entity)

A repeatable group of fields that allows users to add multiple entries, via a popup form. For example, a subform could capture a list of participants, each with a name and role field. Subform entries are displayed in a table on the form.

Toggle Display in Table on each child field to control which fields appear as columns in the summary table.

Examples: Adding Collaborators or Indirect Activity Intervention Channels uses the "subform" field type.

NOTE: Subform fields cannot be added to the General Info section. They support one level of nesting — subforms cannot contain other subforms or groups.

Uploads

A file upload field that allows users to attach one or more files. Configuration options include:

• Allowed file types — Restrict uploads to specific file extensions (e.g., PDF, DOCX, PNG). If no types are specified, all supported file types are allowed.

• Maximum number of files — Limit how many files users can upload to this field.

Related Module

A reference field that links to records from another PEARS module or custom module. Users see a searchable dropdown and can select existing records. Configuration options include:

• Selection type* — Choose Select (single record) or Multi-select (multiple records).

• Filters — Optionally restrict which records appear in the dropdown by applying filter criteria (e.g. reporting period, completed records).

NOTE: Once a linked module field has collected responses, the linked module and selection type cannot be changed.

Configuration Summary

Field Type	Min/Max Values	Response Options	File Config	Linked Module Config
Text, Text Area, Rich Text
Number, Float, Currency	Yes
Select, Radio Group		Yes
Checkbox Group, Multi-Select		Yes
Checkbox
Date, Time, Datetime	Yes
Date Range
Uploads			Yes
Related Module				Yes
Heading, Paragraph
Group, Subform