Event forms are templates within Smartabase which can be used to record data about an event. An event form captures data in the same way that a paper time-sheet records hours of work, an exam sheet records a student’s responses to exam questions or a training program printout allows an athlete to track their workout details.
Forms are created for widely varying purposes, depending on the type of Smartabase site you're using. For example, in a typical athlete data management type of Smartabase site you are likely to encounter forms that are built to record information about injuries, wellness, fitness testing and training.
Event forms are created using the Event forms tool in the builder interface. Only people who are authorized to access the builder interface can create new event forms. This article covers the following topics:
- Components of an event form.
- Entering data into event forms.
- Linking data between event forms.
- Attaching information to an event form.
- Additional options in event forms.
Components of an event form
An event form contains sets, or sections, of fields. Fields are generally organized into sections that reflect a common purpose or into sections that follow a chronological order. There are different types of fields that can make up an event form. Some fields will require an answer to be in text format, either as a single line response or you may be given space to enter a paragraph of text. Other fields require numeric responses. Some fields will be limited to certain options. For example, a field may be formatted as a Yes or No response. Other option fields will give you a range of answers that you will either make a single or multiple choice selection from. The field type is chosen by the builder of the form to ensure that only high quality data is captured.
The example above shows a simple event form designed to capture blood pressure test results for a person. The form includes a single section for the test Results.
The first field in the Results section is for Heart Rate, which requires a numeric response because heart rate is a quantitative variable and is measured in beats per minute. The second field is an option field asking you about the position of the athlete when the blood pressure test was taken. This is a Single selection field that will only allow you to select one response, as this blood pressure test should only be taken in one position.
The third and fourth fields relate to systolic and diastolic measurements of blood pressure. You can see that the response for systolic blood pressure is pre-filled as 120. This is done as a guideline for which number should go here but the number can still be edited.
The final item is a calculation field which returns the blood pressure category (normal, pre-hypertension, hypertensive stage 1 or hypertensive stage 2). You do not need to enter information into a calculation field.
Lastly, the form has buttons for Save and close and Cancel. Save and close will save the record as complete and close the form. This means that the record will appear in all other areas of Smartabase, such as the Performance history and the sidebar. If you select the Cancel button, you’ll exit the form without saving any data that was entered.
The screenshot above is of a more complex example of an event form. It’s a fitness testing form that records data for a 40-meter sprint test. This record has already been filled out to show you what it might look like when completed.
The first section in the form (Details) contains some non-editable information about the athlete, which is coming from his account and a profile form (this is accomplished using linked calculations and Personal details fields).
The Speed Test Results section is where the data about the sprint test itself is entered. Here, information about the weather conditions, environment, running surface and footwear are recorded. These field types are all Single selection fields where only one option can be chosen.
Next, there’s a table for entering sprint times. In this table, you would enter the length of time the athlete took to cover 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 meters during a 40-meter sprint. The splits and velocity are calculations based on those times. A new row can be added using the Add row button.
The calculations near the end of the form show what the best 10, 20 and 40-meter split times were for the whole testing session. These are table calculations.
Notice that this form has an additional save button called Enter another, which saves the record and immediately opens another blank form for you to create a new record.
Entering data into event forms
Understanding how data is entered into event forms will not only help you to enter data yourself but also to understand how other people interact with Smartabase.
When you log into Smartabase, you will be able to see the event forms that a Smartabase administrator has granted you access to use for data entry.
A non-professional user of Smartabase can only enter data relating to themselves. In contrast, a professional user of Smartabase is able to enter data for other people. This is essentially the same process as entering data against yourself; however, you specify for whom you are entering data. For more information about entering data as a professional or non-professional user, check out our article on Entering data using Smartabase Online.
As a professional user, it is also possible to enter data for groups of people at once. This is only available for groups you have permission to access or personal groups. The biggest difference between single user data entry and group data entry mode is that group entry mode re-formats event forms into a table so that you can enter information into the event form row by row for each person. For more information about entering data for a group of people, check out our article on Group data entry.
Linking data between event forms
Forms and data in Smartabase can be designed with a degree of connectivity in order to provide relevant contextual data when entering and viewing data (embedded reports and charts, linked data) and to establish permanent relationships between certain events (embedded events). An important aspect of form architecture and connectivity is understanding how this affects data sharing and responsibility in multi-discipline environments. For example, embedded reports and charts, linked data and embedded events are often used in injury and illness event forms because of the diverse nature of injuries and how they are treated and managed. However, this requires clear organizational policies about exactly which people can edit data, see shared data, edit shared data or combinations of these abilities. Connecting and sharing data in this scenario also means that it is important to establish responsibility for certain data or types of data.
Attaching information to an event form
There are two ways that external files, or resources, can be added to Smartabase using an event form.
The first method is by attaching a file which can be stored in the Resources tool. The Add attachment button is found at the top of an event form, underneath the date and time section.
The second method is by uploading a file as a response to a field within a form. File upload and Multiple file upload fields permit the person to upload a file that becomes part of an event form. Once a file is uploaded using this method, it won’t be available anywhere else in Smartabase except for the event form record in which it was uploaded. Attachments can become resources, file uploads cannot.
This example shows that the Add Attachment button can be used within an injury event form to upload a file, either by or on behalf of Jamie Anderson. This file would then be stored in the resources area and could be made viewable to people who needed to see it, such as Jamie Anderson, a doctor or physiotherapist. Because it is an attachment, it can be viewed in the sidebar when Jamie Anderson is the user selected.
This screenshot shows the file upload field type used in an injury event form. In the case that an injury requires surgery or another type of intervention, the medical staff member filling out the form can choose to upload a copy of any relevant documentation, such as a surgical referral letter.
Because documentation that is relevant to the particular injury recorded in the form is likely to be unique as well as confidential, it is kept within the record rather than attached to it and accessible elsewhere.
Additional options in event forms
If an event form contains instructions, you may be able to hide them by selecting the Hide instructions button. To show the instructions again, select the Show instructions button.
Your role may contain permissions which allow you to perform additional tasks using the buttons at the top of an event form on Smartabase Online.
- Selecting the PDF button will download a copy of the event form record as a PDF.
- Selecting the Excel button will download a copy of the event form record as a CSV file.
If you have access to both of these options, you can find them in a drop-down menu by hovering over the Export button.
If you're a non-professional user, you may also choose to email a copy of the exported PDF or CSV to coaches of your group. If you are a professional user, you can choose to email a copy of the exported data to other professional users who have access to the group.
If you been authorized to delete records, you can delete a previously saved record by selecting the Delete button above an event form.
Once a record is deleted from Smartabase, it cannot be recovered. Please take extreme care when deleting records.