GoCanvas Glossary of Terms

Advanced Form Builder

GoCanvas’s most flexible form design tool, letting Admins and Designers configure screens, Loops and/or Tables, fields, Calculations, Conditions, and Reference Data to create customized mobile forms.

Analytics

Using the information you already collect with your GoCanvas forms, we can provide you with deeper insight into your data with custom dashboards to fit your needs.

API v3

Using industry standard RESTful JSON API (REST (Representational State Transfer) endpoints in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)), v3 allows users to extract data and create objects in GoCanvas, like Dispatches, from another system and is backed by robust documentation.

Archive

Removes a Published form from all mobile devices but preserves their submission data. You can restore archived forms.

Assign

Makes the form accessible for designated users to complete in their GoCanvas app.

Assignments

Flexible submission handoffs so users can either directly Reassign an in progress submission to another user or Unassign themselves from the submission so others could Claim and complete it.

Basic Form Builder

Auto-Build or Build from Scratch a mobile form and pixel-perfect PDF output, based on your existing paper form, at the same time.

Bulk Dispatch

Upload multiple Dispatches using a single .csv file. Available in both Work Hub and Projects.

Calculation

A field type that can complete simple mathematical operations using collected values, constant values, and/or calculated values in the submission. Can also summarize numerical values in a Table or Loop Screen.

Conditions

Configure both fields and screens to appear or disappear based on pre-determined field values (i.e. If/Then Logic). This feature is only available in the Advanced Form Builder.

Core View

The classic GoCanvas web portal experience that uses Work Hub to manage employees and their day-to-day work.

Custom PDF

A PDF output that the GoCanvas Client Engagement Services team designs to be a pixel-perfect recreation of your existing paper form.

Data Sources

Dropdown menu in the left navigation in Core View where you can locate your Reference Data, Reference Docs, Reference Images, and Live Data.

Departments

Functionality that lets Admins organize forms, submission data, and users within one GoCanvas account. It’s ideal for larger organizations that need a strict separation of forms and data or different account view types (e.g. Core vs. Project Management View) for different purposes.

Dispatch

Send a partially pre-filled GoCanvas submission to a specific user that can be completed in the GoCanvas app. Found in the Tasks tab on mobile.

Elements

Components you can add to your PDF that aren’t connected to data from the submission. Includes static Text, Image, Social icons with links, Page Break, and Submission No.

Field

The fillable space(s) in a form where the user enters data. The Advanced Form Builder offers 22 field Types, while the Basic and Public Form Builders each offer 14, supporting a range of data collection needs.

Field Library

The left panel in the Advanced Form Builder where you drag and drop field types onto your form. In the Basic Form Builder, this is called the Add menu.

Field Settings

Configurable options that control field behavior. The left panel becomes Field Settings when you select a field, or they appear in the Field menu on the right in the Basic Form Builder.

Folders

Allows Admins and Designers to sort their GoCanvas forms and submissions in order to stay organized. Folders appear on the Forms and Submissions pages on the GoCanvas portal and also display in the GoCanvas app.

Follow-Up

A subform for reporting, assigning, and tracking job issues using real-time field updates so problems can be addressed quickly with full office visibility. When enabled, they add a Pass/Fail field type so users can create tasks while completing a submission.

Form

The digital version of your paper form (e.g. work orders, inspections, invoices, timesheets, etc.) that speeds up data collection. Can be built in either the Advanced or Basic Form Builders using unique field types, features, and automations for a streamlined mobile experience.

Form Settings

Configurable options and features that determine how a form and its submissions behave, appear, and function. Examples include form Icon, Edit & View, Email Options, Table of Contents, etc.

Form Status

A tool to let Admins and Designers of an account know what stage of development a particular form is in currently. (i.e. New, Pending, Testing, Published, and Archived)

GoCanvas Integrations

Connect GoCanvas with your existing business tools so you can automate workflows by sending data to and from GoCanvas, reducing manual effort on everyday tasks.

Handoff

In a form using Workflow, these are the predefined, fixed point(s) where a submission is transferred from one user to another to continue the submission.

Legacy Builder

GoCanvas’s oldest form-building tool that is still available. Use it to design and manage mobile forms created before GoCanvas introduced Advanced Form Builder. Forms created from Templates use Legacy Builder, and you can upgrade them.

List

The simplest repeating screen type. It is technically only one field, or column, repeated as many times as is needed for each particular submission.

Live Data

Using existing API-based resources in real-time, it connects large, complex data sets to form fields without practical limits so users can easily access current information when completing submissions.

Loop Screen

One of three repeating screen types that allows users to capture related data in a simple or complex schema (i.e. Advanced Loop Screen) as many times as is needed for each unique submission without the constraint of simple screens.

Public Form

Shareable forms accessible via a unique URL so customers can complete them in a browser without logging into GoCanvas. Also referred to as “Web Forms.”

PDF Designer

Drag-and-drop tool for a structured layout of the submission output while still allowing for creativity. This tool lets you customize how your submitted data looks, including layout, text size, images, and branding.

Project Management View

A GoCanvas web portal layout that organizes daily operations (e.g. Dispatches, submissions, Workflows, etc.) by Projects. Upload your Customers and their project Sites to use when completing submissions.

Reference Data

Data uploaded to your account that you map to your form to automatically populate fields in a submission. Makes completing submissions faster and more accurate for users.

Reference Documents

Supplemental documentation lets you upload reference material to your account and dispatch it to field users. Users can reference the material while completing a submission without leaving the GoCanvas app.

Reference Images

Once uploaded to your account, these images can be inserted into forms as a Static Image or as the background of a Drawing field to give users visual context when completing a submission.

Screen

The foundation of all forms used to group together related fields for data collection that only needs to be entered once. Only configurable in the Advanced Form Builder.

Screen Settings

Control how each screen is labeled, styled, and shown in PDFs and on the web portal, including Screen Name visibility, Page Break behavior, and Conditions. For List, Loop, and Table screens, you can also Allow Duplicate Entries and choose the Display Field.

Standard PDF

The default PDF generated automatically by GoCanvas for every submission. You can make minor changes in the Form Builders and Form Settings, but otherwise it lists your fields in order.

Submission

A form that a user has completed on mobile or in the Web Client. The data collected is securely uploaded to the cloud, where it can be accessed, edited, and shared.

Submission ID

A unique alphanumeric string of characters that is automatically generated to distinguish each submission.

Submission Name

A custom, descriptive label replacing the default Submission ID to recognize and search completed submissions easier.

Sync

Automatically update user data (such as submissions, Tasks, Reference Data, and Images) across all GoCanvas apps and the web portal, ensuring it is saved to the cloud and remains consistent everywhere.

Table

A repeating screen type that lets users add as many rows of the same fields as needed, similar to adding line items in a spreadsheet.

Task

A partially filled submission that appears in the mobile app on the Tasks tab or indicated by specific forms in the Web Client. Tasks can include submissions that were Saved to Cloud, Dispatches, Workflow handoffs, or active Assignments.

Task Link

An integration between Bluebeam Revu and GoCanvas that turns Revu markups into assigned GoCanvas Tasks for field teams.

Template

A copy of a GoCanvas form that does not transmit down to a mobile device, but can act as a starting point for a new GoCanvas form.

Tracker

A dedicated app designed to monitor employee locations, visualize routes on a map, and manage field operations.

User Roles

Define what each person can access and do in the system, ranging from full account administration to basic mobile-only use. There are seven roles: Company Administrator, Designer, Dispatcher, Reporter, Viewer, User, Analytics User, and Mobile Only User.

User Groups

Assign GoCanvas forms and Reference Data to specific sets of users automatically.

Workflow

Used for structured processes where more than one person needs to complete a GoCanvas submission. Users will handoff the submission at the same predefined, fixed point(s) in the form until it’s complete.

Work Hub

In Core View, this is where Admins, Designers, and Dispatchers can keep an eye on complete or pending Dispatches, submissions, Tasks, and Workflows, all in one central location.

Web Client

A GoCanvas app where you can complete your mobile forms within the web portal on any internet-connected, modern browser.