PLS-5C: Additional Forms - Standalone Data Collection

Overview

Additional forms are Housing.Cloud's most flexible form type—standalone, shareable forms that work like Google Forms. Unlike Application or Bio forms that attach to housing cycles, Additional forms can be sent to anyone at any time for any purpose. This module teaches you how Additional forms differ from other types, how to create shareable links, and when to use them.

What you'll learn:

• How Additional forms differ from cycle-attached forms

• Creating and sharing form links

• Sending forms to individuals vs groups

• Adding forms to the Resident Portal

• Use cases for Additional forms

Time: 15 minutes

What Makes Additional Forms Different

Most form types in Housing.Cloud attach to system functions—Application forms attach to housing cycles, Task forms attach to task categories, Bio forms attach to roommate finding. Additional forms are different: they're standalone forms that don't require any system context.

Key Differences

Feature	Application/Bio Forms	Additional Forms
Requires housing cycle?	Yes	No
Who can access?	Students in the cycle with correct tags	Anyone with the link
When can it be used?	Only during cycle phase dates	Anytime (controlled by due date or manual removal)
How is it distributed?	Automatically appears in student portal when cycle opens	Manually sent via link, email, or Resident Portal
Creates what record?	Application record	Form response (viewed from profile or form)
Tags save where?	Application record	Configurable (can save to profile)

Think Google Forms: If you've used Google Forms, you already understand Additional forms. They're standalone surveys you can share with anyone, for any purpose, without needing to configure cycles or system attachments.

When to Use Additional Forms

Use Additional forms when you need to collect information that doesn't fit into the standard housing cycle workflow.

Common Use Cases

Surveys and Feedback

• "Mid-Year Housing Satisfaction Survey"

• "End-of-Year Residence Hall Feedback"

• "Community Standards Survey"

• "RA Performance Feedback"

Special Requests and Documentation

• "Summer Storage Request"

• "Emotional Support Animal Registration"

• "Late Check-In Request Form"

• "Parking Permit Application"

• "Room Change Request"

Event Registration

• "Welcome Week Event RSVP"

• "Resident Appreciation Dinner Sign-Up"

• "Housing Info Session Registration"

Compliance and Acknowledgments

• "Community Living Agreement"

• "Key Responsibility Acknowledgment"

• "Policy Update Confirmation"

When NOT to Use Additional Forms

Don't use Additional forms for:

• Housing applications → Use Application forms (attached to cycles)

• Roommate questionnaires → Use Bio forms (attached to cycles)

• Task-specific data → Use Task forms (attached to task categories)

• Check-in/check-out forms → Use system features designed for this

If your form is part of the standard housing cycle workflow, use the appropriate cycle-attached form type. Additional forms are for everything outside that standard flow.

Creating Additional Forms

Creating an Additional form uses the same form builder as other form types.

Step-by-Step

1. Navigate to Setup → Forms

2. Click the Additional Forms tab

3. Click + New Form → Create New Form

4. Build your form using sections and elements (same as any form)

5. Add conditional logic if needed using tags

6. Preview your form to test

7. When ready, open Form Settings sidebar

8. Set Form Type to Additional

9. Click Publish

Form Type Cannot Change After Publishing: Once you publish a form with type "Additional," you cannot change it to Application, Bio, or any other type. Choose the correct type before publishing.

For detailed form building steps, see Create Additional Forms.

Distributing Additional Forms

Unlike cycle-attached forms that appear automatically, you must actively distribute Additional forms to students. You have three distribution methods:

Method 1: Send to Individual Students

When to use: When specific students need to complete the form

How it works:

1. Navigate to Applications or Residents

2. Click on a student's name to open their profile

3. Scroll to the Additional Forms section

4. Click Send Additional Form

5. Select the form from the dropdown

6. Optional: Set a due date

7. Optional: Send email notification (select email template)

8. Optional: Mark as required

9. Click Send

Student sees:

• Form appears in their Resident Portal under "Forms to Complete"

• If email notification enabled, they receive an email with a link

• If marked required, it appears as an action item until completed

Learn more: Send Additional Forms to Students

Method 2: Send to Multiple Students (Bulk)

When to use: When a group of students needs to complete the form

How it works:

1. Navigate to Applications or Residents

2. Use filters to find the target group (e.g., "All residents in East Hall")

3. Check the checkboxes next to students, or check the header checkbox to select all

4. Click the three-dot menu → Send Additional Form

5. Select the form and configure options (same as individual send)

6. Click Send

7. Form is sent to all selected students

Example scenarios:

• Send "Summer Storage Request" to all East Hall residents

• Send "Housing Satisfaction Survey" to all current residents

• Send "Late Check-In Form" to students with move-in scheduled after August 20

Method 3: Share in Resident Portal (Public Link)

When to use: When ALL students (or all with access) should see the form

How it works:

1. Navigate to Setup → Forms → Additional Forms

2. Find your published form and click the share icon

3. Mark the form as required or optional

4. Optional: Set a due date

5. Click Create Link

6. Link is automatically copied to your clipboard

7. Navigate to Portal Configuration (or wherever you manage Resident Portal resources)

8. Add a new resource with the form name as the title and paste the link

9. Save

Students see:

• Form appears in the Resources section of the Resident Portal

• All students can click the link to access and complete the form

• If marked required, it also appears in "Forms to Complete"

Learn more: Share Additional Forms to the Resident Portal

Choose the Right Distribution Method: Use individual/bulk sending when only specific students need the form. Use Resident Portal sharing when all students should have access. You can use multiple methods for the same form if needed.

Managing Form Responses

Additional form responses can be viewed in two places:

From the Student's Profile

1. Navigate to the student's profile (Applications or Residents)

2. Click Additional Forms tab

3. See all forms sent to this student with completion status

4. Click the expand arrow to view questions and their responses

When to use this view: When reviewing a specific student's forms as part of their housing record

Learn more: View Responses to Additional Forms

From the Form

1. Navigate to Setup → Forms → Additional Forms

2. Click the response count next to the form name

3. View responses in three formats:

   • Summary: Aggregate data and statistics

   • Individual: List of all respondents with search/filter

   • Spreadsheet: Exportable table format

When to use this view: When analyzing all responses across all students for reporting or decision-making

Learn more: View Responses to a Form

Additional Forms Best Practices

Name Forms Clearly

• Include the purpose and year: "Summer 2025 Storage Request"

• Avoid generic names like "Form 1" or "Survey"

• Students see the form name—make it descriptive

Set Due Dates

• Always set a due date when sending forms to create urgency

• Due dates appear in the student portal

• Students can see how much time they have to complete the form

Use Email Notifications Strategically

• Enable email notifications for important or time-sensitive forms

• Disable for low-priority or optional forms to reduce email fatigue

• Use email templates to create consistent, professional messaging

Mark Critical Forms as Required

• Required forms appear as action items in the student portal

• Students see a checklist item until the form is completed

• Use sparingly—too many required forms overwhelm students

Archive Old Forms

• After a form is no longer needed, archive it

• Archived forms don't clutter your active forms list

• Responses are preserved even when archived

• You can unarchive if needed in the future

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Summer Storage Request

Form name: "Summer 2025 Storage Request"

Questions:

1. "How many boxes do you need to store?" (Dropdown: 1-2, 3-5, 6-10, More than 10)

2. "List the contents of your storage items" (Text area)

3. "Preferred storage location" (Radio: Campus warehouse, Off-site facility, No preference)

4. "Emergency contact phone number" (Text)

Distribution: Sent to all current residents with due date May 1, 2025

Purpose: Collect storage requests so facilities can plan capacity

Example 2: ESA Documentation Form

Form name: "Emotional Support Animal Documentation 2025-26"

Questions:

1. "Animal type" (Radio: Dog, Cat, Other)

2. "Animal breed" (Text)

3. "Upload letter from healthcare provider" (File upload)

4. "Upload vaccination records" (File upload)

5. "Describe care requirements" (Text area)

Distribution: Sent individually to students who request ESA approval, marked as required

Purpose: Collect required documentation for ESA approval process

Example 3: Housing Satisfaction Survey

Form name: "Mid-Year Housing Satisfaction Survey - Spring 2025"

Questions:

1. "Overall satisfaction with your housing experience" (Range: 1-5 scale)

2. "How would you rate your roommate experience?" (Range: 1-5 scale)

3. "How would you rate building facilities?" (Range: 1-5 scale)

4. "What could we improve?" (Text area)

5. "Would you recommend housing to other students?" (Radio: Yes, No, Maybe)

Distribution: Shared in Resident Portal as optional with due date March 15, 2025

Purpose: Gather feedback to improve housing operations

Key Takeaways

• Additional forms are standalone forms that don't require housing cycles or system attachments

• They work like Google Forms—create, share, collect responses

• Three distribution methods: individual send, bulk send, Resident Portal sharing

• Use Additional forms for surveys, special requests, documentation, event registration—anything outside the standard housing cycle workflow

• Responses can be viewed from student profiles or from the form itself in three views

• Best practices: clear naming, due dates, strategic email notifications, required flags for critical forms

What's Next

Now that you understand how Additional forms provide flexible, standalone data collection, you're ready to learn about form lifecycle and how different form types attach to system functions.

Continue to: PLS-5D: Form Lifecycle & System Attachments

Additional Resources

• Create Additional Forms

• Send Additional Forms to Students

• Share Additional Forms to the Resident Portal

• View Responses to Additional Forms

• View Responses to a Form