The Grass Roots Mobile app takes the fields and section headers that you create in your Salesforce Field Survey object and generates phone screens that match. There are three required steps to creating your first survey:
- At least one record type - this will distinguish between your different surveys. The Sample Surveys Package (optional install in the Post-Install Configuration) has two Record types: Home Care and Disaster Relief. If your use case is different, create a new record type for your program.
- At least one editable custom field - here you'll have more than one, as these are the data points you want to collect in the field.
- At least one editable page layout section - these will show up as section headings on the phone, and will make the screen easier to read in the field.
Let's get started!
Setup > Object Manager > Field Survey
We'll head to the Field Survey Object, which is where all the magic happens in the Grassroots Mobile Survey App.
Field Survey Custom Object
Stop in and add optional features
These will insure that you have the reporting functionality and the activity and history tracking capability.
In "Details," click Edit. Add the boxes I've ticked below.
Add Fields to the first Page Layout.
These will go on all the page layouts. Then each layout can be populated with Record Type specific fields.
These are fields that all surveys need: contact name, address, phone and email. If you uploaded the optional Sample Surveys Package, they will already be populated.
Add any fields that you don't find in this list, but that you know you will need. Below are just some sample fields that might be useful.
Create all the fields you think you'll need. Keep the total number of fields LOW. A long long form is overwhelming and begs to be ignored.
Adjust the Page Layout, adding sections with Section Headers
Still in the Field Survey Object, add the section headers and organize your page layout. From the fields up above the page (greyed out means they are on the page layout, black text means they are not), you can click and drag them into the page layout. If something doesn't belong, click and drag it up and off the page. Shown here are fields from the Disaster Relief Page Layout from the Sample Package. If you haven't installed that package, you won't find these fields, but you can create them if they make sense for your use case.
Add Record Types
Record Types are NON-OVERLAPPING categories of the data in your object. Here are the record types for a health and social services organization that visits clients at home. Use a record type when you'll have different fields on the page, or where you'll want to have different values in the picklists on the page. Sometimes, you use record types to make reporting on data easier, as well.
The GRMS uses record types to create different surveys for your mobile app in the field, as you can see below. Each record type is a different survey with different fields.
Create Page Layouts for Each Record Type
Best Practice is to mirror the name of the record type where you'll assign the layout. Add "Layout" to the end of the name.
Assign Page Layouts to Record Types
Object Manager > Field Survey > Page Layouts...
- Click the Record Type at the top of the grid.
- Select the Page Layout you want to use.
Note: The Elder Visit Survey is not in the Sample Package, but you can create it if your field workers visit elders.
It is possible to create page layouts that show different data to different profiles. Your Marketing staff member might not need to see the same data as the Solution Manager or System Administrator. In that case, you'd create a "Marketing Layout" and assign that layout to the Marketing User for all record types.
Check out all the changes you've made, as you've set up your first survey.
Now that you have the fields for all surveys on all page layouts, you can create Record Type specific fields and assign them only to a specific Record Type's page layout. The Elder Visit Page Layout, for example, might need more questions about mobility issues, about social isolation, and about having prescriptions or meals delivered.
As you create new fields, you'll have the option of putting a field on one or MORE page layouts. So if you forgot to add a field to all page layouts, you have another chance as you add new fields. You can also add a field to a page layout any time by clicking Setup> [Object Name, e.g. Contact or Field Survey] > Page Layouts >Choose the page layout you need. Those fields not on the page already are in bold black in the upper box.
Test each record type and page layout, and adjust section headers, add fields, and rearrange fields until everything is simple, clean and lean.