Request Forms

Request forms are essential tools for gathering and organizing information when someone needs to ask for something — whether it’s a service, resource, approval, or support. These forms streamline the process of submitting and managing requests in a wide range of scenarios, such as equipment requests, maintenance requests, time-off requests, IT support, purchase orders, facility bookings, and more. By providing a standardized way to collect all necessary details, request forms help organizations ensure that every request is clear, trackable, and actionable, reducing miscommunication and delays.

With Jotform, users can easily create, customize, and deploy request forms tailored to their specific needs. Thanks to Jotform’s intuitive drag-and-drop Form Builder, anyone can design a professional-looking request form without any coding knowledge. Users can add fields, set up conditional logic, integrate with payment gateways, and automate notifications to streamline the entire request process. Submissions are automatically organized in Jotform Tables, making it simple to track, manage, and respond to requests efficiently. Whether you’re a business, school, nonprofit, or government agency, Jotform’s request forms help you collect and process requests with ease.

Use Cases of Request Forms

Request forms are highly versatile and can be adapted to fit a variety of organizational needs. They solve the problem of inconsistent or incomplete requests by standardizing the information collected, ensuring that every submission contains the necessary details for prompt action. Here’s how request forms can be used and customized:

1. Possible Use Cases:

• Equipment or supply requests in offices, schools, or hospitals
• Maintenance or repair requests for facilities or IT systems
• Time-off or leave requests for employees
• Purchase or procurement requests for goods and services
• Room or facility booking requests for meetings or events
• Service requests for customer support or technical assistance
• Content or creative asset requests in marketing teams

2. Problem Solving Points:

• Ensures all required information is collected upfront, reducing back-and-forth communication
• Centralizes request tracking and management for better organization
• Automates notifications and approvals to speed up response times
• Provides a clear audit trail for accountability and reporting

3. Possible Owners and Users:

• HR managers, office administrators, IT departments, facilities managers, teachers, event coordinators, and customer service teams
• Employees, students, customers, or external partners submitting requests

4. Differences of Creation Methods:

• Content and fields vary by use case: an equipment request form may include item details and justification, while a maintenance request form may require location and issue description
• Some forms may need file uploads (e.g., photos of a broken item), while others may require approval workflows or payment integration
• Conditional logic can be used to show or hide fields based on the type of request selected

In summary, request forms can be tailored to fit any scenario where structured information is needed to process a request, making them invaluable for efficient operations.

How to Create a Request Form

Creating a request form with Jotform is a straightforward process that can be customized for any scenario, from equipment requests to facility bookings. Here’s a step-by-step guide to building an effective request form that captures all the necessary information and streamlines your workflow:

1. Define Your Use Case and Requirements

• Identify the type of request you want to manage (e.g., IT support, purchase order, time-off).
• List the information you need to collect, such as requester details, description of the request, priority level, supporting documents, and approval signatures.

2. Start Building Your Form

• Log in to your Jotform account and click “Create” on your My Workspace page.
• Choose to start from scratch or select a relevant template from Jotform’s library of over 10,000 forms.
• Select your preferred layout: Classic Form (all questions on one page) or Card Form (one question per page).

3. Add and Customize Form Fields

• Use the drag-and-drop Form Builder to add essential fields:
• Name, email, and contact information
• Request type (dropdown or multiple choice)
• Detailed description or justification
• Date and time pickers (for scheduling or deadlines)
• File upload (for supporting documents or images)
• Priority or urgency level
• Use conditional logic to show or hide fields based on the request type or user responses.
• For requests that require payment (e.g., facility bookings), integrate a payment gateway like PayPal or Stripe.

4. Personalize the Form Design

• Click the Paint Roller icon to open the Form Designer.
• Adjust colors, fonts, and layout to match your organization’s branding.
• Add your logo and customize the form’s URL for a professional touch.

5. Set Up Notifications and Approvals

• In the Settings menu, configure email notifications to alert the appropriate team members when a new request is submitted.
• Set up autoresponder emails to confirm receipt to the requester.
• For multi-step approvals, use Jotform’s approval workflow features to route requests to managers or supervisors.

6. Publish and Share Your Form

• Click “Publish” to get a shareable link or embed the form on your website or intranet.
• Share the form via email, social media, or QR code to reach your intended audience.

7. Test and Manage Submissions

• Preview and test your form to ensure all fields and workflows function as intended.
• Monitor incoming requests in Jotform Tables, where you can sort, filter, and track the status of each submission.
• Use advanced search and filtering to manage large volumes of requests efficiently.

By following these steps, you can create a request form that not only collects all the necessary information but also automates and organizes your request management process, saving time and reducing errors.