Read this guide to reveal the customization power of complex fields for your ONLYOFFICE forms. Learn how to add and use this field type in forms properly.

What is a complex field in ONLYOFFICE? | #site_title&nbsp;

Complex fields emerged in ONLYOFFICE Docs since version 7.2. This guide will demystify this field type and cover a couple of examples how to use it in your fillable forms.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-39143 size-full aligncenter" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/what-are-complex-fields.jpg" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="736" height="371" /> 

<h2>What is a complex field?</h2>
In simple terms, it’s a customizable field that can contain text and other fields – text boxes, dropdown lists, checkboxes, radio buttons. We introduced this option to allow creating unique field presets that can be tailored for virtually any task.
As a result, filling out forms becomes easier and faster.
<h2>How to use complex fields?</h2>
Because customization is at the cornerstone of this field type, use cases are unlimited and depend on your creativity. Here are just a couple of examples.
<h3>1. Collect contact information</h3>
Imagine you have a custom form in your company, where the staff should enter their emails. You also have a corporate mail domain.
In ONLYOFFICE forms, you can add an email field, and employees will type in the entire address:
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="img-popup wp-image-39155" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/email-field-1.png" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="736" height="371" />
Besides, typos may occur, and you will not reach out to a person when needed.
A better way for this case would be a complex field with the following elements:
<ul>
<li>Text box for username</li>
<li>Non-editable text with your corporate mail domain</li>
</ul>
Now people only enter their username. The part after ‘@’ remains the same for everyone.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="img-popup wp-image-39155" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/complex-email-1.png" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="736" height="371" />
This way, you can facilitate data entry for other contact info as well. These are examples for social media accounts – applicants need to input their usernames instead of the whole address.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="img-popup wp-image-39155" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/social-media.png" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="736" height="371" />
Website URLs always start with the same symbols. This complex field below consists of:
<ul>
<li>Non-editable text for ‘https://www.’</li>
<li>Text box for the domain name</li>
</ul>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="img-popup wp-image-39155" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/website.png" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="736" height="371" />
<h3>2. Collect phone numbers from the desired countries</h3>
Suppose you want to have phone numbers of applicants in certain regions only. For example, the Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia).
The excellent way to do that will be a complex field with:
<ul>
<li>Dropdown list for the county calling codes (+370, +371, +372)</li>
<li>Phone number field for digits</li>
</ul>
Now it’s impossible to add phone numbers based in other regions.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="img-popup wp-image-39155" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/phone.png" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="736" height="371" />
<h3>How to insert and configure a complex field?</h3>
To use a complex field in your form, go to Forms and click the <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-16265 alignnone" style="margin: 0;" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/complex-field-icon.jpg" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="30" height="30" /> icon.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="img-popup wp-image-39155" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/where-to-find-complex-field.png" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="736" height="371" />
<h2>How to customize a complex field?</h2>
All basic configurations for other fields are also available for complex ones. You can group several complex fields with a key, change a placeholder, apply border and background colors, make a field obligatory etc.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="img-popup wp-image-39155 aligncenter" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/settings.png" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="300" height="250" />
By adding a text box, you can power up a complex field with new configurations, namely Format and Allowed Symbols.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="img-popup wp-image-39155 aligncenter" src="https://static-blog.onlyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/textbox.png" alt="What is a complex field and how to use it?" width="300" height="250" />
Format allows these user-defined symbols in a complex field:
<ul>
<li>Digits</li>
<li>Letters</li>
<li>Arbitrary Mask for entering characters that match a custom layout (e.g., “N-*****”, in case a field must contain an N letter, dash, and any five digits)</li>
<li>Regular Expression to define a character set (e.g., to make content case-sensitive — “EXAMPLE” instead of “Example”)</li>
</ul>
To restrict the input by certain characters, enter them in Allowed Symbols without spacing and commas.
Refer to our Help Center to learn more about <a href="https://helpcenter.onlyoffice.com/ONLYOFFICE-Editors/ONLYOFFICE-Document-Editor/UsageInstructions/CreateFillableForms.aspx?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=complex_field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">field types and configurations in ONLYOFFICE forms</a>.
Check a complex field and its capabilities online or without Internet on Windows, Mac, and Linux:
<a class="red button" style="margin: 45px; width: 140px;" href="http://www.onlyoffice.com/registration.aspx?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=complex_field" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CLOUD VERSION</a> <a class="red button" style="margin: 45px; width: 140px;" href="https://www.onlyoffice.com/download-desktop.aspx?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=complex_field" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DESKTOP APP</a>
<div class="useful-links">
<h3>Useful links</h3>
<a href="https://www.onlyoffice.com/download-docs.aspx?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=complex_field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ONLYOFFICE Docs</a> / <a href="https://www.onlyoffice.com/download-desktop.aspx?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=complex_field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Desktop Editors</a> / <a href="https://personal.onlyoffice.com/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=complex_field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Personal</a>
<a href="https://oforms.onlyoffice.com/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=complex_field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Free OFORM templates</a>
<a href="http://www.onlyoffice.com/blog/2022/09/onlyoffice-docs-7-2/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=complex_field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ONLYOFFICE Docs v7.2 — what&#8217;s new?</a>
</div>

What is a complex field and how to use it?

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