Rich Text Editor

This article explains the features of the Rich Text Editor block and how it can be used to design your app.

Use Cases

• Formatting Notes: Add formatted text with styles such as bold, italics, and underlines or add hyperlinks to redirect to other websites.
• Highlighting Important Information: Emphasize key details with different font styles and alignments.
• Custom Text Input: Allow users to enter formatted content in a structured manner.

Editing the Block

Click on the Rich Text Editor block and start editing on the panel that appears on the right side.

Label

The label is the name of the block that the end user sees in the app. Example: "Important Notes" or "Additional Comments"

Description

The description is the additional information provided to the end user, displayed below the input area. You can also leave this blank if not necessary. Example: "Enter any additional comments with formatting options."

Placeholder Text

This text appears inside the Rich Text Editor block before the user enters any data. It helps provide guidance on what to enter. Example: "Type your notes here..."

Required

Enable this option if you want the user to compulsorily input data. If enabled, the end user must enter data in this field before submission.

Advanced Options

Display this field if

Use this option to show or hide the field under specific conditions. It accepts the standard Clappia formulae, similar to conditional sections or in the ‘Calculations & Logic’ block.

1. Type @ to get a list of all the fields you have added in the app and select the relevant field or type @ followed by the field name.

2. Use these field variables to write spreadsheet-like formulae for conditional display of the field in the app.

Retain value if hidden

This option appears once a condition is set in the Display this field if option. Enable this setting if you want the field's value to be retained even when the field is hidden. This is useful for preserving user input in cases where the field may temporarily disappear based on conditions.

Example: If the field is hidden based on user selection but you still need to keep the entered value for future reference or calculations, enable this option to ensure the data is retained.

Advanced Label

The Advanced Label option allows you to change the label of a field dynamically based on a condition you define. Instead of always showing the same fixed label under the ‘Basic’ tab, the field can display different labels depending on requirements of the form. Use spreadsheet-like functions such as IF, AND, OR, etc. and make use of other field variables to set your conditions. Type @ and select the field.

This is useful when the meaning of a field changes based on context, business logic, or user choices.

For example:
You have a dropdown field Report Type with “Daily Report” and “Monthly Report”.
Your Rich Text field should display a different label depending on the report type.

So:
– For Daily Report, the label should be “Daily Summary”
– For Monthly Report, the label should be “Monthly Summary”

Formula:

IF({report_type} = "Daily Report", "Daily Summary", "Monthly Summary")

This allows the same field to adapt its displayed purpose without needing multiple separate fields.

Advanced Description

The Advanced Description option works exactly like Advanced Label, but it changes the description text instead. This is useful when guidance or instructions for a field need to change depending on earlier answers.

For example, using the same scenario from Advanced Label:
If you have a dropdown called Report Type with options like “Brief Report” and “Detailed Report”, you may want the description of your Rich Text field to guide the user differently depending on what they selected.

So:
– If the user selects Brief Report, the description could say: “Provide a short summary highlighting key points.”
– If the user selects Detailed Report, the description could say: “Provide a comprehensive report with supporting data and observations.”

Formula:

IF({report_type} = "Brief Report", "Provide a short summary highlighting key points.", "Provide a comprehensive report with supporting data and observations.")


This helps users understand what is required from them without showing unnecessarily long or irrelevant instructions.

Important Notes (applies to both Advanced Label and Advanced Description)

1. Variables do not change
When a field is created, its variable name is derived from the label you set in the Basic tab. That variable name is what you must use in formulas, workflows, and other logic. The visible label or description shown by Advanced Label / Advanced Description does not change the variable name.

2. Submissions tab: table view vs right panel
In the Submissions area, the table view always displays the labels from the Basic tab. When you open an individual submission, the right panel shows the labels and descriptions as they appear in the form (i.e., the Advanced Label and Advanced Description applied for that submission). This keeps the submission list consistent while letting reviewers see the context-aware labels and descriptions when viewing a record.

3. Bulk Edit shows Basic tab labels and descriptions
When you need to Bulk Edit submissions, the spreadsheet you download shows the labels and descriptions from the Basic tab only. Advanced Label and Advanced Description are not applied in Bulk Edit, so keep that in mind when preparing bulk updates.

4. Some fields cannot be used inside Advanced Label/Description formulas
Certain block types do not expose a variable that can be referenced in Advanced Label or Advanced Description. If a block does not expose a variable, you cannot use it inside the formula.

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Allow value to be changed after initial submission

This option is enabled by default. When active, end users can edit the value entered in this field after creating a submission. Disable this option if you want the initial value to remain uneditable once submitted.

Example: A new submission has been created in an app where users submit formatted notes. If this option is disabled, users will not be able to edit their submitted notes after submission.

Block Width

Desktop View: Set the width of the Rich Text Editor block in the desktop view. Options are 100%, 75%, 50%, or 25%.

Mobile View: Set the width of the Rich Text Editor block in the mobile view. Options are 100% or 50%.

Variable Name

This is the unique identifier for the Rich Text Editor field, which can be used in formulas or references within the app. This appears automatically after saving your configuration of the Rich Text Editor block.

Using the Block in App Home

Users can enter and format text directly in the Rich Text Editor. It supports formatting options such as bold, italics, underlining, alignment, font styles, and colours.

When users submit their entries, the data will appear in HTML format in the Submissions Table. However, when viewing a specific submission, the formatted text is displayed correctly in the right panel.

Downloading Submissions

If submissions are downloaded as an Excel or CSV file, the input from the Rich Text Editor will appear in HTML format instead of the visually formatted text. This is important to note when reviewing downloaded data.

Using the Rich Text Editor in Print Settings

Users can include formatted text in PDF exports using Print Settings.

When setting up a print template, type @ followed by the Rich Text Editor field name to pull the formatted text exactly as entered. This ensures that the text appears with the same formatting in the exported PDF, rather than in HTML format.