Form fields and validation reference

This article describes the field types available when building a form or survey in Flexmail, and the validation filters you can apply to control what answers are accepted.

Field types

Small text field

A single-line text input for short answers, names, codes, single words or brief phrases. You can set a maximum character limit, and the contact sees a character counter as they type. Best for: name fields, company names, short answers, codes or reference numbers

Large text field

A multi-line text area for longer answers. You can set the number of visible lines and a maximum character limit. Best for: comments, feedback, descriptions, or any open-ended question where the contact needs space to write.

Drop-down list

A multiple choice question where the contact selects one answer from a dropdown menu. You define all the available options. Best for: categories, regions, product types, or any question with a fixed set of possible answers.

Radio buttons

A multiple choice question where all options are visible at once and the contact selects one. Best for: short lists where you want all options visible, Yes/No questions, satisfaction levels, preference choices

Check boxes

Allows the contact to select multiple answers from a list. Best for: topics of interest, features they use,

multiple-selection questions.

Date

Presents a date picker for the contact to select a date. The value is stored in a date-type database field. Best for: date of birth, event attendance dates, appointment preferences 

Time

The contact can enter a specific time. A table with hours and minutes will appear when the field is clicked on.

Date and time

The contact can enter a specific date and time. A calendar and a table with hours and minutes will appear when the fields are clicked on.

Disclaimer

A disclaimer field, which you can provide with a link and an accompanying checking box. Agreeing to the disclaimer may be optional or mandatory. 

Upload Files

An extra-paid field type, which enables your contacts to upload files. You can choose the possible file extensions.

Editor field

Not a question field, an HTML Editor text block you can insert between questions. Use it to add explanatory text, section headings, images, or other formatting elements between your questions to give the form better structure and context.

Validation filters

Validation filters let you enforce a specific format on text field answers in your forms and surveys. When a contact submits an answer that doesn't match the required format, they see an error message asking them to correct it. This keeps your data clean and consistent.

Where validation filters apply

Validation filters can be applied to small text field types in forms. In surveys, they work on small text fields and multiple choice fields with a text input option. For surveys, the field must be marked as required before you can add a validation filter.

Available filters

• Alphanumeric: only letters and numbers, no special characters
• Email: must contain an @ symbol and a valid domain format
• Numeric: numbers only
• Http://: must start with http:// (for website URL fields)
• VAT Number: checks for a valid VAT number format
• DD-MM-YY: date format with two-digit year
• DD-MM-YYYY: date format with four-digit year
• DD/MM/YY: date format with slashes and two-digit year
• DD/MM/YYYY: date format with slashes and four-digit year
• YYYY-MM-DD: ISO date format
• YYYY/MM/DD: ISO date format with slashes

Custom validation with regular expressions

If none of the standard filters match your needs, you can write a custom validation rule using a regular expression (regex). This is a text pattern that the answer must match. Regular expressions are powerful but technical, this option is recommended only if you're comfortable with regex syntax.

Pro tips

• Use the Email validation filter on any field where you're collecting email addresses outside of your opt-in form. This prevents typos and formatting errors before they enter your database.
• Use the Preview button after setting up each field to check how it looks and behaves before saving.
• For date fields in forms, use the Date field type rather than a text field with a date validation filter. The date picker gives a better experience and guarantees consistent formatting.

Next steps

• See 'Get started with forms' to create your first form.
• See 'Create a survey' to use these field types in a survey.
• See 'Personalise a form' to pre-fill fields with existing contact data.

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