You know what a drag and drop form builder is.

You know it makes building forms easy. But just how easy?

Sure, text inputs are no problem, but what if you need a form field component that’s tricky. Just how much easier do things get.

Which done-for-you field components in Form.io are going to buy back the most time?

Let me show you.

1. User Authentication

Deploying a text field for email addresses and passwords is fairly simple, if when I mean simple, they only look like they’re supposed to.

But that’s not how they work. The truth is, authentication fields are the most painful.

Authentication needs to be secure. Entire accounts are oriented around the email address or username. They have to be unique. They need to be masked. The list goes on.

In fact, it’s so common, and so painful, that whenever you create a new project in Form.io, the user authentication fields are already created and their basics are configured. Even in our open source offering, they’re there.

And a lot of the times, organizations already have a database with user authentication data. We know that. We make it easy to integrate with that so you’re not recreating user databases.

2. The Date/Time Picker

You have to expect this one, because they are everywhere.

In fact, if you see a label on a web page that says Date, you already expect some little popup to appear with a calendar. But what if you didn’t?

WHAT? I KNOW!

The fact is, that little feature is complex with a lot of moving parts. So the interface needs to be intuitive. And thankfully, most date/time pickers have matured into the following:

But how is the data stored?

One of the most common issues with manual date and time entries is the inconsistency in formats. Some users might enter “3rd October 2023” while others might input “10/03/2023”.

The real OGs always opt for YYYY-MM-DD so that everything is always chronological.

Few.

But regardless, using the Date / Time Picker component ensures that all data is collected in a consistent and standardized format, making data processing and analysis much smoother.

3. Drag And Drop File Uploads

I almost listed this one before the date/time picker, but I didn’t.

Why?

Because the date picker is just more common—more necessary.

But when it comes to outright pain, drag and drop file uploads would be at the top. It’s just that date pickers seem to be a bit more common that file uploads.

A standard file uploader is actually not too difficult. The HTML is simple, but the drag and drop aspect adds a whole new dimension.

And let’s be honest. You and I know there are a lot of users who will get lost navigating their file system. Drag and drop file uploaders mitigate that frustration, especially for these types:

The drag and drop mechanism is straightforward and intuitive, even for non-tech-savvy users. It reduces the number of clicks and navigation steps, making the upload process faster and more efficient.

Plus they get visual feedback that the file is, well, there.

And setting file size limits and file types is a breeze in Form.io when all you have to do is edit a few fields.

4. Signatures

Look.

We know about the third-party providers that have built ENTIRE BUSINESSES around this one field component.

But not all organizations have the luxury of using a third-party service. They don’t always make it easy to let you also store that signature data in your app and environment.

OR, it may even be a liability. Your requirements might mean keeping everything in-house. If that’s the case, you need a signature component.

It’s done for you:

That’s supposed to say Form.io Wizard. I know, my cursive is rusty. I’m sorry.

5. Data Grid

Do you need a miniature spreadsheet as the interface to enter data?

Yes, I know that’s a pretty narrow use-case, but what if you did?

Think of it this way: instead of having users fill out multiple individual fields or submit multiple forms, the Data Grid consolidates all the related data into one structured component, making data collection more organized and efficient.

And what if the number of rows needs to be flexible?

This dynamic interaction ensures that users only provide the exact amount of data required, without any redundant or unnecessary fields.

You might be thinking, “sure, but when might this be needed?”

Inventory lists, invoice items, guest lists for events, etc. Its versatility makes it a valuable component for various industries and use cases.

Yes it’s rare, but in the cases its needed, it’s days of work eliminated if you were to build it from scratch.

The Biggest Bang For Your Buck

Or time. However you want to look at it.

There’s really no reason to reinvent the wheel on any of these, especially when you can skin them with whatever CSS you want so they fit your style.