Overview
Forms vs. reports: A form defines an inspection's fields and its PDF output. A report is a single completed inspection an inspector fills out from a form. You build forms in the Form Builder; inspectors then create reports from them.
The Form Builder suite lets you build and customize your organization's inspection forms and the PDF outputs they generate — end to end, without contacting SwiftComply. The suite includes:
Input Builder — define the digital form: fields, pages, and validation.
PDF Builder — design the PDF output with full control over layout, styling, and data placement, with a live preview.
HTML/CSS editor (Code mode) — for power users who want pixel-accurate layouts using code.
Version history — track, label, compare, and restore saved versions.
PDF upload — upload an existing PDF form and generate both the digital form and a matching PDF output automatically.
Existing forms and PDF outputs continue to work unchanged — the builder is fully backwards-compatible.
⚠️ The Input Builder and PDF Builder don't sync automatically. Any change you make to a form's input fields should also be made in its PDF output. PDF elements reference each input field by its key, so when you rename a field's key, remove a field, or add one, update the matching references in the PDF Builder to use the same keys. See Designing PDF Outputs with the PDF Builder.
Who has access
Form Builder access is permission-controlled:
Only Instance Admins can view and edit forms.
Forms are scoped to your organization.
Contact your SwiftComply representative if your organization would like access enabled.
Requirements
A screen width of at least 1024px (the builder is designed for desktop use).
A current version of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge.
The Input Builder
The Input Builder is where you define the digital form your inspectors fill out — the fields, how they're organized, and how they behave. It's the starting point for every form; the PDF Builder then controls how the completed report renders as a PDF.
In the Input Builder you can:
Add fields — text, date, time, dropdown/select, checkbox (yes/no), signature, GPS coordinates, photo/image, and multi-value fields.
Organize with sections (groups) — group related fields together and split the form across multiple pages.
Set prepopulation — auto-fill fields from site data, user data, weather data, instance data, or a previous report, so inspectors start with the values the system already knows.
Add composite fields — built-in elements that connect the report to other parts of SwiftComply, such as deficiency logging, BMP implementation, enforcement actions, and monitoring data.
Configure validation — control which fields are required and how values must be entered.
For a full walkthrough of building a form — the component palette, standard vs. composite fields, settings, layout, and versioning — see Building Forms with the Input Builder.
Opening the Form Builder and PDF Builder
Open the form you want to work on in the Form Builder.
To design its PDF output, switch to the PDF Builder view. The PDF Builder loads inside the Form Builder and pulls in the form's existing template, styles, and a sample report record, so the canvas renders against real data.
The top tab bar opens on Edit by default. Its views include:
Edit — the visual editor canvas.
Preview — the full rendered PDF preview, exactly as the generated PDF will appear.
Code — side-by-side HTML and CSS editors for power users.
Report Data — the sample data record used for previews.
The Edit view at a glance
The left sidebar has four tabs: Components (searchable grid of draggable elements — Heading, Text, Image, Table, Link, Checkbox, Signature, Container, and more), Data (report-data fields for this form), Settings (page size, orientation, margins), and Layout (the document tree).
The center canvas shows the rendered template with a millimeter ruler, zoom controls, Undo / Redo, and a Shortcuts button. Page breaks appear as dashed red lines labeled "Page 1," "Page 2," and so on.
An empty template shows a dashed drop zone prompting you to drag in a component.
The save indicator shows the current state (Saved, Unsaved, Saving); changes save automatically after a short pause.
Where to go next
Navigating the Form Builder Homepage and Creating Forms — finding forms and the three ways to create one.
Building Forms with the Input Builder — components, fields, layout, and versioning.
Attaching Site Profiles to Forms — making a form available at your sites.
Designing PDF Outputs with the PDF Builder — building and styling your PDF layout.
Editing Templates with HTML & CSS (Code Mode) — working in code.
Using Template Version History — saving, comparing, and restoring versions.
Creating a Form and PDF Output from a PDF Upload — starting from an existing PDF form.
FAQ
Q: Will my existing forms and reports change?
A: No. The Form Builder is additive and backwards-compatible. Existing forms and published PDFs continue to work exactly as before.
Q: Do I need to know how to code?
A: No. The drag-and-drop editor covers most layouts. The Code mode is optional, for users who want exact control with HTML/CSS.