Multi-Step Wizard Forms in SharePoint

Wizards have revolutionized form filling by breaking complex forms into manageable steps. Instead of facing a single lengthy form, users complete sections one at a time. This helps make data entry faster and less overwhelming. When working with SharePoint lists, a wizard-style form provides this same clarity and simplicity. Infowise Ultimate Forms' Forms component introduces built‑in wizard mode. It allows organizations to transform long list forms into guided, step‑by‑step interactions. This article explores how wizard mode works, its key benefits, real-world use cases. It demonstrates how Ultimate Forms enables powerful conditional logic, tab security, and session persistence. And the best part - all without writing a single line of code.

Why Use a Wizard Format?

Traditional SharePoint forms display all columns at once. When lists grow to dozens of columns, users can feel lost. Wizard mode changes that dynamic:

• Better user experience: Users only see one section at a time.
• Logical flow: Steps can be arranged to mimic real-world processes.
• Fewer errors: Users focus on one topic before moving to the next.
• Can be paused and resumed: No need to finish in one session.
• Conditional pathing: Steps can branch based on user choices.

With Ultimate Forms wizard mode, you gain all these benefits inside a tool that runs natively in SharePoint.

How Wizard Mode Works in Ultimate Forms

Wizard mode is part of Ultimate Forms's tabbed form control. Here's how it works:

1. Admins divide columns into tabs representing logical steps/screens.
2. Enable "Show tab navigation buttons" in the Tabs control properties.
3. Enable "Use only buttons" in the Tabs control properties. It forces users to switch tabs using Previous/Next buttons only. Tab headers will not longer be clickable.
4. When users create a new item, only Tab 1 is shown with Next, Previous, and Save buttons.
5. Clicking Next moves to the next tab.
6. Clicking Previous returns to earlier steps.
7. Clicking Save saves and exits the wizard.

This guided flow helps users complete forms in logical segments. 

Session Persistence

You can also use dynamic rules to take the user directly to the tab where they left off. It allows the process to be paused in the middle, while saving the information collected so far.

For example, suppose your wizard has four steps:

• Step 1 – Basic info
• Step 2 – Additional details
• Step 3 – Attachments or supplemental data
• Step 4 – Final review

You can create a hidden status column. You will set that column value using dynamic rules, based on what values are entered on the tabs. A user can choose to save the form before completing the wizard. You can then use dynamic rules to take the user directly to their last tab by applying a dynamic rule based on the status column value.

Building Conditional Wizard Paths with Rules

Wizard-style forms become even more dynamic when combined with conditional tab logic. Infowise Ultimate Forms includes powerful permissions and rules that let you control visibility of tabs or columns based on column values.

Imagine this real-world scenario:

• Step 1: Choose claim type from “Car” or “House.”
• If “Car” is selected, Step 2 shows car damage columns; if “House,” Step 2 shows details about property damage.
• Step 3 only appears under certain conditions, e.g., when additional items are attached.

Behind the scenes, administrators use permission rules on tabs to show/hide sections, based on the content of earlier selections. This keeps the form focused and uncluttered, enhancing user accuracy.

Implementing Wizard Mode Step-by-Step

Let’s walk through how to set up wizard mode:

1. Create your SharePoint list: Use existing lists or create a new custom list.
2. Add columns: Include all columns needed for your process (e.g., sections, attachments, decision columns).
3. Open Ultimate Forms settings: In the list toolbar, click “Design” to launch the Infowise Ultimate Forms, then switch to Form Designer.
4. Create tabs: Drag tabs onto the design canvas, define the tabs you need and assign relevant columns.
5. Enable Wizard Mode: in the Tabs control property check both "Show tab navigation buttons" and "Use only buttons". You can specify in what form types you want to force navigation by buttons only.
6. Set conditional visibility: Select each tab by clicking on its header and then on the gear icon next to it. Establish rules so that tabs only appear when certain conditions are met.
7. Publish the form: Users can now experience form navigation as steps.

Real-World Use Cases

Insurance Claim Submission

A multi-step insurance claim system can streamline data collection:

• Step 1: Claimant and policy details
• Step 2: Claim type - auto or homeowner
• Step 3: Relevant claim columns (e.g., vehicle details or property info)
• Step 4: Upload documents: police report, estimates, receipts
• Step 5: Review and submit

Ultimate Forms ensures that users only see related columns and can pause/resume without losing work.

Onboarding New Employees

HR onboarding often requires collecting personal data, compliance info, IT setup requests, and training acknowledgements. With wizard mode:

• Step 1 – Identity & role info
• Step 2 – Tax and compliance forms
• Step 3 – Computer and access needs
• Step 4 – Training modules and signatures

Admins can hide salary-related columns from non-admin users and pause/resume capabilities help employees finish over several sessions.

IT Service Request

IT departments can collect requests in stages:

• Step 1: Select request type (hardware/software)
• Step 2: Provide problem details and attachments
• Step 3: Schedule information (date, time)
• Step 4: Admin review and approval

Wizard mode ensures that columns are relevant to request type, while session saving allows users to return to partially completed forms.

Advantages of Wizard Mode

• Improved user adoption: Guided steps make form-filling less intimidating.
• Error reduction: Users are less likely to skip required columns.
• Conditional logic: Different users see tailored questions based on earlier options.
• Session persistence: Work can be paused and resumed.
• No code needed: Ultimate Forms handles everything within the browser.
• Improved data quality: Each step can have its own validations.
• Enhanced security: Use advanced column permissions to limit data access.

Extending What Wizard Mode Can Do

Column-Level Permissions

Beyond tab visibility, Ultimate Forms supports column permissions. You can make columns editable or read‑only based on roles or column values. For instance, restrict salary columns to HR managers only.

Data Validation

Ultimate Forms allows sophisticated validation rules. Each wizard step can verify data integrity before the user moves forward, ensuring higher-quality submissions.

Alerts and Actions

Combine wizard mode with other Ultimate Forms features. For example, once Step 3 is completed, an Alert can send an email to the next approver. Or use an Action to copy data or create tasks automatically.

Persistent Multi-Stage Workflows

Wizard mode supports workflows broken into logical stages. Add signature columns in later steps, lock earlier tabs, and trigger alerts and task creation. The result is a tailored, secure process embedded in SharePoint.

Getting Started with Ultimate Forms

The Forms component is part of the larger Infowise Ultimate Forms suite - a no-code platform for building SharePoint applications with tabs, rules, permissions, alerts, charts, and more.

• Install Ultimate Forms on-premise or in SharePoint Online.
• Open a list, click Design to launch Ultimate Forms, then click on Form Designer.
• Create tabs and assign columns logically.
• Enable buttons and force button navigation.
• Configure permissions, validations, and alerts per step.
• Publish and enjoy a robust, guided data entry experience.

To dive deeper, check out the Ultimate Forms documentation and tutorials available at Infowise website. You will find videos, step‑by‑step guides, and sample processes that demonstrate wizard setup in detail.

Conclusion

Infowise Ultimate Forms’s wizard mode brings guided multi‑step forms into SharePoint with elegance and precision. By breaking forms into manageable segments, securing visibility based on logic, and preserving session state, it transforms user experience and data quality - without developers or custom code. When combined with Infowise’s broader toolkit - validation, alerts, permissions - it becomes the backbone of modern SharePoint processes.

If your organization struggles with long forms or needs structured workflows for tasks, claims, or approvals, Infowise Ultimate Forms and Ultimate Forms provide a powerful, no-code answer. Try it today with a free trial and step into a simpler, smarter way to build SharePoint forms.