What is Kuali Build?
Kuali Build is a code-free platform that can assist departments and units with creating applications or electronic forms to replace current paper, PDF forms, etc. With business process management functionality designed into the system, it is a simple way of taking old paper or PDF forms into a digital space, creating an accessible, secure, policy compliant, and mobile-ready application or form.
Who can use Kuali Build?
All University of Missouri-St. Louis faculty and staff can use the platform. Please note that training is required before gaining access to the Kuali application.
What can you do with Kuali Build?
Kuali Build creates efficiencies and streamlines workflow processes with easy-to-use features, including the ability to launch apps in minutes, workflow builder, workflow status reporting, route and manage document approvals, signatures, campus system integrations, and more. Visit Kuali's Best-in-Class Features website for a detailed list of the features that enable you to build, manage, and customize forms with Kuali.
How to access the training?
Training dates for upcoming sessions will be announced soon.
For assistance, questions, or issues with using Kuali Build, contact kualibuild@umsl.edu
To learn more about Kuali Build, visit Kuali Build Resource Library.
For illustrations and examples, see the drop-down lists below.
Additional Resoucres:
Kuali Build Knowledge Base will give additional information on kuali basics, training videos, app information, form information, gadgets, workflows, and more.
Kuali Dashboard
Create an App
1. In your Dashboard view, Click + New App icon.
2. A pop-up window will appear that will allow you to name the app and select an icon and color for the app. The icon and color selection will appear on the dashboard moving forward.
3. Click Create. This will bring you to the app's Form Builder page, and you are ready to design your Form (see the Planning and Designing a Form article).
Inside the App
How to Create the Apps Sections
1. After Creating a New App, the Form Builder will appear with 3 panels.
2. The first thing you will want to add to your form is a Section. Select a Section from the list of gadgets and drag it into the middle panel.
In a Kuali Build form sections act like containers for questions and help you organize your form. You will want to ensure that your gadgets appear inside a section so that they're visible to the user.
3. For all Form Gadgets, including Sections, click into the Gadget Label/Question box in the configuration panel. Type a label for this gadget that will appear on the form. (Although Form Builder Gadgets perform different functions, their initial settings are the same.)
In this screenshot example, I typed "Travel Request Documentation" as the Gadget Label/Question.
4. Once you have added your section, select a Gadget, and drag it to the desired location in the Middle Panel. Make sure your gadget is placed within a section!
In this screenshot example, the Read-Only Text gadget has been selected.
5. Continue to add items by dragging and dropping the gadgets into the center panel. Make sure they appear in a Section! The form saves automatically as you go, so no need to worry about saving anything.
6. Preview your form by moving the toggle switch just above the middle panel from Design to Preview. Once in Preview mode you will be able to see the form as your submitters will see it. You can also test your fields by beginning to fill out the form to ensure you have the right configurations and gadgets in place.
7. Once the form is complete, click Workflow in the upper right-hand corner to get to the Workflow Builder or click Publish to publish and share the form.
Inside the App - Workflow Tab
How do I create a new workflow?
Workflow is an important part of every app. A Workflow determines what happens to a document once a form is filled out, including what approvals need to occur and any notifications that should be generated.
You can configure a Workflow by navigating to the Workflow Builder from the top right side of the app tool bar.
What steps can be added to a Workflow?
How Do I Add Steps to a Workflow?
How Do I Edit a Step?
How Do I Remove a Step?
How do I undo a previous command?
It is now possible in the Workflow Builder to easily undo a previous command without having to start over. To undo your previous action, you have 2 options:
Click the Undo button on the left side of the screen just under the list of workflow steps.How Do I Redo a Previous Command?
It is also possible to reverse the effect of your previous Undo command. To redo your previous action, you have 2 options:
How Do I Copy and Paste a Step in Workflow?
Often as you're creating steps in a Workflow, you may find a need to copy a Workflow step and make minor modifications to the copied step. This is possible in Build! You will find the instructions for doing this below.
Note: This also works between apps as well! In order to copy a Workflow step from one app to another, open a separate tab or window in the same browser, and you will be able to copy steps between two different apps.
Until you publish your app and as long as the yellow Draft flag is visible at the top left of the screen within the app:
Any changes you have made to your app will not be visible to submitters.
To publish your app click on the Publish button at the top right of the page
If this is your first time publishing, more than likely you won't have any errors to correct, and you will see a screen similar to the picture below.
Please note, you have the option to select 'Show saved drafts in Document List' only on the first publish of an app. This allows app admins to view documents started in the app but not yet submitted and the end user will receive a prompt on their initial save informing them that admins can see their drafts. After this first publish you can no longer change this setting to enable or disable the view of unsubmitted drafts.
Also, please refer to the How and Where to Test Your App Before Going Live article for some guidance and best practices when deploying an app.
If you have previously published your app and are making changes to it, the Publish page will display a summary of changes you have made to this draft, and it will show any errors that need to be corrected.
Until all errors are resolved, you will be unable to publish your app.
Please note, any form/workflow changes that are published for an app will only be applied to new documents going forward and any draft documents that had never been submitted. For draft documents, users will get the below prompt to update their form the next time they enter the document. Please be aware that fields removed from the form will then be removed from the document when applied.
If the document had already been submitted at any time prior to these changes being published (even if the document was returned) it will not update to the new form/workflow but remain on the published version it was originally associated.
Even though you have published your app from the publish page, your form may still not be visible to your users. To ensure your users can see your form, make sure you take the following actions:
Once those three things are done, your users can begin submitting forms.
Once you have published your app and are ready to share the form with your team, you can share directly from the Publish screen or from the Form Builder. (Note: The locations for accessing the Share Form links have changed.)
To share from the Publish screen, click Share Form.
To share from the Form Builder, click Share Form on the right side of the page below the Publish button.
From the lightbox that appears you will have access to 2 shareable links.
The Document List is a repository of all the documents created and submitted from an app. A form when filled out and submitted is now a document filled with data and is ready to manage.
Send us an email at kualibuild@umsl.edu.
