Configure and Manage Onboarding Forms in Talent Platform

This article is your central guide to creating, building, and managing forms in Bullhorn Talent Platform. Following this workflow will help you create a seamless and efficient data collection experience for your candidates by eliminating paper copies, collecting data electronically, and syncing information with Bullhorn ATS

Common Reasons You Might Configure and Manage Forms

You need to create a new form to collect candidate information.
You want to understand the difference between Core eDocs, Client eDocs, and File Upload forms.
You need to add questions with advanced features like conditional logic to a form.
You want to test a form's user experience before sending it to candidates.
You need to add state or federal tax forms, like an I-9 Form I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. or W-4, to your library.
You need to manage existing forms by updating, disabling, or deleting them.

Step 1: Understand the Different Form Types

Before building a form, it's important to choose the right type for your needs. Talent Platform offers several options, including configurable eDocs for collecting data, forms for uploading files, quizzes for knowledge checks, and a library of ready-made state and federal documents.

Core eDocs & Client eDocs Forms: Use these for forms applicable to all candidates (Core eDocs) or for documents specific to one of your clients (Client eDocs).
Creating File Upload Forms: Use this type when you need to collect a document from a candidate, such as a driver's license, training certificates, or a voided check.
Creating Paper Sign Docs: These are for forms that require a "wet signature" from an external party, like a physician, which the candidate then uploads.
Creating Quizzes: Use quizzes to evaluate a candidate's knowledge on a specific topic, such as a safety video.
Adding Blueprints to the Form Any document that needs to be completed and signed by a Candidate Library: The Form Library contains state, federal, and other common forms maintained by Bullhorn that you can enable for your use. These forms are not customizable and are aligned to the requirements set forth by the federal and state governments.

Step 2: Create and Build Your Form

Once you know which form type you need, the next step is to build it by creating the form shell, adding custom fields, and configuring logic. This process allows for self-service flexibility for admin users.

Creating eDocs: This is the primary guide for building a new eDoc, including uploading a PDF and configuring initial settings.
Form Field Types: Learn about all available field types, from short answer and number fields to file uploads and special component fields.
Field Unique Identifiers: Each custom field requires a unique identifier. Follow these best practices to create standardized, logical names that make mapping easier. Form name initials and a very short description of the information being gathered. Ie. EEOC Gender
Conditional Logic: Configure forms to show or hide questions based on a candidate's previous answers. For this to work, you must create the parent and child fields first.
Using Component Fields in Talent Platform: Save time and ensure consistency by using pre-built groups of fields for common sections like Work History, Education, and Multi-Pay (Direct Deposit).

Create the form template and add the PDF to the form creation. Once uploaded, configure the form with a signature or an initial and save the template. This ensures that the shell of the form is created and does not time out and error.

Step 3: Place Fields on the PDF

After creating your form and its custom fields, you must place them onto the PDF template. This step determines where the candidate's answers will appear on the final, signed document.

PDF Editor: This guide explains how to use the PDF editor to drag and drop fields onto your document. Remember that blue boxes are for signatures, initials and signature dates and pink boxes are for most other data fields including the custom fields created on the forms and any default fields already built into the system.
Form Building Best Practices: Follow these tips to ensure your PDF is correctly formatted (portrait layout, legible, under 10MB, no dashes, slashes, or boxes) and that your custom fields are set up correctly

Step 4: Validate and Test Your Form

Testing is a critical final step to ensure everything works as expected and that candidates have a positive experience. You must first validate that all fields have been placed correctly and then test the end-to-end workflow as a candidate.

Validating Forms: If your form has an "Invalid Form" status, it means one or more fields you created have not been placed on the PDF. This guide shows you how to identify and fix these issues.
Testing Forms: Log in as a test candidate, answer the form's questions, and review the final populated PDF before signing. This is the best practice for confirming that all questions, conditional logic, and fields function correctly.

Step 5: Manage and Organize Your Forms

Your form needs will change over time. These guides explain how to manage your library of forms, including organizing them into packages and disabling or deleting documents that are no longer in use.

Forms and Packages: Group individual forms into a single package that can be sent to a candidate at once.
Replacing PDFs: If a form's underlying PDF needs to be updated, you can replace it without having to rebuild the entire form from scratch.
Disabling and Deleting Forms in the Form Manager: If a form may be needed again, it is best to disable it. Deleting a form is a permanent action that cannot be undone

Step 6: Understanding the Candidate Experience

After you build and test a form, it's important to understand how the candidate will interact with it in their portal. The candidate does not see the PDF at first; instead, they are presented with a series of questions. Their answers are then used to populate the fields on the final PDF document, which they review before signing.

Preliminary Details and Questions: First, the candidate confirms their personal information and then answers the questions you created one by one in a user-friendly interface. This includes text fields, drop-down menus, and file uploads.
Preview Option: Depending on your system settings, candidates may have the option to preview the blank PDF document before they begin filling out the questions.
Final Review and Signature: Once all questions are answered, the candidate clicks Finish and Sign. The system then generates the final PDF with all their answers populated in the correct fields. The candidate can review the completed document to ensure their data is correct before adding their signature

FAQs

What is the difference between a Core eDoc and a Client eDoc?

Core eDocs are for forms used universally across all clients, like a direct deposit form. Client eDocs are for forms specific to a single client, such as a confidentiality agreement.

Why does my form say "Invalid Form"?

This status message appears when you have created custom fields that have not been placed on the PDF template. Every field (unless marked "Exclude from eDoc") must be placed on the PDF for the form to be valid.

What are pink and blue boxes in the PDF Editor?

Blue boxes are used exclusively for signatures, initials, and date signed fields. Pink boxes are used for all other fields where candidate data is captured and needs to be stored in Talent Platform and/or mapped back to Bullhorn ATS.