Introducing the Datasets module: Smarter, faster forms for everyone

When building digital services, every detail matters - especially the forms your customers use daily. From applying for permits to submitting service requests, forms are often the first point of contact between citizens and councils. The new Datasets Module for Jadu Central Forms simplifies, streamlines, and enhances the user experience of designing and managing those forms.

What is the Datasets Module?

The Datasets Module enables form designers to create and manage reusable sets of key-value data (such as departments, service codes, locations, or predefined responses). These datasets can then be surfaced dynamically through form components, complete with optional typeahead search functionality for a smoother user experience.

The module enhances the usability and efficiency of forms by allowing administrators to curate and centrally manage large sets of selectable options, ideal for lookups such as departments, service codes, locations, or predefined responses.

The result? Less duplication, fewer errors, and a consistently better end-user experience.

Benefits for your organisation:

With the Datasets Module, your organisations gain:

• Centralised data management: Update key-value pairs in one place and instantly reflect changes across multiple forms.
• Improved governance: Use admin privileges to restrict editing and to ensure data integrity.
• Bulk operations made easy: Import and export datasets via CSV files, reducing manual entry time and minimising the risk of errors.
• Reusability across forms: Eliminate duplication by reusing datasets wherever they’re needed.
• Time savings: No need for repeated updates when underlying data changes - it’s all managed once, centrally.

Benefits for your customers:

Ultimately, the people filling in your forms benefit most:

• Faster form completion: Typeahead functionality helps users to quickly find what they need in long lists.
• More accurate data entry: Predefined options help to minimise mistakes compared to free-text fields.
• Consistency across services: Customers see the same options, wherever they interact.
• Mobile-friendly: A smoother, streamlined search and selection process makes forms easier to complete on the go.

Key features at a glance:

• Datasets: Multiple sets of key-value data pairs can be controlled in a single place and reused across multiple forms.
• Typeahead Component: The Datasets module delivers a new typeahead-enabled dropdown component for Jadu Central Forms, providing dynamic suggestions as users type, creating a more intuitive form-filling experience.
• Bulk import: Upload datasets via CSV files, allowing for a large amount of data to be input without manual input, and allowing exports from other systems to be leveraged.

The Datasets Module transforms the way councils and service teams design digital services. By reducing admin effort, improving governance, and making forms easier to use, it helps deliver better digital experiences while freeing up time and resources for more strategic work.

Learn more about Datasets.