Creating Forms

There are three ways to create a form, depending on whether you already have the database it should write to.

Method 1: From an Existing Database (Recommended)

Use this when the database you want responses to land in already exists.

1. Open the database in Ascend.
2. Click the Forms tab in the database header.
3. Click + New form.
4. Name the form (e.g. "Contact request", "Job application").
5. Choose your starting point:
   • Copy all properties as fields — auto-maps every editable column to a form field. System columns (Created Time, Created By, etc.) are skipped automatically.
   • Blank form — starts empty. You add fields manually with the slash menu.
6. Click Create form.

You're dropped straight into the form designer.

Why "Copy properties" is the fast path

If your database already has the right columns, auto-map gives you a working form in two clicks. You can still rename labels, mark fields required, or delete fields you don't want to ask about — none of that touches the database.

Method 2: From /forms (Top-Level Sidebar)

Use this for forms that aren't tied to one specific database, or to see all your forms in one place.

1. Click Forms in the left sidebar.
2. Click + New form in the top-right.
3. The same dialog opens — choose a database to bind to, or pick a template.

Method 3: From a Template

Templates ship a pre-built backing database and the matching form fields, so the whole thing is wired up in one click.

1. From /forms, click + New form.
2. Switch to the Templates tab.
3. Pick a template (Contact form, Event RSVP, Job application, Customer feedback, etc.).
4. Click Use this template.

A new database is created in your active workspace, the form is created bound to it, and you're taken to the designer.

What Happens Under the Hood

When a form is created, Ascend:

1. Generates a globally-unique 8-character slug (e.g. xK7mQ2nP) for the public URL /f/{slug}.
2. Sets status = draft — the form is not yet public. The /f/{slug} URL returns 404 until you publish.
3. Snapshots fieldOrder and fieldConfig from your starting point (auto-mapped properties, template fields, or empty).
4. Sets publishedSnapshot = null — there's nothing to serve to respondents until first publish.

Slugs are random for a reason

Form slugs are random base62 codes, not derived from the title. This means competitors can't guess your URLs by typing /f/quarterly-survey. Treat the slug as semi-secret — anyone who has it can submit (unless you've closed the form).

Renaming, Moving, Deleting

Action	Where
Rename	Click the title in the designer header
Change icon	Click the icon next to the title
Move to a different workspace	Form designer → Settings → Workspace
Delete	/forms list → row menu → Delete (the backing database is not deleted)

Deleting a form drops the form record, all share links to its designer, and any per-user "last seen" tracking. The backing database, its rows, and any submissions already saved are kept.

Next

• Field Types — All the field types you can drop into a form
• Content & Layout — Mix in headings, dividers, and page breaks