Contact Fields Reference

Last updated 1 day ago

Contact fields are the building blocks of forms in Subflow. Each field type is designed to capture a specific kind of contact information. To learn how to set up validation rules, alarming answers, and conditional fields, see Build a Form.

Field types

The table below lists every contact field type available in Subflow, what it captures, and a representative healthcare example for each.

Field type

Description

Example

Single-line text

Captures a brief free-text response in a single line. Used for short inputs such as a name, a single symptom, or a numeric value.

Patient enters their primary care physician's name: "Dr. Martinez"

Multi-line text

Captures a longer free-text response across multiple lines. Used for open-ended inputs such as symptom descriptions or patient notes.

Patient describes their pain: "Persistent lower back pain for three days, worse when bending forward or sitting for long periods"

Email

Captures an email address.

Patient enters: sarah.jones@email.com

Phone Number

Captures a phone number.

Patient enters: (615) 555-xxx2

Dropdown

Presents a predefined list of options where the patient selects one from a collapsed menu.

Patient selects their preferred language: "Spanish"

Checkbox

Presents a single option the patient can check or leave unchecked. Used for standalone consent or acknowledgment items.

Patient checks: "I confirm I have read the pre-op instructions"

Multiple-checkbox

Presents a list of options where the patient can select one or more. Used for questions with multiple valid answers.

Patient selects all current symptoms: "Headache", "Nausea", "Fatigue"

Radio

Presents options as radio buttons where the patient selects exactly one. All options are visible at once as individual buttons.

Patient selects pain level: "Moderate" from the options Mild / Moderate / Severe

Date

Captures a date using a date picker.

Patient selects their surgery date: March 15, 2026

Date and time

Captures both a date and a time. Used when the exact time of an event matters.

Patient enters the time they last took medication: March 15, 2026 at 8:00 AM

Time

Captures a time of day without a date.

Patient enters the time their symptoms started: 6:30 AM

Contact

Select a contact from the list of contacts available in your organization.

Staff selects the patient's assigned nurse navigator: "Jamie Reyes"

List

Captures an open-ended set of items as a structured list. Used when a contact needs to provide multiple values that do not map to predefined options.

Patient lists current medications: "Metformin 500mg", "Lisinopril 10mg", "Atorvastatin 20mg"

Related articles

  • Forms in Subflow: Understand what forms are, how they are built from contact fields, and how submitted answers update contact records and trigger workflow paths.

  • Build a Form: Follow the step-by-step walkthrough to create a form, add fields from the shared library, set validation rules and alarming answers, and configure conditional fields that show or hide based on a patient's response.

  • View and Manage Form Submissions: Learn how to open submitted responses, read answers highlighted in red for alarming values, and understand how submission data flows back into contact records and segments.