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Custom Nomination Fields

This guide covers how you can create custom nomination fields to obtain certain information from your candidates when they submit their nominations, for example if you need them to answer a specific question regarding the role that they are applying for.

Custom nomination fields cam be created within the Configuration tab and selected when you are creating your elections.

Please note: You will need to ensure that your web templates are adjusted to account for the addition of any custom nominations fields to ensure they pull through to your nominations page. External developer guidance is available via GitHub.

If you do not have a web developer, or require any assistance in relation to this, please get in touch via ZenDesk.

  1. Navigate to the ‘Configuration’ tab within the Elections module
  2. Select the ‘Nomination Fields’ tab found under ‘Management’
  3. Click ‘Create Field’ and complete the following details:
    1. Name – name for the field which will appear when a member is completing their nomination form
    2. Shortcode – this will be a unique code that is required to implement the custom field within your web templates
    3. Description – input any description/help text that you would like to display alongside this field during nominations; hyperlinks can be included if required.

Please note: The standard fields previously available within the elections module (e.g. manifesto, photo, blurb) have been retained as custom fields for selection to ensure our users retain access to these options.

Once you have completed the above details, you will the need to select the ‘Method’ (field type) that is required, such as text, upload etc...

Depending on the method (field type) selected, they will have their own additional options. For example, if you are creating a text field, you will be able to enter a max character limit if you need.

Each of the methods (field types) available and their options are listed below:

Method – Text

  1. Type:
    1. Input – to input a small amount of text, i.e. an email address
    2. Text Area – to input a larger amount of text i.e. to input a manifesto
  2. Max Words – set a restriction on how many words can be inputted
  3. Max Characters – set a restriction on how many characters can be inputted

Method – Select

  1. Options:
    1. Create options as needed within the ‘Options’ text box. Simply type in the option and select ‘Enter’ on your keyboard to create the selection
    2. These will then appear within a dropdown format for members to select from when completing their nomination

Method – Upload

  1. Max Size – enter the maximum kb when uploading a file/image (the maximum kb that can be set is 5,120 kb)
  2. Allow Images – select if you would like to allow the upload of images
  3. Enable Crop – if you have allowed images, select if you would like to enable students to crop their images upon submission
  4. Size Type:
    1. Set Size – select if you would like to determine a set height and width for any images uploaded
    2. Max Size – select if you would like to set a maximum height and width for any images uploaded
  5. Height – enter the set/max height where an image is uploaded
  6. Width - enter the set/max width where an image is uploaded

Method – Checkbox

  1. Select the ‘Checkbox’ method in order to create a checkbox field
  2. No further configuration will be required, as the name and description will act as the title of your checkbox, i.e. “Do you want us to print your Manifesto?"

Please see below for reference HTML to be utilised to implement the ‘Checkbox’ method on your website upon release:

{if field_method == "CHECKBOX"}

    <div class="form-group">
        <label class="g-mb-10">
            {field_title}
        {field_description}

            {if field_required AND field_complete == 0}
                <i class="fa fa-times g-ml-5" aria-hidden="true" style="color:red"></i>
            {if:elseif field_complete == 1}
                <i class="fa fa-check g-ml-5" aria-hidden="true" style="color:green"></i>
            {/if}
        </label>

        <div class="input-group">
            <input type="checkbox" class="form-control" name="item" value="Y" {if field_value == "Y"} checked {/if} {if field_disabled == 1} disabled {/if}}>
            {if field_save ==1}
                <span class="input-group-btn">
                    <button class="btn btn-sm u-btn-primary" type="submit" value="Save">Save</button>
                </span>
            {/if}
        </div>
    </div>

{/if}

Please note: If selecting an alternative field method does not generate the appropriate options, clear your cache and attempt again after refreshing the page.

Allow on API

Once you have selected the required method (field type), the final option you will have is 'Allow on API'.

Certain information regarding your elections and candidates is retrievable via the PlutoAPI. This allows you to obtain and display additional information relating to your elections on your website, such as election statistics.

The responses to custom nomination fields can also be retrieved via the API if you need to display this information against your candidates. For example, you may ask your candidates specific questions instead of asking them to add a generic manifesto, and you would like to display this information instead of a manifesto.

If you would like the responses to this field to be shown against your candidates on your website, you will need to check this box so that your web developer can make the relevant changes to pull this onto your website.

This option has been added as you may need to use custom nomination fields to collect sensitive information purely for internal reference, such as medical declarations. This checkbox ensures you can decide what information obtained via custom nomination fields is available to display on your website.

Further guidance on what sort of information you can retrieve via the API can be found here.

Please note: If you would like to display responses to custom nomination fields on the SU App, instead of a manifesto, please get in touch via ZenDesk to request support with this.

Can I delete a custom field?

Custom fields cannot be removed as to prevent the subsequent implications removing a custom field would have on current elections and candidates where those fields have been used.

If a field is no longer required, this could be modified to create an alternative field, or the field renamed to confirm that it is no longer in use.

Updated on 31st January 2025