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Accessibility Statement

CMS Forms

Government Digital Experience

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CMS Forms – built on the Orbeon platform – is your corporate solution to build and deploy enterprise web forms within the CMS Lite platform, allowing you to meet the highest level of web form standards. With CMS Forms (Orbeon) you can rapidly transition from PDF or other ‘paper-based’ forms to accessible mobile-friendly online forms without the need to acquire or develop custom applications. It’s capable of many advanced functions and forms can be integrated with other systems through APIs if you desire.

Please note – this service is not currently available for CMS Lite intranet sites due to server structure and licensing limitations.

Use CMS Forms (Orbeon) to:

  • Add a new channel for form submission
  • Create and manage multilingual forms
  • Quickly transition from paper and PDF
  • Integrate forms with your content and service journeys
  • Upgrade the citizen experience without changing your processes or investing in additional infrastructure

Key features:

  • Consistent experience for citizens
  • Forms are accessible and mobile-friendly
  • Forms can accept attachments (75MB limit for emailed forms; ‘unlimited’ for APIs)
  • Switch from a single page to multi-page experience with a button click
  • Create linked, reusable design patterns for rapid form building and updating
  • Supports 200+ languages with automatic language detection
  • Integrated with the Content Management Framework that underlies gov.bc.ca
  • Protects privacy by segregating the access between form designers and data processers
  • Advanced PDF handling features; autogenerated or using fillable PDFs as templates
  • Can easily support non-repudiation requirements for programs that need it
  • Advanced logic and calculation capabilities provide lots of design and interaction flexibility
  • Send multiple, customizable email messages based on form data or conditions.
  • Standard XML (W3C XForms standard) output can be sent to other applications via APIs
  • HTTP web services, JSON and Restful API integrations possible
  • Designed to help you manage forms, not just build them

Upcoming development:

  • Form-specific analytics that help you monitor use and interactions to identify improvement opportunities
  • Improved multi-page user interface such as shorter navigation labels and progress indicators
  • Improved interface for form builders
  • Expansion of self-serve capabilities
  • “One-click” integration of common components such as CAPTCHA or Address Complete
  • Quick transfer of form control from one ministry to another due to reorganization
  • Creation of reusable design patterns for the corporate library
  • “Offline” forms that can be embedded in mobile applications and elsewhere
  • Intranet forms

Why should I use this

Production-ready

Designed for rapid transition from paper and PDF and integrated into the Content Management System that supports gov.bc.ca, CMS Forms (Orbeon) makes deployment and management easier and part of your ongoing content management efforts.

Advanced capabilities

From simple forms to ones with complex logic, interactions and data integrations, CMS Forms (Orbeon) offers one of the most complete set of tools to meet your business requirements and service objectives.

Future proof

CMS Forms (Orbeon) is a key component of the Content Management Framework and will continue to complement government’s evolving web presence, including multilingual and personalized digital services.

About this component

Price

Paid

Service level support

The Content Management Framework, including CMS Lite and CMS Forms, is a critical piece of BC Government’s public communications infrastructure and is highly available.

Customer support may be requested 24/7 via the Service Desk and services are delivered during regular business hours.

Due to the complexity and variability of integrations, GDX is unable to support development or troubleshooting of APIs, web services, and the like.

If you need additional support to create, manage or redesign your forms or the associated service content, see the services offered by our service and content design team.

Additional technical information

The Content Management Framework is a corporate enabler and STRAs and PIAs are complete and regularly maintained. There is no need to conduct either to use the platform, but you may need to review your STRAs or PIAs if you are connecting systems or transitioning from paper.

Although CMS Forms (Orbeon) technically has workflow capability, this has been disabled to prevent information incidents. GDX cannot view and does not retain any information collected by forms and has limited logging focused mostly on errors.

The default configuration sends form data in an autogenerated PDF and XML file as attachments to an email to a program area. You have some flexibility in adjusting the messaging and process, but some desirable items such as sending data to an API require GDX to create a custom form configuration on the server. Greater self-service options are in development.

Requirements and restrictions

As this is a ministry-level service (defined as an organization with a deputy minister at its head), it is recommended that: the Service Agreement be signed by the CIO or equivalent; the fees are paid out of a corporate account; and user access be managed by a Ministry Forms Manager, director of information services, or similar.

Forms are meant to developed, managed, and improved on an ongoing basis. CMS Forms (Orbeon) is best suited to ministries that have a Forms Management Program. Ministries without such programs can still use the platform but may not achieve maximum benefit.

Form authors are required to have training and access to CMS Lite (separate service and fees) before gaining access to CMS Forms. Most forms professionals already have this access.

Getting started

The onboarding process begins with letting the GDX Service Desk know you’re interested. Typical activities may include:

  • Delivering presentation(s) to the ministry
  • Setting up a demo environment to try
  • Supporting exploration by users
  • Preparing the Service Agreement
  • Preparing account creation and billing services (internal)
  • Providing training (optional, and may be provided earlier)
  • Transitioning to LIVE status

Select the “Start Using Now” button to inquire about onboarding.

https://apps.itsm.gov.bc.ca/jira/servicedesk/customer/portal/9/group/112

Support

You can submit questions or request support through the GDX Service Desk.

Form Authors may also reference Orbeon’s Form Builder documentation for more detailed or technical information. Developers may want to focus on the advanced section of the manual.