Contact Fields Reference

Last updated 22 days 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

Now that you understand the available contact field types, check these related articles to learn how to assemble fields into forms and manage the responses your patients submit.

  • 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.