The EarthRanger Event Form Editor (EFE) is a simple, visual way for administrators to build and manage how Events are captured in EarthRanger.

The EFE makes creating Event Types as simple as dragging and dropping. Admins can create, customize, and manage event types and event categories while defining the exact data they want to collect. This gives organizations autonomy to rapidly tailor EarthRanger event reporting to their operational needs. This new feature creates what we refer to as v2 Event Types, replacing the older “v1” Event Types built upon JSON schemas. More on that below.

The Event Form Editor system includes two parts that work together to enable admins to create and manage event types without schema editing.

• Event Form Editor (EFE) – the admin-facing interface for constructing and configuring event forms without needing to edit schemas directly.
• Event Form – the user-facing form that field staff and other users see when capturing event data in EarthRanger Web and Mobile.

Beta Access Information

The Event Form Editor is currently in beta. Some features and workflows may still evolve before general release. Known limitations include:

• ER Mobile: Full adoption of v2 form fields is underway
• For Ecoscope beta users: v2 Event Types are not yet available for direct selection in Events and Patrols workflows. (They will not appear in enumerated dropdowns) 

Who can access it? 

All admin users with access to EarthRanger Admin site can try the beta version. 

Where to find it?

• Log into the EarthRanger Admin site and look under the Activity section for Event Types and Categories 2.0 (Beta) 
• Click this link to launch the new interface

Understanding v1 vs v2 Event Types

• v1 Event Types were created before the Event Form Editor, using JSON Schema configurations in the legacy admin interface. These events cannot be edited using the Event Form Editor.
• v2 Event Types are created using the Event Form Editor and support drag-and-drop customization.

Getting Started with the Event Form Editor

Interface Overview 

The main dashboard is organized into two key sections:

• Left Panel (Filters):
  • Event type version
    • v1: written in the EarthRanger admin using schemas for their data models
    • v2: created using the Event Form Editor
  • Status 
    • Active: The Event Type can be seen in Earthranger Web and Mobile 
    • Inactive: Event Types are hidden
  • Geometry type 
    • Point: The event is associated with a single location. 
    • Polygon: The event represents a defined area or region.

Main Panel (Form Hierarchy)

Displays a list of Event Categories, each of which may contain one or more Event Types.

• Drag-and-drop to reorder both Event Categories and Event Types.
  • This order directly reflects how categories and types are displayed in EarthRanger Web and Mobile.
• Toggle to expand or collapse individual Event Categories for easier navigation.
• Visual hierarchy clearly shows which Event Types belong to which Event Categories. 

Each Event Type listed includes: 

• Icon
• Display Name
• Version (v1 or v2)
• Geometry Type (Point or Polygon)
• Status (Active or Inactive)

Top Actions Menu includes:

• ➕ New Event Category
• ➕ New Event Type

Creating Event Types with the Event Form Editor

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a new Event Type 

To start creating an Event Type either: 

• Click + New Event Type at the top of the dashboard, or
• Click + Event Type within a specific Event Category (this will pre-fill the category field). 

Event Type Details

When creating a new event type, you’ll configure the following:

Customizing Form Layout

Drag-and-Drop Canvas

The Event Form section includes a canvas where you can build the structure of the form by dragging in various form elements:

Each field supports:

• Label (what the user sees)
• Value (internal identifier)
• Visibility and Active status
• Validation (e.g., required field)
• Descriptions and hints (to guide users) 

You can drag fields to reorder them, and delete a field by:

• Dragging it to the delete box, or
• Selecting “Delete” in the field’s configuration menu.
   

Pro Tip: Use Sections and Headers to create a logical flow and visually separate field groups.

Previewing and Testing Forms

There is currently no full preview mode, but you can visually inspect the form layout directly within the canvas as you build it. Use Save and Continue to preserve your progress without leaving the editor.

To test the form in a live environment:

• You can temporarily set the Event Type to “Active” to preview it directly in EarthRanger Web or Mobile.
• Once tested, you can switch the status back to Inactive if further adjustments are needed.

This approach allows you to validate the form’s behavior and layout in real workflows on EarthRanger Web and Mobile before finalizing. 

Managing Event Types

Editing and Updating Forms

To edit an existing Event Type or its form:

1. Locate the Event Type within its category.
2. Click the Event Type name to enter edit mode.
3. Update fields, layout, or event metadata. 

Important: Only v2 Event Types (those created in the Event Form Editor) can be edited using the EFE. Event Types originally created in the legacy system (v1) cannot currently be edited in the Event Form Editor.  

No versioning or Revert Functionality  

Versioning is not currently supported in the Event Form Editor 
There is no way to view or revert to previous versions of a form after changes are made.  
Changes will affect both new and existing events, including those already collected using the current version of the form.  

For example, if you replace a field or delete it entirely, any previously submitted events may lose visibility of the data. 

Archiving or Deleting Forms

To archive or remove forms:

• Open the Event Type and set its status to Inactive to archive it.
• If deletion is supported in your beta version, a delete option will appear in the Event Type’s menu.
   

Up Next: Use Collections in Event Types