If you work in HR, you know leave requests are never as simple as they sound. People need sick days, family leave, jury duty, or time off for reasons you’d never guess. But most leave request forms are clunky, confusing, or just plain ugly. If you want to build a better process—one that actually adapts to different leave types—this guide is for you. We’ll walk through creating a dynamic leave request form using Formstack, and I’ll call out the pitfalls and shortcuts that make all the difference.
Why bother with a dynamic form?
Let’s be honest: static forms stink. They force every employee to wade through irrelevant fields, leading to errors, annoyance, or flat-out abandoned requests. A dynamic form shows people only what matters, based on their choices. That means fewer mistakes, less back-and-forth, and happier employees (and HR teams).
But don’t expect magic. Formstack can’t read your mind or handle every weird edge case. You’ll still need to think through your process and sometimes compromise. But it’s a solid toolkit for 90% of what HR needs.
Step 1: Map out your leave process before you touch Formstack
Don’t start dragging form fields around yet. First, sketch out what types of leave you support and what info you actually need for each one. For example:
- Sick leave: Just dates and maybe a note.
- Parental leave: Dates, type (maternity, paternity, adoption), supporting docs.
- Jury duty: Dates, court summons upload.
- Unpaid leave: Reason, dates, manager approval.
Pro tip: Ask your HR teammates what trips people up now. Build the form around real confusion, not what you think should happen.
Step 2: Set up the basic form in Formstack
Log in to Formstack and create a new form. Give it a clear name like “HR Leave Request.”
Core fields to add:
- Employee name (Short Answer)
- Employee ID or email (Short Answer/Email)
- Department (Dropdown or Lookup, if you want to get fancy)
- Type of leave (Dropdown: Sick, Parental, Jury Duty, Unpaid, etc.)
- Start date and End date (Date fields)
Don’t overthink this. Start simple. You can always add more fields later.
Step 3: Add dynamic sections using Conditional Logic
Here’s the real trick: only show people the fields they actually need. Formstack’s Conditional Logic lets you do this without coding.
How it works:
- You add all the fields you might need for every leave type.
- Then you set rules (“Show this field only if Type of Leave is Parental Leave”).
- The form updates live as users make selections.
Example setup:
- If “Type of leave” is Sick Leave: Show “Doctor’s note” upload field.
- If “Type of leave” is Parental Leave: Show extra fields for “Type of parental leave” and “Supporting documentation.”
- If “Type of leave” is Jury Duty: Show “Court summons” upload.
- If “Type of leave” is Unpaid: Show “Reason for unpaid leave” text area.
How to do it in Formstack:
- Select a field you want to show/hide dynamically.
- In the field’s settings, find the “Logic” tab.
- Set up a rule: “Show this field if Type of Leave is X.”
- Repeat for each field or section as needed.
What works: Formstack’s logic is pretty straightforward. You’ll see your rules at a glance and can test them instantly.
What’s annoying: If your process has a lot of branching, managing all those rules gets messy fast. Also, you can’t do “OR” logic unless you set up multiple rules, so keep your workflow as simple as possible.
Step 4: Group related questions with Section and Page Breaks
A wall of fields is overwhelming. Use Section fields to break the form into clear parts, like “Employee Info,” “Leave Details,” and “Supporting Documents.” For longer forms, Page Breaks make things feel manageable.
- Sections keep things tidy and let you apply logic to whole groups of fields.
- Page Breaks are great if you want to review answers before submitting or collect a digital signature at the end.
What to ignore: Don’t add extra pages just to look fancy. Every extra click annoys users. Only break up the form if it genuinely helps.
Step 5: Set up file uploads and required fields
Some leave types need documentation. Formstack’s File Upload field handles this, but there are limits (like max file size and allowed types). Spell out what you accept (PDF, JPG, etc.) right in the field description.
- Make uploads required only when you actually need them (use conditional logic).
- If you’re worried about privacy, double-check how Formstack stores uploaded files and who can access them.
What sometimes fails: Employees try to upload giant scans or weird file types. Add a note: “PDF or JPG only; max 5MB.”
Step 6: Add workflow for approvals (if you need it)
If your process requires a manager or HR approval, Formstack’s Approvals feature can route submissions. Here’s the catch: it works, but it’s not as robust as a full workflow tool.
- You can trigger an approval email to a specific address or pull the manager’s email from the form (if you collect it).
- Managers can approve/reject directly from the email or a Formstack dashboard.
What works: Basic approvals and notifications are easy to set up.
What doesn’t: If you need multi-step approvals, custom notifications, or branching workflows, Formstack gets clunky. At that point, consider whether you’re better off with an HRIS tool or a more specialized workflow product.
Step 7: Test like you’re an employee (not the form builder)
You’re too close to the process. Send the form to a few real users. Ask them to:
- Submit every type of leave request you support.
- Try to “break” the logic (wrong file types, skipping fields, etc.).
- Point out where instructions are unclear or missing.
Pro tip: Watch someone fill it out over a video call. You’ll spot confusion way faster than over email.
Step 8: Set up notifications and review settings
Decide who needs to know about new leave requests—HR, managers, payroll, or all of the above.
- Use Formstack’s Notifications to send emails on new submissions.
- You can include all form data in the email, or just a summary.
- Double-check privacy: Don’t email sensitive docs unless it’s safe.
What to ignore: Don’t copy everyone “just in case.” Stick to the people who actually need it. Too many emails = ignored emails.
Step 9: Launch and keep an eye on real-world problems
Once you go live, expect a couple of hiccups. People will submit the wrong docs, miss fields, or get stuck. That’s normal. Collect feedback (and complaints) and fix what you can.
- Keep instructions short and plain.
- Add examples if people keep submitting the wrong info.
- Don’t chase “perfection”—just make it a bit better every month.
Quick checklist: What to keep simple
- Only ask for info you actually need.
- Use conditional logic to hide fields that don’t apply.
- Make docs required only when you need them.
- Test with real users.
- Don’t overcomplicate approvals—use the built-in tools, or look elsewhere if it’s not enough.
Wrapping up
Dynamic forms aren’t magic, but they beat the heck out of a clunky PDF. With a little setup in Formstack, you’ll save time, reduce mistakes, and keep your team sane. Start with the basics, watch how people use it, and tweak as you go. Simple, clear, and a little bit smarter each time—that’s the real win.