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Drastically Improve SharePoint Usability with this One Simple Tip

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Drastically Improve SharePoint Usability with this One Simple Tip

Laypeople often do not see the beauty in SharePoint, nor do they have the desire. They just want something that works. It needs to be tragically easy to use.

For a normal non-SharePoint person, editing an item in a SharePoint list is a bit of a shipwreck.

Improve SharePoint Usability

The Problem:
The native SharePoint edit form is confusing at best. Beyond displaying every column in the list, it also has a non-standard form experience with a ribbon at the top, further overwhelming the poor soul who dared to edit an item.

The Solution:
One of the most positive usability improvements you can make to SharePoint is to replace the native list edit form with one that is more user friendly.

Replace the default list edit form with Kintivo Forms.

This simple step will drastically improve usability in the following ways:
1. Display a professionally designed user friendly form.
2. Provide a mobile friendly form experience.
3. Show only the desired fields.
4. Activate powerful conditional logic and field validation.
5. Arrange the fields as you see fit.
6. Auto-send emails when forms are submitted.
7. Embed variables into landing page URL and emails.
8. Use a form that just makes sense to a non-SharePoint person.

If you do not already use Kintivo Forms, you can download the Free Forever edition to get started.

Instructions on replacing the default SharePoint list edit form with Kintivo Forms:
Create a NEW edit PAGE in Designer, and make it the default EDIT PAGE. Then delete the default web part that’s installed on that new page, and add the Kintivo Forms Web Part! This is done in Designer on the list property page. You will see a block on the right that shows page names for the view and edit forms that are default on each list.

Improve SharePoint Usability

Note: After you have added the Kintivo Forms Web Part to the new page, you will want to configure it appropriately by ensuring the form is in “Update Mode” (first tab) and having it look for “ID” in URL (not the default “SF_ID”, also in first tab). Then add your desired list and fields, display options, email preferences, etc.