Epicollect5 User Guide
  • What is Epicollect5
  • About
    • Projects and Entries Syncing
    • Our Community
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  • Web Application
    • Intro
    • Create a Project
    • Project Info & Privacy
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    • Viewing Entries
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      • Entries Limits
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    • Data Mapping
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    • Metadata
    • Clone Project
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    • Web Link to Add Entries
  • Formbuilder
    • Intro
    • Languages and Translations
    • Question Types
    • Add Questions
    • Edit Questions
    • Linking Forms
    • Rename Forms
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    • Search
    • Jumps (If-Else)
    • Branches
    • Groups
    • Title
    • Uniqueness
    • Double-entry Verification
    • Import & Export Forms
    • Import & Export Possible Answers
    • Edit Possible Answers
  • Mobile Application
    • Intro
    • Platforms and Media
    • Mobile App Authentication
    • Mobile App Permissions
    • Add Projects
    • Add Entries (Single Form)
    • Add Entries (Multiple Forms)
    • Edit Entries
    • Re-use answers
    • Save & Resume Entries
    • Upload Entries
      • Upload Errors
      • Incomplete Entries
      • Missing required aswers
      • Unsync entries
    • Entries Limits
    • Download Entries
    • Delete Entries
    • Delete Projects (App)
    • Location Questions
    • Add Bookmarks
    • Project Info
    • Share Media Files
    • Adjust Font Size
    • Filter Entries
    • Beta updates (Android)
    • Xiaomi Troubleshooting
  • Developers
    • Intro
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  • Integrations
    • Google Maps
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    • Microreact
    • Survey Toolkit
    • Google Sheets
  • Common Use Cases
    • Matrix Style Questions
    • Consolidate data
    • Jumps 101
    • Other, Please Specify
    • Non-Hierarchical Forms
    • Users Working Groups
    • Excel and UTF-8
    • Excel All Data in One Cell
    • Barcodes
    • Child Forms vs Branches
    • Dependent Dropdowns
    • Referencing Parent Form Responses
  • Extra
    • Useful Links
    • Demo Projects
    • FAQ
    • How-to Videos
    • Known Issues
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On this page
  • Uniqueness
  • Nested forms
  • Rendering on the mobile app
  • Bookmarks
  • Downloading entries to the mobile app
  1. Common Use Cases

Child Forms vs Branches

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Last updated 7 months ago

In Epicollect5 there are two ways to implement nested forms: child forms () or .

While these two approaches look similar, there are some important differences.

Nothing stops you from using a combination of hierarchy (child) forms and branches on your project!

Uniqueness

When using a hierarchy structure you can choose between a . This is not possible when using branches. The branch uniqueness will be limited only to each branch scope as the hierarchy uniqueness cannot be applied.

Nested forms

When using child forms, you can have only one child form per parent (). Using branches, you can have multiple branches for a single form. Using branches though, you can go down only one level (it is not possible to add a branch within another branch), while child forms can have a hierarchy of maximum 5 forms.

Rendering on the mobile app

Child forms and branches are rendered differently on the mobile app.

Bookmarks

The mobile app feature only works with child forms.

Downloading entries to the mobile app

Branch entries are not downloaded to the mobile app, only hierarchy entries are.

linking forms using a hierarchy structure
branches
form or a hierarchy uniqueness
see linking forms
See how to add a child entry.
bookmarks
Learn more.