Simple contact forms with name and email fields are easy to build. But real business processes need so much more. Think about an expense report where employees need to add multiple line items, each with its own date, merchant, category, amount, and receipt. Or a vendor onboarding form where companies can list multiple bank accounts across different currencies. Or a job application where candidates enter their education history with multiple schools, degrees, and dates. These aren't simple forms - they're data applications that need repeating sections for dynamic tables, cross-field calculations that update in real-time, complex validations that enforce business policies, and inter-field dependencies where one choice affects what options appear elsewhere.
altx forms treats these as true data applications with proper database design. Repeating sections let users add as many rows as they need - expense line items, bank accounts, previous employers, or references. Each instance becomes a related record in the database with proper foreign keys, creating normalized data structures that are easy to query, report on, and export to other systems. Formulas handle everything from basic arithmetic (total equals sum of line items) to conditional calculations (different reimbursement rates based on vehicle type) to date math (calculating age from birthdate) to aggregations on repeating sections (count of items, average amount, sum where category matches). The system automatically figures out dependency order and recalculates everything in real-time as users type.
Multi-field validations go beyond 'required field' checking. You can compare fields (end date must be after start date), enforce business rules (meals over $50 require explanation, total can't exceed budget unless manager override is checked), and even call external APIs for async validation (check if employee ID exists in HR system, verify email domain is company-owned). For example, a purchase requisition combines all these features: a repeating table for items with quantity and unit price, calculated fields for line totals, subtotal, tax, and grand total, validations ensuring at least one item is added and all amounts are positive, conditional fields showing manager approval section if total exceeds $5,000, and routing logic that sends to department manager, then finance director, then procurement based on amount thresholds. Start with a simple form and add complexity as your process evolves - you don't need to design everything upfront.
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