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RentWorks+ Form Builder — User & Administrator Handbook

A guide to designing, configuring, and publishing rental documents in RentWorks+


How to use this guide
If you want to… Refer to
Get a form built quickly Section 2: Getting Started
Understand the terminology Section 3: Core Concepts
Learn what each control does Section 4: The Workspace · Section 7: The Inspector
Make a field appear only sometimes Section 8: Conditional Logic
Find the field for a specific piece of data Section 12: Field Catalogue

The two things that make it work

Fields are everything you place on the page: live data, typed labels, your logo, signature lines, boxes, and tables of charges.

Conditions are rules that control when a field appears — for example, "show the underage surcharge only when the driver is under 25," or "print the deposit line only when a deposit was taken."

Together, these two ideas let a single template adapt to every rental automatically.


Section 1: Introduction

The Form Builder is a visual editor. You place fields on a page — each field is either a typed label or a live data placeholder — and the system substitutes real customer data at print time. No technical knowledge is required, and nothing you do in the editor affects live documents until you save.

Think of it like a paper rental agreement with blanks: the Form Builder is how you design the page and define which blank receives which piece of data. When John Smith rents a Toyota Camry, the system fills in his name, his vehicle, and his rate automatically.


Section 2: Getting Started

The fastest path from a blank page to a printed agreement.

1. Navigate to Operations ▸ Form Builder, find your form, and select Edit. The editor shows three areas: the Field Library on the left, the canvas in the centre, and the Inspector on the right.

2. In the toolbar, set the Preview mode — Check-Out (Open), Modify, or Check-In (Close) — to match the version of the document you're designing.

3. From the library, drag fields onto the page or click them to place them. Fields display sample data while you work.

4. Use the Label button to add typed headings like "RENTAL AGREEMENT," the Image button to place your logo, and the Design tab to draw boxes and dividing lines.

5. Select any field to open the Inspector and adjust its position, size, font, rules, and visibility. Arrow keys nudge; drag to reposition.

6. To make a field conditional, open the Conditions tab in the Inspector and select a rule — for example, Underage Driver or Deposit On File.

7. Click Preview ▸ Preview Current to render the pages, then press Ctrl+S (or click Save), add a brief note, and confirm. Each save creates a numbered version you can restore.

8. On the form list, open the form's menu ▸ Manage Allocations to assign the form to the transactions where it should appear. Until this is done, the counter will show "No print forms configured."

Note: No action is irreversible. Ctrl+Z undoes individual steps, and nothing affects live documents until you save.


Section 3: Core Concepts

How data flows from the system to the page

Every piece of live data follows the same chain: an Entity (a type of record, such as Renter) contains Fields (individual values, such as CustomerFirstname). Each field has a Token — a placeholder written as — which the system resolves to the actual Value at print time.

Example: placing and on the page prints "Toyota Camry" for a rental of that vehicle.

Glossary

Term Definition
Template / Form The document being designed, e.g. "Standard Rental Agreement." A form may have multiple pages.
Element / Field Anything placed on the page — a data field, a typed label, a box, a logo, a signature, or a table.
Data Field A placeholder that draws live data at print time. You choose which data; the system fills in the value. Shown in grey on the canvas.
Static Text (Label) Text you type that never changes, such as "RENTAL AGREEMENT." Shown in black on the canvas.
Canvas The white sheet in the centre — a true-size preview of the printed page. US Letter is 816 x 1056 pixels.
Inspector The right-hand panel that opens when you select a field. Contains the Details, Conditions, Style, and Visibility tabs.
Condition A rule (field · operator · value) that controls whether a field prints.
Print When The stage of a rental at which a field appears: Check-Out, Modify, or Check-In.
Transaction Allocation Which forms are offered at the counter for each action, and which is the default.
Version A saved snapshot. Every save creates a new version (v1, v2…) that can be restored.
Token The code that represents a data field.
Pixels at 96 DPI The unit for all positions and sizes. 96 px = 1 inch.

Note: The key distinction — a static label prints the same text on every rental. A data field fills itself in with each customer's actual value. They're usually used together: the label "Daily Rate:" beside the field prints as "Daily Rate: $45.00."


Section 4: The Workspace

The editor has four zones:

  • Field Library (left) — the catalogue of fields, labels, images, and shapes. Drag items from here onto the page.
  • Canvas (centre) — the page at true size. Data fields appear in grey; typed labels in black; a field with a rule shows a thin accent marker.
  • Inspector (right) — opens when a field is selected. Four tabs control every property of that field.
  • Toolbar (top) — breadcrumb and version indicator, Undo/Redo/Discard, the Preview-mode selector, and Preview/History/Save.

To zoom, use the − / + controls above the canvas (25%–200%). Click the percentage to return to 100%.

To manage pages, click the "Page X of N" control to add, remove, or reorder pages.

The Field Library can be collapsed to give the canvas more room.

The status bar below the canvas shows the number of elements on the page, the template identifier, and the page size. When a preview mode is active, it adds "(filtered by: open)."


Section 5: The Field Library

The left panel has three tabs.

Template — what's already on this form

Lists only the fields currently placed somewhere on the template. Useful for finding and tidying existing content. Also provides three quick-add buttons:

  • Label — adds a typed-text element. Use it for headings and captions.
  • Custom — opens the Create Custom Field dialog for data not in the standard list. See Section 11.
  • Image — places a logo or picture on the page.

A Conditional only toggle hides everything except fields that already carry a rule, which is useful for review.

Fields — the complete catalogue

The full built-in list of every data point the system holds — 914 fields across eight categories — whether or not it is currently on the page. This is where you find and add new data. Search with "Search all fields." A marker indicates a field already on the canvas.

Design — shapes and structure

Drawing tools only — no data here:

  • Add Rectangle — places a 200 x 100 box with a thin black border.
  • Draw Rectangle — enables a crosshair so you can draw a box any size. Press Esc or right-click to stop.
  • Template Shapes — lists boxes already on the page, each with a lock/unlock toggle. A locked shape cannot be moved or resized accidentally.

How fields are organised

Field category Contents Fields
Customer Fields Renter, additional drivers, alternate driver 125
Vehicle Fields The rented vehicle and replacement vehicles 95
Contract Fields The agreement, reservation, company, insurance, location 261
Rate & Charges Rates and charge lines 122
Payment & Totals Totals, payments, deposits 121
Signatures Signature-pad and initial fields 12
Other Fields Employee, tour, delivery, frequent flyer, promotion, notes 123
Specialized Repair Order, Non-Revenue 55

To add a field, drag it to place it where you want, or click it and it will appear near the top-left of the page for you to reposition.

Some fields can draw from multiple records. Every Renter field is also available as Additional Driver 1/2/3; every Vehicle field is also available as Original/Replacement/Linked/Previous/Additional vehicle; Payments fields double as Deposits. Fields with multiple sources are marked "+N more" in the catalogue.


Section 6: Element Types

Everything you place on the page is one of seven element types.

Static Text — a label you type

Fixed words that print identically on every contract — headings, captions, instructions, and the labels beside data fields. Add via: Library ▸ Template ▸ Label.

You type: Renter Name: → Prints (always): Renter Name:

Data Field — a self-filling blank

A placeholder bound to live data. You choose which data; the system fills in the value at print time. Shown in grey on the canvas. Add via: drag from the library.

You select: → Prints (this rental): John Smith

Note: Pair these two. The label "Daily Rate:" beside the field prints as "Daily Rate: $45.00." The label is static; the value is dynamic.

Box — shapes, lines, and borders

A rectangle. A border alone produces an outlined box or a dividing line; a fill produces a shaded band. Boxes sit behind other elements. Add via: Library ▸ Design.

Configure: Border solid 1 px black, Fill transparent → Prints: A thin outlined box framing a section.

Signature — a sign-here line

A designated signature area bound to a signature source. Drawn as a small box with an X marker. Add via: drag a field of type "signature" from the Signatures category.

Place beneath a label: "Renter Signature" + signature field → Prints: A signature line (or the captured image on e-sign agreements).

Image — a logo or picture

Typically the company logo. Has a dedicated Style panel: fit (Contain / Cover / Fill), border, opacity, and blur. Add via: Library ▸ Template ▸ Image, or Template ▸ Custom ▸ "Logo / Image."

Upload: acme-logo.png · 200 x 100 · fit: contain → Prints: The logo, top-left of each page.

RTF Content — a boilerplate text block

Reserves an area on the page for a long, pre-written rich-text document — usually the Terms & Conditions or legal disclosures. The content lives in a separate file; this element marks where it flows on the page. Shown on the canvas as an [RTF Content] placeholder.

RTF Content area (linked file) → Prints: The full Terms & Conditions of Rental.

Table — repeating rows

A grid that prints the same columns once per record — most commonly the list of charges. Tables have a dedicated inspector. Covered fully in Section 10.

Columns: Description · Rate · Days · Amount → Prints one row per charge: Daily Rate · $45.00 · 3 · $135.00…

Properties shared by every element

Property Meaning Example
X / Y Position from the left / top edge X = 96 — roughly 1 inch from the left
Width / Height Size of the element's box Width = 200 — a 200 px column
Locked Frozen — cannot be moved or resized Lock the logo so it never shifts
Style Font, size, bold/italic/underline, colour 12 px bold black Arial
Print When The stages in which this element appears Close only — return copy only
Condition A rule controlling when it prints Only if Driver Age is less than 25

Section 7: The Field Inspector

Selecting a field opens the Inspector on the right. Its title shows the field's name. Below are four tabs.

Tab Purpose
Details Identity, size, position, and deletion.
Conditions Rules that determine when the field prints (Section 8).
Style Typography, colour, borders, and fills.
Visibility The Print-When states (Section 9).

To edit multiple fields at once, Ctrl/Cmd-click to select them. The header reads "N elements selected," and any width, position, or style changes apply to all of them.

The Details tab

Control Editable Description
Field Name No The field's identifier, e.g. Renter.FullName
Data Source No The binding token, e.g.
Text Content Yes The words for a static text field — prints verbatim
Type / Page No Element type and the page it sits on
Width / Height Yes Box size in pixels
X / Y Yes Position in pixels
Delete Field Removes the field after confirmation

The Style tab

For text fields, this is the Typography panel. For a box, it is the Fill & Border panel. A live "Sample Text Preview" reflects your choices in real time.

For text and data fields:

  • Font — Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Courier New, Georgia, Verdana (default: Arial)
  • Size — preset steps from 8 to 48, or any value from 1 to 200 (default: 10 px)
  • Bold / Italic / Underline — independent toggles
  • Colour — colour picker, hex field, or R/G/B inputs (default: #000000)

For boxes:

  • Fill — Filled or Transparent; colour and opacity when filled
  • Border — Style (None / Normal / Dashed / Dotted / Double), Thickness, Colour

Note: Box style edits are buffered — click Apply Style to commit or Reset to cancel. Text field edits apply immediately.

For image fields, the Style panel shows a preview with a Change button, a Fit setting (Contain / Cover / Fill), a border, and Opacity and Blur sliders. Replacing the image saves immediately; all other changes require Apply Style.

Conditions and Visibility are each covered in their own sections — Section 8 and Section 9 respectively.


Section 8: Conditional Logic

A condition is a rule that controls whether a field prints. With no condition, a field appears on every rental. With a condition, it appears only when the rule is satisfied for that specific rental. This is what allows one template to adapt to every customer.

Common uses

  • Print "Security Deposit Held: $200.00" only when a deposit was taken.
  • Print the insurance billing block only for insurance rentals.
  • Print the underage-driver surcharge notice only when the driver is under 25.
  • Print the one-way drop-fee disclosure only when a drop charge applies.

How a condition works

Every rule has three parts:

  • Field — the data point to examine (e.g. Driver Age)
  • Operator — how to compare it (e.g. is less than)
  • Value — what to compare it against (e.g. 25)

Result: Driver Age is less than 25 → prints for a 22-year-old, hidden for a 40-year-old.

Three ways to build a condition

1. Scenario cards — the default view. One-click, ready-made rules like Insurance or Balance Due. Works for most users.

2. Simple builder — select Custom… to choose Field, Operator, and Value yourself, with a live plain-language summary as you build.

3. Advanced editor — a collapsible editor for the full operator set, charge-line rules, and fields with multiple variants.

Ready-made scenario rules

Scenario Rule it applies When it prints
Always Removes the condition Every rental
Insurance Company.type = I Billed to an insurer
Body Shop Company.type = B Body shop loaners
Corporate Company.type = C Corporate accounts
Balance Due Totals.balanceDue > 0 When money is owed at check-out
Deposit on File Deposits.amount > 0 When a deposit was collected
Underage Driver Renter.age < 25 When the driver is under 25
Additional Driver AdditionalDriver.exists = Yes When a second driver is on the agreement

Worked examples

Objective Field · Operator · Value Result
Deposit line only if taken Deposits.amount > 0 $200 deposit — prints; no deposit — hidden
Insurance billing block Company.type = I Insurance rental — prints; cash — hidden
Underage surcharge notice Renter.age < 25 Age 22 — prints; age 40 — hidden
One-way drop-fee disclosure ChargeLines.chargeType = drop One-way — prints; round trip — hidden
Balance-due reminder Totals.balanceDue > 0 Amount owed — prints; prepaid — hidden
Premium-class terms Vehicle.class = SCAR,FCAR Standard/Full — prints; Economy — hidden
Refuelling charge note Contract.fuelOut < fuelIn Returned lower — prints; returned full — hidden
Additional-driver clause AdditionalDriver.exists = Yes Second driver added — prints; single driver — hidden
CDW acknowledgement Charges.cdw = Yes CDW taken — prints; declined — hidden

Section 9: Visibility & Allocation

Two separate controls govern when documents and fields appear. They are often confused.

Print-When controls whether a single field appears at each stage of the rental.

Transaction Allocation controls which entire forms are offered at the counter.

Both reference the same three points in a rental's life:

Stage When it occurs
Check-Out (Open) A new contract is created and the vehicle goes to the customer.
Modify An existing open contract is edited — extended, re-rated, or amended.
Check-In (Close) The vehicle is returned and the contract is closed — the final invoice.

Part 1 — Print-When (the Visibility tab)

Select a field and open the Visibility tab. Under "Print When" are three checkboxes — Check-Out, Modify, Check-In. A field only prints in the states you check. At least one must remain checked.

Example: Set "Fuel Charge on Return" to Close only — it is omitted from the check-out copy and prints on the return invoice.

To preview the result, use the toolbar's Preview-mode selector. The canvas hides fields that would not print in the selected state, and the status bar notes "(filtered by: open)."

Part 2 — Transaction Allocation

This control is on the Form Builder list, not inside the editor. Open a form's menu ▸ Manage Allocations. Select a category (Rental Agreement / Invoice / Non-Revenue / Reservation) and enable the form for each transaction type (Open / Close / Modify). You can also designate one as the Default, which pre-selects it at the counter.

Example: Allocate "Standard Rental Agreement" — Category: Rental Agreement, enabled for Open/Modify/Close, Default = Open — the form is listed and pre-selected when checking out a customer.

Important: A form will not print at the counter until it is allocated. If staff see "No print forms configured. Go to Settings → Form Builder to assign one," this is the missing step.

Part 3 — Target Platform

Each form has a target platform, set when it is created: Universal (both systems, the default), Web App (the new browser-based counter only), or RW+ (the legacy desktop system only). This setting is independent of Print-When and allocation — it simply controls which system the form is intended for.


Section 10: Tables & Charge Lines

A table is a repeating block that prints the same columns once per record. The most common use is the charges table on a rental agreement — one row per charge, with columns for description, rate, quantity, and amount.

Selecting a table opens the Table Inspector (three tabs: Details, Columns, Visibility) instead of the standard inspector.

Component Purpose
Source entity The records the table repeats over, e.g. Charge Lines
Columns Each column is a field plus a printed header, e.g. field "Rate" under the header "Rate"
Row count How many rows the table reserves, e.g. 25
Position & size The X / Y / Width / Height of the entire block

Editing columns

  • Add a column — provide a field name (e.g. Amount), a header ("Amount"), and a width in pixels (default 80, minimum 20).
  • Reorder / remove — move columns up or down; remove any, as long as at least one remains.
  • Per-column style — font, size, bold/italic/underline, colour, and alignment (left/centre/right). Right-align monetary columns so figures line up.

Example — a charges table

Description Rate Days Amount
Daily Rate $45.00 3 $135.00
Collision Damage Waiver $12.99 3 $38.97
Airport Concession Fee $9.50 1 $9.50

In the editor, the table tile displays three sample rows followed by "+22 more rows — Click to expand."

Note: If the same field is placed in two columns, the Details tab shows a duplicate-binding warning. Both columns would print the same value until corrected.


Section 11: Custom Fields

When the standard 914 fields don't cover what you need, create a custom field. From the library, select Template ▸ Custom to open the Create Custom Field dialog.

Input Rules
Field Name Required. The display label, e.g. "Additional Notes." The Variable Name fills in automatically as you type.
Field Type Text, Number, Currency, Date, or Logo/Image (default: Text)
Variable Name Required (except for images). Letters, numbers, and underscores only — other characters are removed automatically.

Example: Create a field named "Deposit Amount," type Currency, variable depositAmount — place it as — prints $250.00.

Note: Selecting Logo/Image hides the Variable Name and shows an upload area (PNG, JPG, or SVG). This places an image element rather than a data token. A live preview at the bottom of the dialog shows the token before you click Create Field.


Section 12: Field Catalogue

The Field Catalogue contains all 914 fields available in the Form Builder. It is the same list as the Fields tab in the library, and is searchable by name, entity, or token. Each entry includes the token, an example value, and a plain-English description of what it holds.

How to read whose data a field holds

The entity tells you the source:

  • Renter — the customer renting the vehicle
  • Additional Drivers — extra authorised drivers on the agreement
  • Employee — the branch staff who handled the rental (checked out / in / modified)
  • Other → Current… — whoever is printing the document right now
  • Renter's Employer/Company — where the customer works (not the rental company)
  • Out fields — recorded at checkout; In fields — recorded at return; Due fields — the scheduled return

Up to 400 results display at once. Refine the search to narrow the list. Fields marked "+N more" are also available from additional-driver, replacement-vehicle, or deposit records.


Section 13: Worked Example: An Annotated Rental Agreement

The fastest way to understand the fields is to see them on a finished document. The scenario below walks through a complete rental agreement and identifies every field used.

The scenario: John Smith rents a 2025 Toyota Camry from the Dallas–Fort Worth Airport branch for 3 days at $45.00/day. He adds Collision Damage Waiver, leaves a $250 deposit, and adds his spouse Mary Smith as a second driver. Agreement RA-558102.

[INSERT SCREENSHOT: A complete rental agreement assembled from Form Builder fields]

Header — location & rental period

Token Prints Meaning
Acme Car Rental — DFW Airport Name of the branch that checked the vehicle out.
2424 Aviation Dr, Suite 100 The checkout branch's street address (lines 1 and 2 combined).
DFW Airport, TX 75261 City, state, and ZIP of the checkout branch, combined.
(972) 555-0140 The checkout branch's phone number.
RA-558102 The unique rental-agreement number.
OPEN The agreement's status (open at checkout, closed at return).
· 06/17/2026 · 10:30 AM Date and time the vehicle was checked out.
· 06/20/2026 · 10:30 AM Date and time the vehicle is scheduled to be returned.
3 Number of rental days, computed from checkout and due dates.

Renter & additional driver

Token Prints Meaning
John Smith The primary renter's first and last name, combined.
41 The renter's age in years, computed from date of birth.
123 Main St, Apt 4B, Dallas, TX 75201 The renter's complete home address on one line.
(555) 123-4567 The renter's home phone number.
john.smith@email.com The renter's email address.
· D1234567 · TX The renter's driver-licence number and issuing state.
08/15/2028 The renter's driver-licence expiry date.
Mary Smith The second authorised driver's name (not the primary renter).
D7654321 The additional driver's licence number.

Vehicle

Token Prints Meaning
2025 Toyota Camry Year, make, and model of the rented vehicle, combined.
Silver The vehicle's exterior colour.
10456 The fleet unit number for this specific car.
· ABC1234 · TX The vehicle's licence-plate number and state.
() Intermediate (ICAR) The vehicle's class description and class code.
4T1BF1FK0NU123456 The vehicle's VIN.
12,450 The odometer reading in miles at checkout.
8/8 The fuel level at checkout, in eighths of a tank (8 = full).

Charges — a repeating table

The charges block is a table element. Each row is one charge line; the columns repeat for every charge on the rental.

Column token Prints (row 1) Meaning
Daily Rate The charge description on this row.
$45.00/day The formatted rate, including its time unit.
3 @ The quantity charged (e.g. number of days).
$135.00 The line total (rate x quantity).

Totals, payments & who handled it

Token Prints Meaning
$135.00 Total of the time/rate charges (the rental itself).
$67.47 Total of miscellaneous charges (waivers, fees).
$16.71 Total of all tax charges.
$219.18 The grand total of all charges on the agreement.
$250.00 The deposit amount held against the rental.
$0.00 The outstanding balance (charges minus payments).
Sarah Lee The branch agent who checked the vehicle out — not the renter.
06/17/2026 Today's date — the date the document is printed.

Important: is the staff agent who checked the car out (Sarah Lee). The primary renter is (John Smith). The person currently printing the document is a third, separate field: . When in doubt, the Field Catalogue states exactly whose data each field holds.


Section 14: Saving & Output

Managing pages

Click the "Page X of N" control above the canvas to open the page manager. Select a thumbnail to navigate to it, drag thumbnails to reorder them, hover to delete a page (with a warning if it has content), or click Add Page to append a new one. The last remaining page cannot be removed.

Saving and versions

1. Press Ctrl+S or click Save, add an optional note (e.g. "Aligned rate with totals"), and confirm. The system reports "Saved as v4."

2. Click History to open a panel listing every saved version with its date, author, and note.

3. Click Restore on any earlier version to revert to it. The operation creates a new version from the earlier content — nothing is lost.

4. Click Discard to revert all changes since the last save, after a confirmation. Ctrl+Z undoes individual steps, up to 100 steps back.

Preview and printing

  • Preview Current — renders your current unsaved edits against built-in sample data. The quickest way to verify a change.
  • Preview from Database — search a real rental by RA number or surname, select the contract status and output type, and render against actual data. The form saves automatically before the preview runs.

Note: Printing happens at the counter, not in the editor. During Check-Out, Check-In, or Modify, the system offers the forms allocated to that transaction. The editor is only for design.

Document settings

Page orientation (portrait or landscape), size (default 816 x 1056 px = US Letter), margins, and the default font, size, and colour are all stored in the template and preserved on save. New text defaults to Arial, 10 px, black.


Section 15: Keyboard Reference

On macOS, use Cmd in place of Ctrl.

Editing

  • Ctrl+S — Save
  • Ctrl+Z — Undo · Ctrl+Y — Redo
  • Ctrl+C / V — Copy / Paste (pasted items offset by +20 px)
  • Ctrl+D — Duplicate (offset by +15 px)
  • Delete / Backspace — Delete the selected field

Positioning & drawing

  • Arrow keys — Nudge 1 px
  • Shift + arrows — Nudge 10 px
  • Ctrl/Cmd-click — Add to selection
  • Esc or right-click — Exit box-draw mode

Note: Shortcuts are disabled while typing in a text field, and disabled entirely on read-only system templates (shown with a "View Only" label).


Section 16: Reference & FAQ

Common questions

Question Answer
A field shows grey text — is that an error? No. Data fields appear grey on the canvas to indicate they're live placeholders. They print in normal black.
The counter shows "No print forms configured." The form isn't allocated to that transaction. Go to the form list ▸ form menu ▸ Manage Allocations.
An AND/OR condition only honours the first rule. The Simple builder saves only one rule. Use conditional variants or separate fields for multi-condition logic.
A field can't be moved or selected. It's locked. Unlock it on the library's Design tab.
Nothing can be edited; "View Only" is shown. It's a system template. Duplicate it to create an editable copy.
I get the wrong value in a condition comparison. A bare word in the Value field (e.g. fuelIn) is read as another field. A number (e.g. 25) or text is a literal value.
I made a mistake. Ctrl+Z, or click Discard to revert to the last save, or Restore an earlier version.
Two columns print the same value. A duplicate field binding — check the warning on the table's Details tab.

Recommended practices

  • Pair labels with data. A static "Renter Name:" beside reads clearly. Don't rely on data fields alone.
  • Save often, with notes. Each save is a restorable version. A brief note like "Added deposit line" makes the history easy to navigate.
  • Preview each stage. Switch the Preview-mode selector through Check-Out, Modify, and Check-In to confirm every copy looks right.
  • Use conditions instead of duplicates. One field with multiple conditions is cleaner than several near-identical fields stacked on top of each other.