How to customize tab navigation for form fields

In BoldSign, form fields are automatically assigned a tab order for keyboard navigation. By default, fields are navigated from top to bottom and left to right. You can customize this navigation order by assigning a Tab Index value to individual form fields while preparing a document.

Customize the Tab order

Follow the steps below to customize tab navigation for form fields:

• Click on Create New and select the Create New Document option.
• You will be directed to the Prepare document for signing page. Upload the required files in the Add file(s) section and add the recipients.

• Fill in any other required fields and click the Next button to go to the Configure Fields page.
• On the configure fields page, drag and drop the required form fields to your desired location within the document. When you drag and drop a form field onto the document, the form field settings will appear on the right side of the screen. Here, you can customize the properties of the form field based on your requirements.
• Select a form field to open its properties panel. In the Tab Index field, enter a number to specify when the field should receive focus during keyboard navigation.
  • For example, if fields are assigned Tab Index values 1, 2, 3, and 4, pressing the Tab key moves the cursor through the fields in the ascending order.
  • Press Shift + Tab to move through the fields in reverse order.
• The assigned Tab Index value is displayed on the document during preparation.

Tab Index behavior

• By default, the Tab Index is set to Auto. Fields with the default setting are navigated based on their position in the document, from top to bottom and left to right.
• Fields with a custom Tab Index value are prioritized during keyboard navigation. When a recipient presses the Tab key, focus moves through these fields first in ascending order of their Tab Index values.
• After all fields with custom Tab Index values have been navigated, the remaining fields with the Auto setting are navigated based on their position in the document, from top to bottom and left to right.
• Multiple fields can share the same Tab Index value. In this case, they are navigated according to their position in the document, from top to bottom and left to right.
• To exclude a form field from keyboard navigation, set its Tab Index value to -1.

Send the document

• After configuring the required Tab Index values, click Send to send the document for signature.
• When recipients sign the document, pressing the Tab key moves focus through the form fields according to the configured Tab Index settings. Press Shift + Tab to navigate through the fields in reverse order.

We have also published a video tutorial on this topic. Check out the video below: