In a form, fields may be mandatory or optional. Mandatory fields must be marked with an asterisk (*) to inform the user that they must complete the field.
Guidelines
- All mandatory fields must be marked with an asterisk (for example, even if there is only one field in the form, or all fields in the form are mandatory)
- Include instructions before the form starts to clearly indicate what the asterisks mean
- Don’t add asterisks to searches and filters as they are optional to engage with
- Don’t assume that users will know what field are required vs optional.
How to mark a field as mandatory
To indicate that a field is mandatory on a webform:
- Edit the element and then scroll down to the Form Validation accordion.
- Select the Required checkbox to indicate that the field is mandatory.
- Enter error message text in the Required message field to provide instructions to the user if the field is not completed. If left blank, the default message will be ‘[Field name] is required’
Need any more help?
If you have any questions, or require assistance with anything mentioned in this article, submit a request via the webform.