Configuring the AI assistant (DNN)

The AI Designer needs a model behind it. Configuration is one panel: dashboard → Settings → AI Settings.

What you set

Save, then open the builder — the ✨ AI Designer and the dashboard's Create with AI light up immediately. If the key is missing or the license is trial-locked, the AI buttons explain instead of failing silently.

Scope & safety

• On DNN, the AI provider configuration uses host-wide settings shared across portals.
• The AI surface is admin-only — visitors never trigger model calls.
• Model calls carry the form-design catalog, not your submission data; database-aware design reads schema metadata over allow-listed connections with SELECT-only proof queries (see AI form designer).
• The same key powers Translate (AI) in the Languages manager.

Create and refine forms with AI

Start with a clear English request: name the purpose, fields, validation and layout. Configure a provider in Settings → AI Settings before sending the request.

The recording shows the current AI Creator and the missing-key check on this local installation. It does not show a generated form. A successful generation and AI editing recording requires a working provider configuration.

Create a new form

1. Choose Create with AI on the dashboard.
2. Describe the form in English. For example: Create a workshop registration form with Full Name, Email, Address composite, Workshop choice, Notes and Consent. Use a clean two-column layout.
3. Send the request and review the live preview. Refine the request if the proposed fields or design need changes.
4. Use Open Builder to review field properties, storage and workflow. Save and test the form before publishing.

Refine a form or a gallery template

Open the saved form in the builder and select AI Designer. Ask for a specific change, such as Make Email required and put First Name and Last Name in one row. Review the result on the canvas, use Undo where needed, and save only the changes you want.

For templates, preserve the existing design and field keys unless the request explicitly calls for changing them. Check both desktop and mobile previews after a layout change.

If generation cannot start

No API key configured means the host needs AI credentials. Check provider, Base URL, model, key and the AI enable switch. Do not put API keys in prompts or documentation.

AI prompts for form design (DNN)

The AI Designer responds best to prompts that name fields, types and rules explicitly. These patterns are tested wording — paste, adapt, send.

Creating a form (dashboard → ✨ Create with AI)

Create an event registration form: full name, work email (validated), company, ticket type as radio buttons (Standard / VIP / Student), attendance date, dietary notes as long text, and a consent checkbox that must be ticked.

Build a job application form with a two-column name row, email, phone, a file upload for the CV (PDF only, max 5 MB), years of experience as a number, and a rating for "How well do you know .NET?" from 1 to 5.

Editing the open form (builder → ✨ AI Designer)

Add a star rating field named "Overall satisfaction" after the last field.

Make Full Name required and limit Short Text to 200 characters.

Put First name and Last name side by side in one row.

Add a dropdown "Department" with options HR, IT, Finance, Operations — default to IT.

Split this form into two steps: contact details first, everything else on step 2.

Conditional logic

Show the "Company name" field only when "Are you registering for a company?" is Yes.

If Amount is greater than 5000, require the "Manager email" field.

Database-aware design (the panel's Database tab)

Create a form for the Stores table: dropdowns for Country and Currency from their tables, and insert each submission into dbo.Stores.

Add a dropdown "Vendor" whose options come from dbo.Vendors ordered by name.

What makes prompts work

• Name the field and its type — "a star rating field named X", not "some way to rate".
• One intent per message for edits; batch whole structures only at create-time.
• State the rule, not the implementation — "must be a valid email" beats "add a regex".
• The AI applies validated operations and the form stays a Draft — experiment freely, undo is right there, and nothing is public until you publish.