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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Lightning Tools Lightning Forms

    Score9.1 out of 10
    Enterprise companies (1,001+ employees)
    Lightning Forms is a SharePoint list form design tool that aims to enable users to improve the logic, layout and styling of responsive SharePoint Forms. Lightning Forms offers cascading lookups, customized buttons with actions, repeating lists integration, tab controls, styling and conditional control formatting, calculations, and expressions. These features help users to build business forms within SharePoint and offers an alternative to InfoPath Forms.

    $2,200

    per year per installation

    Submittable

    Score8.9 out of 10
    N/ASubmittable offers tools to launch, measure, and grow social impact programs, locally and globally. From grants and scholarships to awards and CSR programs, Submittable partners with users to make a difference. The vendor states Submittable has supported over 95,000 social impact programs, receiving nearly 20 million applications, and that teams save an average of 12 hours per week and launch in an average of 14 days.

    $10,000

    per year

    Pricing
    Lightning Tools Lightning FormsSubmittable
    Editions & Modules
    Lightning Forms OnPrem
    From $2000
    per year per installation
    Lightning Forms Plus OnPrem
    From $3500
    per year per installation
    Lightning Forms OnPrem Enterprise Edition
    POA
    per year per installation
    Lightning Forms (Online)
    From $2200
    per year per installation
    Form Designer Suite (Online)
    From $4000
    per year per installation
    Lightning Forms Enterprise Edition (Online)
    POA
    per year per installation
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Lightning Tools Lightning FormsSubmittable
    Free Trial
    YesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsPrices stated are minimum per installation for "stock" products. $2.2 & $4.00 per user/year for each product ion top of base price. Enterprise editions can be amended to suit business needs if deemed necessary, additional costs incurred and TBD. All packages include free technical support. Free upgrades available to latest versions of tool as they are released. (online versions)—
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Lightning Tools Lightning FormsSubmittable
    Considered Both Products
    Lightning Tools
    No answer on this topic
    Submittable
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    90%
    Would buy again
    74 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    94%
    Delivers good value for the price
    61 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    89%
    Happy with the feature set
    73 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    92%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    55 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    90%
    Implementation went as expected
    61 Answers
    Features
    Lightning Tools Lightning FormsSubmittable
    Survey Format & Appearance
    Comparison of Survey Format & Appearance features of Lightning Tools Lightning Forms and Submittable
    Feature
    Lightning Tools Lightning Forms
    8.2
    1 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Submittable
    -
    Ratings
    Custom logo/branding8.21 Ratings00 Ratings
    Survey Content
    Comparison of Survey Content features of Lightning Tools Lightning Forms and Submittable
    Feature
    Lightning Tools Lightning Forms
    8.6
    1 Ratings
    1% above category average
    Submittable
    -
    Ratings
    Changes to live survey9.11 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multiple question types8.21 Ratings00 Ratings
    Survey Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Survey Reporting & Analytics features of Lightning Tools Lightning Forms and Submittable
    Feature
    Lightning Tools Lightning Forms
    9.1
    2 Ratings
    11% above category average
    Submittable
    -
    Ratings
    Data export9.12 Ratings00 Ratings
    Standard reports9.11 Ratings00 Ratings
    Survey Administration & Security
    Comparison of Survey Administration & Security features of Lightning Tools Lightning Forms and Submittable
    Feature
    Lightning Tools Lightning Forms
    9.1
    2 Ratings
    5% above category average
    Submittable
    -
    Ratings
    Access controls9.12 Ratings00 Ratings
    Compliance9.11 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Lightning Tools Lightning FormsSubmittable
    Small Businesses
    Jotform
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Blackbaud Grantmaking
    Score9 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Qualaroo
    Score7 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    Enterprises
    QuestionPro
    Score9.2 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Lightning Tools Lightning FormsSubmittable
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    9.0
    (83 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (6 ratings)
    Usability
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    7.9
    (79 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    10.0
    (5 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.1
    (2 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (4 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.0
    (3 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.3
    (4 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.0
    (3 ratings)
    Professional Services
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.4
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Lightning Tools Lightning FormsSubmittable
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Lightning Tools
    Overall, there are many use cases for which Lightning Forms provides a slick, easy to develop and extremely useful solution. Request forms that need to be actioned and inspection forms are the scenarios that we have used them for so far, which have seen a lot of success. We have decided that other scenarios that are perhaps more sensitive, for instance forms that may contain special category data relating to our customers, are less appropriate given the permissions/licensing constraints of both SharePoint and Lightning Forms.
    Read full review
    Submittable
    Submittable is great for grant management, grantmaking, and scholarship awards. It's a very useful tool also when there are multiple reviewers and committees involved in the assessment of the application. The table feature is helpful, but to download the information in a usable report is a pain. Overall a very useful tool for funding.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Lightning Tools
    • Simple user interface - users of the forms intuitively aware of how/where to input information. This is in part due to being able to show or hide different questions or areas of the form, and making them required or not, based on previous answers.
    • Low/simple code - building complex forms with automation and multiple dependencies or lookups is relatively easy once you get started. You have the power of JavaScript to use and do some quite clever things if you can get to grips with it - a lot of solutions are only a Google away.
    • As it is based on SharePoint, it integrates perfectly with the rest of the M365 suite. Things like PowerAutomate enhance its functionality even further.
    Read full review
    Submittable
    • Form-logic: Allows application forms to adjust based on answers to crucial questions (if-then-else) so that all applications don't have to see extended questions that may not apply to them or their situation.
    • Messaging Platform: This platform allows interactions with applicants or internal review teams to be associated with the specific submission, allowing for an easier, complete view of an application being considered and as an audit trail.
    • Good Voting/Polling Management: It makes it easier to record the latest vote/feedback from assigned team members and allows customization of the vote/feedback review as a form. It also summarizes the votes for easy review in a submissions dashboard view.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Lightning Tools
    • The styling of the form can sometimes be slightly awkward to use depending on what you're looking to do. For instance, if I was looking to highlight fields that users have missed (left empty), I would need to set up a validation for that question and then set a style for that particular field for when it is invalid. When you have a large and complex form with lots of dependencies, this is awkward.
    • Support for complex and niche issues is slightly lacking in my experience. I submitted a helpdesk ticket for help with a strange issue I couldn't figure out, which took several weeks to get a response to. Because it is niche, it's more difficult to find an answer by searching the internet. Luckily, knowing there is likely to always be a fix if you find the right place/use the right formula, I manage to resolve the issue with some trial and error.
    • It is disappointing that Lightning Forms does not integrate with the MS Lists app. Having the ability to access the form through the list app would add in a lot of useful functionality, including a better experience for users when taking photos to add as attachments.
    Read full review
    Submittable
    • We are some of the earliest users of employee volunteerism, so there have been some things to work out. However, because of that, we've gotten a lot of one-on-one support to help make minor tweaks to the system in a way that works for us.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    We use this software annually to help with our grant processes. Without it, I'd be so lost! Our team relies on the data from our past years to sift applications and we try to prioritize those who have applied and been a finalist but perhaps didn't win in years prior
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Lightning Tools
    It is very user friendly both to me who is building the content (with little background knowledge of coding etc., other than what I have picked up from using products like PowerAutomate, PowerBI, a bit of html etc.) and to end users of varying levels of IT proficiency. This has been extremely important as we have used the forms to make relatively large process changes, and need to have our users on board and seeing that it is actually easier than it was before.
    Read full review
    Submittable
    A submittable requires a great deal of thought to set up. It would be best if you really did an outline and flowcharting. Once you have a detailed plan and set up the system, you have to think of the process that you would manually do step-by-step to deal with the what-ifs; it’s beautiful. The ability to Clone events is invaluable. The onboarding can be complex, but the ease of use afterward is worth it.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    We have thankfully never experienced an outage nor been affected by a technology issue on Submittable's side that has delayed our grant process. We have instead been able to distribute over $6M in donated dollars to AAPI small business owners because Submittable is trustworthy and available
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    We've had a quick and efficient submittable experience that has always been easy to use. When we need a report it downloads within seconds, even the larger reports are 30 seconds or less to download. Pages are quick to load and reports complete in a more than reasonable time frame
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Lightning Tools
    Some support has been okay, but in one instance of a fairly complex problem, the support team were not able to provide me with a fix within a few weeks, before I was able to find a workaround myself.
    Read full review
    Submittable
    I think that they are good at answering our questions and solving our problems. We occasionally get reports from applicants about problems the Submittable team has not solved, but I do not know what the applicant has done to get the problem solved.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    We have been using this for many years but my memory is that we had a
    human walk us through how to use basic features. We also used the
    resource library to learn about specific topics or issues as they came
    up.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Online Training
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    10/10 because we were able to meet virtually and still get all of our questions answered! Online was effective too because we could easily record the sessions and review them later. Since we had to onboard our reviewers virtually, it was actually convenient that this was the same method we learned how to use the entire program virtually too.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    I would say, provide Submittable as much detailed information on your planned use of the platform and your desires with the platform as possible, and the implementation will be tailored to accommodate your organization with minimal lag time and issues/problems.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Lightning Tools
    We were using Microsoft Forms, SharePoint Lists and PowerAutomate to attempt to do much of what we are currently doing. Functionality is very limited in comparison. The ability to make questions required based on previous answers was a massive improvement from normal SharePoint List forms and has greatly improved the quality of data. Also just the very visual display and customisation is much better.
    Read full review
    Submittable
    Submittable isn't in the same league as these other platforms. It's trying to get there but it's been a rocky road. Neither customer support nor the account people we've dealt with at Submittable seem particularly knowledgeable about how the product actually works for foundations and can't provide detailed recommendations for how to use the product more effectively. The decision to use Submittable was made before I came on board. We are moving to another platform next year, probably SmartSimple.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    I wish we could choose our own number of applications we want for the year and have the price be changed because we are in-between buyable numbers and always have to add more applications at the end of the year
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    We have been easily able to grow. Not only are we able to process different applications, but Submittable makes it easy to add applications onto our plan. Additionally, their eligibility form before the application does a good job of screening applicants so we do not pay for extra applications.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Professional Services
    Lightning Tools
    No answers on this topic
    Submittable
    Very professional
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Lightning Tools
    • We changed the process by which site colleagues report repairs on behalf of customers. Instead of emailing them into a shared inbox, they now report them using a lightning form. We have seen a great improvement in the time taken for our team to log the repair issue from the time is arrives with them.
    • We anticipate that streamlining our void property reletting process by using a SharePoint kanban board view with lightning forms (providing a single platform for all things void) will reduce avoidable days vacant and therefore reduce our void loss.
    Read full review
    Submittable
    • Time is money! Submittable has eliminated many tasks I used to do manually, thus freeing my time for other work.
    • Decreased support calls and emails from applicants- Our applicants are able to successfully access and apply for our grants.
    • No internal IT support needed to use this platform. That team is able to focus on their larger business projects and needs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Lightning Tools Lightning Forms Screenshots

    Screenshot of SHAREPOINT MODERN LIST FORM DESIGN
Lightning Forms offers the ability to redesign SharePoint List forms to reflect the business needs. Lightning Forms can be used to transform the SharePoint List Forms such as New Form, Edit Form, and Display Form to meet any business requirements of a business form or business solution. The layout can be improved to suit the needs of the business, add business logic, and include styling and conditional formatting. All of this can be achieved while retaining the modern, responsive SharePoint list forms.Screenshot of THE CONTEXTUAL DESIGN EXPERIENCE
Lightning Forms provides a design experience for SharePoint Modern List Forms with the context of the form being customized. Logic can be tested with existing list items, expressions can be built using existing fields belonging to the list being modified, and changes tested without committing changes to the list. The original design can be restored if needed. Having the context of the SharePoint List within the design tool also means that any environment values such as user profiles and site properties can be used and tested within the design experience.Screenshot of SHAREPOINT LIST FORM DESIGN WITHOUT CODE OR COMPLEXITY
With Lightning Forms, expressions can be built for calculating field values, hiding fields and other controls, adding actions to buttons or the form load experience. The user does not need to be a programmer to accomplish adding business logic. The Lightning Forms expression builder guides the user through expressions. Issues with expressions are explained in the interface and can also be tested without existing from the design experience.Screenshot of ADDING STYLE TO SHAREPOINT LIST FORMS
Modern SharePoint List Forms are responsive, and modern looking. The colours of controls adhere to the theme applied to a SharePoint site. Lightning Tools doesn’t break from that modern experience, but it does allow users to add styling and conditional formatting to any control on a form. This can be used to highlight to users where they have incorrectly completed the form. Tabs can be highlighted, border colours and labels changed based upon conditions to make form completion intuitive.Screenshot of NEW ACTIONS BUILDER
In the new Actions Builder, multiple actions can be dragged into a condition block. The conditions have an ‘If Yes’ and an ‘If No’ section. Therefore multiple actions can be dragged into the relevant sections to save time. The new interface allows users to drag and drop the actions into the sequence that they should run. Drag and drop conditional blocks can be used to save repeating condition rules against each action.Screenshot of MANAGING VARIABLES
Variables can also be used to calculate a value and then retrieve it multiple times. This update saves a lot of time as ordinarily it would need to be completed  for each new form.