# RichText

_How to add and configure a RichText field in the Notebook Editor._

---

## What This Field Does

A Rich Text field displays formatted instructional content within a
form — it is a display-only field, not a data entry field. Collectors
see the content but cannot edit or enter data into it. Use it for
section headings, methodological instructions, safety warnings,
procedural guidance, or any static text that helps orient collectors
within the form.

## Adding the Field

To add this field, open the
[ADD A FIELD dialog](../shared-settings/adding-a-field.md), navigate to the
**DISPLAY** tab, and click the **RichText** card. Then click the
**ADD FIELD** button in the lower right.

> **Note:** The DISPLAY tab may not be visible in the tab bar
> initially — click the **›** arrow button on the right side of the tab
> bar to scroll until it appears.

```{screenshot} field-types-design/rich-text-01-add-field.png
:alt: Adding a Rich Text — the DISPLAY tab in the ADD A FIELD dialog
:align: right
:width: 100%
```

## Configuring the Field

Click the field's **grey header bar** to expand it and see its settings.
For an overview of the settings shared by all fields — including Label,
Helper Text, Field ID, and the field toolbar — see
[Field Identity](../shared-settings/field-identity.md) and
[Field Toolbar](../shared-settings/field-toolbar.md).

Give the field a meaningful Label, review the auto-populated
Field ID, and add any desired Helper Text.

```{screenshot} field-types-design/rich-text-02-configured.png
:alt: Rich Text configuration in the {{Notebook}} Editor
:align: right
:width: 100%
```

### Rich Text-Specific Settings

The Rich Text field provides a **content editor** for authoring the
display content, available in two modes:

| Setting            | What It Does                                                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Content editor** | A Markdown editor where you write the content that will be displayed in the form. Supports both a visual WYSIWYG mode and a source Markdown mode — toggle between them as needed. |

The editor supports standard Markdown formatting: **bold**, _italic_,
headings, lists, and links. You can also insert images as Base64-encoded
data through the editor's image upload feature.

> **Note:** Tables created in the editor will appear correctly in the
> Notebook Editor but are stripped at runtime and will not display in the
> data collection app.

### Shared Field Options

Configure any of the shared field options as needed.

For settings shared across all field types — including Required,
Annotation, Uncertainty, Conditions, Copy value to new records,
and Display in child records — see
[Field Options](../shared-settings/field-options.md).

## Tips

- **Place Rich Text fields at the top of sections** to orient
  collectors before they begin entering data. Example: "Record all
  visible features in this trench section. Photograph before
  excavation."
- **Keep text concise** — field workers are typically reading in
  bright sunlight on a small screen. Short, imperative sentences
  work best. Avoid lengthy paragraphs.
- **Use Conditions to show context-sensitive guidance** — for example,
  display a safety warning only when a "Hazardous site" option is
  selected elsewhere in the form. This keeps the form clean for
  routine entries while providing critical information when needed.