# Get started with Govform

Source: https://govform.com/resources/documentation/article/01-get-started-with-govforms
Topic: Tutorials

Create a practice service, find your way around Builder, edit some content and try the journey in User view. This is the first of three tutorials.

Sign in to Govform and choose a library where you can create and edit services. Use fictional details throughout these tutorials. The screenshots show the current Builder in dark mode; your library name, branding and available products may differ.

## 1\. Create a service

1.  Open your library and select **Services** in the Builder sidebar.
2.  Select **Create new service**, then **Use a template or example**.
3.  On **Choose a template or example**, set **Filter by type** to **Starter templates**. Choose **Page-by-page service** and select **Continue**.
4.  Enter a service name, such as “Tutorial 1 — first service”. Builder can generate the service ID from the name. To choose it yourself, expand **Change the service ID**; start with a lower-case letter and use lower-case letters, numbers and hyphens. The ID must be unique in this library.
5.  Select **Create service**.

![Create a service screen offering a blank service, templates, document upload and a written brief.](<https://govform.com/images/documentation/tutorials/01-create-a-service.jpg>)

Choose **Use a template or example** to start with a ready-made journey.

![Starter templates with Page-by-page service selected, alongside Task list service and Blank service.](<https://govform.com/images/documentation/tutorials/01-template-picker.jpg>)

The **Page-by-page service** starter includes questions, an exit route, check answers and a confirmation page.

## 2\. Explore the service

The new service opens in **Service content**. Use **List** for its pages and submission workflow, or **Flow** for a diagram of the routes. Select a page in the left sidebar to edit it. To return to the overview, select the service name in the sidebar’s **Location** trail.

![Service content in List view, with the page hierarchy on the left and form pages and submission workflow in the main area.](<https://govform.com/images/documentation/tutorials/01-service-content.jpg>)

**Service content** brings the journey together; **Service settings**, **Change management** and **Environments** apply to the whole service.

Open **Page 1: About this service**. Beneath the selected page, the sidebar shows **Page content**, **Page settings**, **Page flow conditions**, **Page validation** and **Page actions**. Selecting a component on the page opens its own settings pane on the right.

## 3\. Update content

1.  In **Page content**, select the introductory text to open **Standard content settings**.
2.  Under **Content**, choose **Text** mode. Replace the placeholder with: “Use this practice service to explore Govform. You can try the questions, check your answers and submit a test request.” Add a second paragraph: “Use fictional details while you learn.”
3.  Click outside the editor and wait for the settings pane to show **Saved**. The page preview updates with the saved wording.

![Standard content settings with the Text editor and the saved practice-service introduction.](<https://govform.com/images/documentation/tutorials/01-edit-content.jpg>)

Use **Text** and its toolbar for ordinary wording. **MD** and **HTML** expose the source for advanced edits.

Component settings in the side pane save automatically. Other screens and dialogs have buttons such as **Apply**, **Apply changes** or **Apply update**; use the save control shown on that screen before moving on. Text mode is an editor, so use the page preview or User view to check the rendered result.

## 4\. Test in User view

1.  Select **User view** in the service navigation. It opens the prototype in another tab.
2.  Check the edited introduction, then select **Continue**. Try continuing without answering the requirements question to see the required-answer error.
3.  Choose **Yes** and complete the sample questions with fictional details. Check the **Back** and **Change** links, then submit the practice request and check the confirmation.
4.  Open **User view tools → Reset prototype**, then select **Clear data and restart**. Try the requirements question again with **No**; you should reach the exit page.

![User view tools menu with Data inspector, Flow inspector and Reset prototype.](<https://govform.com/images/documentation/tutorials/01-user-view-tools.jpg>)

**User view tools** contains the inspector links and the prototype reset command.

User view tests the current saved design. It simulates integrations: it does not send real emails or call external systems. After editing Builder, refresh or restart the prototype as needed and repeat the affected steps.

## What you learned

-   Create a service with the current template picker.
-   Move between the service overview, pages and component settings.
-   Edit content and recognise when it has saved.
-   Test successful, invalid-input and exit routes in User view.

Continue with [Uploads and conditional page flow](<https://govform.com/resources/documentation/article/02-uploads-and-conditional-page-flow>).