The dataform module is a major enhancement of the standard Database activity module and is meant to offer all the functionality offered by the Database module and much more in a more flexible way.

The module allows the course manager to design and construct an entry form from various input elements (text and rich text fields, urls, files, pictures, etc.) in a flexible layout. Users can then add information records to a collection, which can be viewed in various ways and searched for particular items.

The dataform features include (among other things):

• A multiple views system - allows the instructor to design several different views of the entries in a datform activity. Each view can show a designated subset of the entries in a designated layout.
  
• Enhanced template tags - A new template tags system allows for exposing many more bits of information and makes it easy to add designated patterns in new field and view types.
• Enhanced entry actions - Bulk edit, duplicate, delete, approve etc. Inline editing. Form editing options such as required fields (via Moodle forms).
• New packaging system - based on Moodle backup/restore and allows for packaing a dataform instance and restoring into an existing instance.
• Enhanced filtering system - allows the instructor to define different filters each of which can determine sort (including nested sort) and search options (various search criteria). Filters can be fixed to particular views or applied on the file from the activity main page (if included in the view template).
  

New view/field types include (among others):

• Tabular view - a view type which allows for displaying the entries in a table. The design of the entries table has been simplified to drawing the desired table with optional header row and an entry row in the moodle editor.
• Nanogong field - a field type for adding audio content to an entry via the nanogong applet.
• Calculated field - a field type which can display a result of a simple calculation on one or two number fields in the entry.