Publish XLSForm support articles

source/edit_forms_excel.md

@@ -1,18 +1,72 @@
-# Editing Forms in Excel using XLSForm
-**Last updated:** <a href="https://github.com/kobotoolbox/docs/blob/511ea4cb3c698a4b45e7c2b4efd1af4e356e811f/source/edit_forms_excel.md" class="reference">15 Feb 2022</a>
+# Introduction to XLSForm
 
-KoboToolbox is building its forms using a widely shared standard called
-[XLSForm](http://xlsform.org/en/). XLSForm makes it possible to create very
-complex electronic forms in Excel (or any other spreadsheet program).
+KoboToolbox relies on [XLSForm](http://xlsform.org/en/), a standard for designing electronic forms in Excel or other spreadsheet programs. XLSForm makes it easier to manage complex forms, such as those with long choice lists or multiple translations. While the [KoboToolbox Formbuilder](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/formbuilder.html) offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface, XLSForm is recommended when working with advanced functionalities or complex forms.
 
-All forms created with KoboToolbox can be imported from or exported to XLSForm
-files. This means they are fully compatible with other related tools such as
-[ODK](https://opendatakit.org) or [Formhub](https://formhub.org).
+All forms in KoboToolbox are fully compatible with XLSForm. This means you can easily import and export your forms across KoboToolbox and other data collection platforms. XLSForm provides a standardized format for form development using common spreadsheet software, making it a practical option for collaboration and sharing.
 
-Editing a form in Excel can be an easy way to quickly make several changes to a
-form (for example for translating an entire form).
+This article covers the following topics:
 
-The XLSForm format is wonderfully documented [here](http://xlsform.org/en/).
+- Benefits of using XLSForm for form development
+- Overview of using XLSForm with KoboToolbox
+- Additional resources for learning XLSForm
+
+![image](/images/edit_forms_excel/sample_xlsform.png)
+
+<p class="note">
+  This article provides an introduction to XLSForm. To get started with building XLSForms, see <a class="reference" href="https://support.kobotoolbox.org/getting_started_xlsform.html">Getting started with XLSForm</a>.
+  <br><br>
+  For hands-on practice with form development using XLSForm, see <a class="reference" href="https://academy.kobotoolbox.org/courses/xlsform-fundamentals">KoboToolbox Academy’s online XLSForm Fundamentals Course</a>.
+</p>
+
+## Benefits of using XLSForm
+
+XLSForm provides numerous benefits for building both simple and complex data collection forms.
+
+### Efficient form building and editing
+
+XLSForm leverages familiar spreadsheet features for efficient form creation and modification. You can use Excel formulas and functionalities such as copy-pasting, dragging, Find and Replace, sorting, and filtering to quickly build and manage large forms.
+
+### Choice list management for multiple choice questions
+
+XLSForm makes it easy to create and manage [choice lists](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/option_choices_xls.html). You can copy long lists directly from external sources, reuse the same options across multiple questions, or duplicate them across forms, saving time, ensuring consistency, and reducing manual errors.
+
+### Version control and collaboration
+
+XLSForm simplifies sharing and managing form versions. As forms are Excel or Google Sheets files, teams can collaborate on them in real-time, share them for review, and maintain version records.
+
+### Form customization
+
+XLSForm allows you to fully tailor your forms to different needs. You can add and manage [multiple translations](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/language_xls.html) directly in your XLSForm to support multilingual data collection. You can easily set up complex form structures, such as [question groups](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/grouping_questions_xls.html) or [repeating sections](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/repeat_groups_xls.html). Additionally, you can connect your form to [external data sources](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/pull_data_kobotoolbox.html) and [other KoboToolbox projects](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/dynamic_data_attachment.html).
+
+### Advanced functionalities
+
+XLSForm makes it easier to use advanced form building functionalities, such as [skip logic](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/skip_logic_xls.html), [calculations](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/calculations_xls.html), and [constraints](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/constraints_xls.html). As an open standard, XLSForm also offers access to features that may not yet be supported by the KoboToolbox Formbuilder.
+
+## Using XLSForm with KoboToolbox
+
+XLSForm seamlessly integrates with KoboToolbox for form building, previewing, editing, and deployment for data collection.
+
+Users can begin in the KoboToolbox Formbuilder by creating a new form and adding questions, then [download their form](https://support.kobotoolbox.org/xlsform_with_kobotoolbox.html#downloading-an-xlsform-from-kobotoolbox) as an XLSForm for further customization. This provides a structured foundation, which can be useful for new projects or users with less form building experience.
+
+Forms created in XLSForm can then be uploaded to KoboToolbox for previewing, testing, editing, and deployment. Forms can be reviewed for errors and easily modified in KoboToolbox, such as changing the title or settings.
+
+<p class="note">
+  For more information, see <a class="reference" href="https://support.kobotoolbox.org/xlsform_with_kobotoolbox.html">Using XLSForm with KoboToolbox</a>.
+</p>
+
+## Additional XLSForm resources
+
+Numerous resources are available to help learn XLSForm and troubleshoot issues.
+
+KoboToolbox offers the following resources:
+
+- [KoboToolbox Help Center](https://support.kobotoolbox.org): An extensive documentation library with support articles about KoboToolbox and XLSForm.
+- [KoboToolbox XLSForm Fundamentals Course](https://academy.kobotoolbox.org/courses/xlsform-fundamentals): An online course developed by our team of experts, which covers a range of skills including creating an XLSForm from scratch, using form logic and calculations, and testing and deploying forms for data collection with KoboToolbox.
+- [KoboToolbox Community Forum](https://community.kobotoolbox.org): A space to connect with our global user community, to get help with custom form building or troubleshooting, and to share KoboToolbox resources.
+
+External resources include:
+
+- [XLSForm documentation](https://xlsform.org/en/): An extensive documentation website dedicated to XLSForm.
+- [XLSForm Reference and Template](https://xlsform.org/en/ref-table/): A detailed resource for creating and styling forms, including question types, appearances, and optional columns.
+- [ODK documentation](https://docs.getodk.org/form-reference/): Another extensive documentation website dedicated to XLSForm.
 
-When using XLSForm, you can create complex questions and forms, which are
-introduced in this site.