server/AyaNova/biz/FormCustomBiz.cs

@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
                             }
 
                             //validate if it's a custom field that it has a type specified
-                             if (MasterFormField.Custom && formFieldItem["type"]==null){
+                            if (MasterFormField.Custom && formFieldItem["type"] == null)
+                            {
                                 AddError(ApiErrorCode.VALIDATION_INVALID_VALUE, "Template", $"Template array item {i}, \"type\" property value is MISSING for custom filed, Custom fields MUST have types specified");
                             }
 
@@ -238,7 +239,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
 
                         }
 
-TODO: why is required required if it's just a regular field being hidden?
+                        //other code depends on seeing the required value even if it's not set to true
                         if (formFieldItem["required"] == null)
                             AddError(ApiErrorCode.VALIDATION_REQUIRED, "Template", $"Template array item {i}, object is missing required \"required\" property ");
 

server/AyaNova/util/Seeder.cs

@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.Util
                                             },
                                             {
                                             ""fld"": ""WidgetSerial"",
+                                             ""required"": ""false"",
                                             ""hide"": ""true""
                                             },
                                             {