diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index e8e4a7c1..24322b98 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ en:
     custom_title: "Wizard"
     field:
       too_short: "%{label} must be at least %{min} characters"
+      required: "%{label} is required."
     none: "We couldn't find a wizard at that address."
     no_skip: "Wizard can't be skipped"
     export:
diff --git a/lib/custom_wizard/builder.rb b/lib/custom_wizard/builder.rb
index a9157c2b..53cbe4d3 100644
--- a/lib/custom_wizard/builder.rb
+++ b/lib/custom_wizard/builder.rb
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class CustomWizard::Builder
 
           next if updater.errors.any?
 
-          data = updater.fields.to_h
+          data = updater.fields
 
           ## if the wizard has data from the previous steps make that accessible to the actions.
           if @submissions && @submissions.last && !@submissions.last.key?("submitted_at")
@@ -324,13 +324,17 @@ class CustomWizard::Builder
   def validate_field(field, updater, step_template)
     value = updater.fields[field['id']]
     min_length = false
+    label = field['label'] || I18n.t("#{field['key']}.label")
+    
+    if field['required'] && !value
+      updater.errors.add(field['id'].to_s, I18n.t('wizard.field.required', label: label))
+    end
 
     if is_text_type(field)
       min_length = field['min_length']
     end
 
     if min_length && value.is_a?(String) && value.strip.length < min_length.to_i
-      label = field['label'] || I18n.t("#{field['key']}.label")
       updater.errors.add(field['id'].to_s, I18n.t('wizard.field.too_short', label: label, min: min_length.to_i))
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/custom_wizard/step_updater.rb b/lib/custom_wizard/step_updater.rb
index c521924c..80428202 100644
--- a/lib/custom_wizard/step_updater.rb
+++ b/lib/custom_wizard/step_updater.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class CustomWizard::StepUpdater
     @wizard = wizard
     @step = step
     @refresh_required = false
-    @fields = fields
+    @fields = fields.to_h.with_indifferent_access
     @result = {}
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/components/custom_wizard/builder_spec.rb b/spec/components/custom_wizard/builder_spec.rb
index b5be4ca4..22d3a708 100644
--- a/spec/components/custom_wizard/builder_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/custom_wizard/builder_spec.rb
@@ -12,16 +12,40 @@ describe CustomWizard::Builder do
     ).read)
   end
   
+  let(:permitted_params) {[{"key":"param_key","value":"submission_param_key"}]}
+  let(:required_data) {[{"key":"nickname","connector":"equals","value":"name"}]}
+  let(:required_data_message) {"Nickname is required to match your name"}
+  let(:checkbox_field) {{"id":"checkbox","type":"checkbox","label":"Checkbox"}}
+  let(:composer_field) {{"id": "composer","label":"Composer","type":"composer"}}
+  let(:dropdown_categories_field) {{"id": "dropdown_categories","type": "dropdown","label": "Dropdown Categories","choices_type": "preset","choices_preset": "categories"}}
+  let(:tag_field) {{"id": "tag","type": "tag","label": "Tag","limit": "2"}}
+  let(:category_field) {{"id": "category","type": "category","limit": "1","label": "Category"}}
+  let(:image_field) {{"id": "image","type": "image","label": "Image"}}
+  let(:text_field) {{"id": "text","type": "text","min_length": "12","label": "Text"}}
+  let(:textarea_field) {{"id": "textarea","type": "textarea","min_length": "40","label": "Textarea"}}
+  let(:text_only_field) {{"id": "text_only","type": "text-only","label": "Text only"}}
+  let(:upload_field) {{"id": "upload","type": "upload","file_types": ".jpg,.png,.pdf","label": "Upload"}}
+  let(:user_selector_field) {{"id": "user_selector","type": "user-selector","label": "User selector"}}
+  let(:dropdown_groups_field) {{"id": "dropdown_groups","type": "dropdown","choices_type": "preset","choices_preset": "groups","label": "Dropdown Groups"}}
+  let(:dropdown_tags_field) {{"id": "dropdown_tags","type": "dropdown","choices_type": "preset","choices_preset": "tags","label": "Dropdown Tags"}}
+  let(:dropdown_custom_field) {{"id": "dropdown_custom","type": "dropdown","choices_type": "custom","choices": [{"key": "option_1","value": "Option 1"},{"key": "option_2","value": "Option 2"}]}}
+  let(:dropdown_translation_field) {{"id": "dropdown_translation","type": "dropdown","choices_type": "translation","choices_key": "key1.key2"}}
+  let(:dropdown_categories_filtered_field) {{"id": "dropdown_categories_filtered_field","type": "dropdown","choices_type": "preset","choices_preset": "categories","choices_filters": [{"key": "slug","value": "staff"}]}}
+  
   def build_wizard(t = template, u = user, build_opts = {}, params = {})
     CustomWizard::Wizard.add_wizard(t)
     CustomWizard::Builder.new(u, 'welcome').build(build_opts, params)
   end
   
-  def add_submission_data
-    PluginStore.set("welcome_submissions", user.id,
+  def add_submission_data(data = {})
+    PluginStore.set("welcome_submissions", user.id, {
       name: 'Angus',
       website: 'https://thepavilion.io'
-    )
+    }.merge(data))
+  end
+  
+  def get_submission_data
+    PluginStore.get("welcome_submissions", user.id)
   end
   
   it "returns no steps when disabled" do
@@ -84,76 +108,77 @@ describe CustomWizard::Builder do
       end
       
       it 'saves permitted params' do
-        template['steps'][0]['permitted_params'] = [
-          {
-            "key": "param_key",
-            "value": "submission_param_key"
-          }
-        ]
+        template['steps'][0]['permitted_params'] = permitted_params
         wizard = build_wizard(template, user, {}, param_key: 'param_value')
-        submissions = PluginStore.get("welcome_submissions", user.id)
+        submissions = get_submission_data
         expect(submissions.first['submission_param_key']).to eq('param_value')
       end
       
-      it 'ensures required data is present' do
-      
-      end
-    end
-    
-    context 'building fields' do
-      it 'returns field data correctly' do
-      
+      it 'is not permitted if required data is not present' do
+        template['steps'][0]['required_data'] = required_data
+        expect(build_wizard(template, user).steps[0].permitted).to eq(false)
       end
       
-      it 'returns checkbox fields correctly' do
-      
+      it "is not permitted if required data is not present" do
+        template['steps'][0]['required_data'] = required_data
+        add_submission_data(nickname: "John")
+        expect(build_wizard(template, user).steps[0].permitted).to eq(false)
       end
       
-      it 'returns upload fields correctly' do
-      
+      it 'it shows required data message if required data has message' do
+        template['steps'][0]['required_data'] = required_data
+        template['steps'][0]['required_data_message'] = required_data_message
+        add_submission_data(nickname: "John")
+        wizard = build_wizard(template, user)
+        expect(wizard.steps[0].permitted).to eq(false)
+        expect(wizard.steps[0].permitted_message).to eq(required_data_message)
       end
       
-      it 'returns category fields correctly' do
-      
+      it 'is permitted if required data is present' do
+        template['steps'][0]['required_data'] = required_data
+        PluginStore.set('welcome_submissions', user.id, nickname: "Angus", name: "Angus")
+        expect(build_wizard(template, user).steps[0].permitted).to eq(true)
       end
       
-      it 'returns tag fields correctly' do
-      
+      it 'returns field metadata' do
+        expect(build_wizard(template, user).steps[0].fields[0].label).to eq("<p>Name</p>")
+        expect(build_wizard(template, user).steps[0].fields[0].type).to eq("text")
       end
       
-      it 'returns custom dropdown fields correctly' do
-      
-      end
-      
-      it 'returns translated dropdown fields correctly' do
-      
-      end
-      
-      it 'returns preset dropdown fields correctly' do
-      
-      end
-      
-      it 'applies preset dropdown filters correctly' do
-      
-      end
-      
-      it 'prefils profile data correctly' do
-      
+      it 'returns fields' do
+        template['steps'][0]['fields'][1] = checkbox_field
+        expect(build_wizard(template, user).steps[0].fields.length).to eq(2)
       end
     end
     
     context 'on update' do
       context 'validation' do
-        it 'applies min length correctly' do
-        
+        it 'applies min length' do
+          template['steps'][0]['fields'][0]['min_length'] = 10
+          wizard = build_wizard(template, user)
+          updater = wizard.create_updater(template['steps'][0]['id'], name: 'short')
+          updater.update
+          expect(updater.errors.messages[:name].first).to eq(
+            I18n.t('wizard.field.too_short', label: 'Name', min: 10)
+          ) 
         end
         
         it 'standardises boolean entries' do
-        
+          template['steps'][0]['fields'][0] = checkbox_field
+          wizard = build_wizard(template, user)
+          updater = wizard.create_updater(template['steps'][0]['id'], checkbox: 'false')
+          updater.update
+          submissions = get_submission_data
+          expect(submissions.first['checkbox']).to eq(false)
         end
         
         it 'requires required fields' do
-          ## this may require additional work?
+          wizard = build_wizard
+          updater = wizard.create_updater(template['steps'][0]['id'], other_field: 'other')
+          updater.update
+          expect(updater.errors.messages[:name].first).to eq(
+            I18n.t('wizard.field.required', label: 'Name')
+          ) 
         end
         
         context 'submisisons' do