Setting up forms that collect useful data: best practices

A few habits that make your forms collect data you can actually use, and show you where your sign-ups come from. For the steps of building one, see How to create a form.

Give every channel and location its own link

Every place you collect sign-ups can have its own link and QR code, so you can see straight away which one works. Open the form, click Share form and fill in a Source under Share a link, for example store-utrecht. You get a separate URL and QR code for that store, flyer or campaign. With 4 stores, an Instagram promotion and a sign-up on your website, that’s 6 sources on one form.

Every submission that comes in through such a link shows its source in the Source column under Submissions. You can also build a contact list on it: add a Form submission filter and choose the Source.

A source keeps letters, numbers, spaces, dots, dashes and underscores, up to 100 characters. Anything else is dropped from it.

When a location needs different questions or its own look, make it a separate form instead. The All forms tab under CRM → Forms shows the Responses for each form.

Record the source on the contact

The source is saved on the submission. To personalize emails or automations on where someone signed up, store it on the contact as well:

1. Create a custom attribute, for example “Sign-up source”. See Custom attributes: what they are, how to create one and where to use them.
2. In the form editor, drag that attribute from Attributes onto the form.
3. Click the block, switch on Hidden and set the Default value, for example “Instagram”.

Every contact who submits that form now carries the value. A hidden field gives everyone who submits the form the same value, so this works per form, not per source link. On a public form, read “Know when a form overwrites contact data” below first: an existing contact who already has a value keeps it.

Use Attributes blocks for anything you want to keep

Where a block’s answer ends up depends on which group you dragged it from:

• Attributes blocks save the answer on the contact. That’s what you can filter lists on, personalize emails with and use in automations.
• Marketing blocks subscribe the contact to a subscription type.
• Custom blocks are stored on the submission only. You can read the answers under Submissions, but they never reach the contact.
• Layout blocks, such as text and images, collect nothing.

So if you might want to use an answer later, ask for it with an Attributes block, and create a custom attribute first if the field you need doesn’t exist yet.

Know when a form overwrites contact data

On a public form, an answer only fills a value the contact doesn’t have yet. Switch on Can overwrite contacts on the Settings tab of the form editor if new answers should replace what’s there. A private form always updates the contact’s values.

If Requires approval is on, nothing is saved on the contact until you approve the submission.

Survey little and often

Don’t wait for the perfect moment to launch one big form. Short, focused surveys sent regularly build up your data over time and show you trends early.

Put the QR code everywhere

QR codes are the easiest way into a form in the real world: at the till, on tables, on packaging and on flyers. Open the form, click Share form and click Download QR code. Print it large enough to scan from a distance, and place it wherever contacts wait or pay.

Design one, then duplicate it

Build one polished form with your branding, then reuse it. Open the form, click the menu next to Edit form and choose Duplicate. Change the name and the fields, and you have a new form with its own link and QR code.

Give every submission a follow-up

Open the form and click Automation in the sidebar. You can start an automation on Form submission completed, and on Form submission approved or Form submission rejected if the form requires approval. Click Enable automation next to the one you want and add what should happen: a thank-you email, points or a voucher. An immediate response makes filling in the form feel worth it. See Automated emails: setting one up for any trigger.

Use a public form unless you need verification

A Public form is available to everyone, and it’s the right choice for sign-ups, surveys and competitions. A Private form can only be opened after the contact verifies their email address. Use one when existing contacts update their own details: it can be pre-filled with their data, and it always saves their answers on their profile.

What a form can’t do

• Limit the number of sign-ups. There’s no setting for a maximum, so when you have enough, deactivate the form from the actions menu next to Edit form.
• Delete a single submission. On a form that requires approval you can approve or reject a submission, but you can’t delete one.
• Bring back a deleted form. When you choose Delete, you type DELETE FORM to confirm, and you can’t restore the form from the dashboard afterwards. Automations that start on it are switched off. To pause a form instead, deactivate it.