Available in Element Core. See our packages overview for details.

Overview

Element451's Forms Module provides a versatile solution for collecting data from different audiences and for different purposes. Whether you need to gather inquiries through a request for information (RFI) form, update records, or collect other information, the Forms Module is the perfect tool.

Key Features

Main + Follow-Up Forms: The main Form captures essential information, and an optional follow-up form gathers additional details for comprehensive data collection.
Simple + Prospect Form Types: A simple form eliminates the creation of a prospect milestone for every submission, while the prospect form continues to serve as a request-for-information form, automatically creating a prospect milestone.
Authenticated Forms: Authenticated forms are ideal for gathering information from prospects further along in the admissions funnel, current students, alumni, or anyone else with an existing record in Element451. These forms use a unique identifier to match the individual's record before collecting form data. As a result, Authenticated Forms prevent the creation of duplicate records.
- Note: Authenticated forms do not support pre-populated fields. You will need to use a locker to do this. Learn how here.
Form Payments: Accept payments via Forms using your existing payment processor.
Customizable Thank You Note: After submission, display a personalized success message, add a file download button, or redirect to a new URL.
Admin Notifications: Enable internal users to receive email alerts when a form is submitted, keeping your team informed.
Submitter Notification Workflows: Set up workflows to automatically notify submitters upon form submission, enhancing engagement. Add multiple actions to nurture leads.
Add Forms to Pages: Add forms to Element451 pages for a unified experience.
Embed Forms on External Pages: Use JavaScript or iframe code to place your forms on any webpage, expanding your reach.
Google Analytics: Add your Google Tag Manager ID to monitor form submissions, gaining valuable insights.
QR Codes for Each Form: Promote your forms at events like college fairs with easily shareable QR codes.
Conditional Logic: Tailor your forms to the audience and specific use cases, ensuring relevance and efficiency.
FormSnapshots: Upon form completion, a snapshot of the submission is automatically created and stored in the Form Submissions card on the contact's profile. Plus, you can access the exact URL—UTM parameters and other variables included—from which the form was accessed and other important form submission details directly from the activity feed.

Accessing Forms

Navigate to Engagement > Forms.
This will take you to the Forms listing, where you can create a new form, organize existing forms, and open a form to view or edit it.

The Forms Table

The main area of the page displays a table listing all forms. Each row in the table includes the following columns:

Name — The name of the form. Click the title to view or edit the form.
Type — Indicates whether the form is Prospect or Simple.
Tags — Shows the tags currently applied to the form.
Created — The date and time the form was created.
Added — The date and time the form was last updated.

The columns are sortable. Click a column header to toggle between ascending and descending order.

Each row also includes a three-dot menu (⋮) on the far right with the following actions:

Edit — Opens the form editor.
Move to Folder — Moves the form to a folder.
Duplicate — Creates a copy of the form.
Delete — Permanently deletes the form.

The table displays 50 forms per page. Pagination controls appear at the top-right of the table showing the current range (for example, 1 – 50 of 200) along with navigation buttons for First page, Previous page, Next page, and Last page.

Searching

Use the search icon at the top of the forms table to search for forms by name. Type your query into the search field to filter the list in real time.

Organizing Forms

Using Folders

The left sidebar includes a Folders section for organizing forms into groups. By default, the All view is selected, which shows every form. Clicking a specific folder filters the table to show only the forms within that folder.

Creating a Folder: Click the + button next to the Folders heading. In the dialog that appears, enter a folder name and click Save.
Managing Folders: Each folder has a three-dot menu (⋮) with options to Rename or Delete the folder.
Moving Forms to a Folder: Use the Move To Folder option in a form's three-dot menu.

Using Tags

Below Folders, the left sidebar also includes a Tags section. Tags provide a flexible way to label and categorize forms. Clicking All Tags shows all forms, while selecting a specific tag filters the table to display only forms with that tag.

Creating a Tag: Click the + button next to the Tags heading. In the dialog that appears, enter a tag name and click Save.
Managing Tags: Each tag has a three-dot menu (⋮) with options to Rename or Delete the tag.
Adding + Removing Tags on Forms:
- Add: When editing a form, use the Add Tags search to find and select tags. If tags already exist, click near one of the existing tags to search for a new one.
- Remove: When editing a form, click near one of the existing tags, then select the X next to the tag you want to remove.
- Tip: You can also add or remove tags directly from the table view without opening the form editor. Click Select Tags in the Tags column for that form row, or click an existing tag if one is already present.

💡 Did You Know?

You can create a Bolt Agent Job right from the Forms module to support your outreach or follow-up. Just click the "Create Bolt Agent Job" button at the top of the page to get started. Each job is powered by a best-practice template that you can personalize before launching.

Available templates for Forms include:

PromoteForm and Follow-Up From Form Submission

Creating + Managing Forms

The process of creating new and managing existing forms is easy! Check out our article that outlines the process.

Learn More: Creating + Managing Forms

Adding Forms to Pages + External Websites

Streamline data collection across your digital presence, ensuring a consistent and efficient experience for users everywhere by embedding your Form on Element451 pages and external websites. Check out our article that outlines the process.

Learn More: Embed Forms

Generating PDFs of Form Submissions

You can generate print-friendly PDFs for all types of forms in Element451, including main and follow-up forms. These forms are placed on the student's record. Check out our article that outlines the process.

Learn More: Generated PDFs

Testing Forms / Internal Users

Forms can't be submitted with an email tied to an internal Element451 account. Therefore, if you or someone else tries to complete a form, you will receive a "Sorry, something went wrong" error. Here's how to test your forms without getting an error:

Opt for an email not linked to any Element451 account.
Try "plus addressing" with your email service. Some services offer this feature, which allows you to add a "+" and any term to your base email, and messages will still be delivered to your email address.

For instance, if your email is alma.materly@university.edu, variations like alma.materly+test@university.edu or alma.materly+e451@university.edu would work and still deliver emails to alma.materly@university.edu.

Troubleshooting

Resolving Error Messages

All Forms must contain the Email Address user-email-address field. If you remove this field and try to submit the form, you will get an error.

Errors can occur due to fieldvalidation issues. Start by reviewing your form field. Check if any fields use Numeric Only validation combined with Max Length or Min Length. This can cause unexpected behavior because Max Length is treated as a maximum numerical value, not a character limit. To configure fields that require a specific number of numeric digits, the best practice is to use the Text field type with Mask validation (e.g., For an 8-digit ID field, apply Mask Validation with 00000000. This guarantees exactly 8 digits and prevents letters from being entered.).