How To Do It Creating Forms with Wufoo

While there are plenty of online options for building forms, Wufoo.com is fun and easy. Why do you need form-building software? Well, if you want to collect information from readers, leads or customers, it’s a lot easier to use pre-built software than learning HTML forms from scratch.

 What kind of forms can you build? By using a “Contact Us” box, you don’t have to openly post your email address on the web.  Or you could create an event registration form. Look at these samples, which can be used as templates, for some additional ideas.

Getting Started – Create an Account

1. After going to Wufoo.com, click on Sign Up for Free.
2. Click on Sign Up! (The link at left will skip step 1.) Note: When you pick a Wufoo account name, consider using your website name. In visual example I entered WriteThru.

 Creating a Form From Scratch

TIP: Fields are the areas where readers enter information or selects options.

1. When you first create an account, you will be prompted “Let’s go make one!”
2. Don’t worry about naming the form, that comes later.
3. Drag fields on the left to build the form at right.
   1. Standard fields: These are blank fields that you must manually configure and name.
   2. Fancy Pants fields are simply pre-built fields for your convenience. Address, for example contains the street, city, state, zip and country. (If you don’t want a field, such as country, you will have to build it a piece at a time.)
4. Drag in more fields.
5. Customize fields by double clicking on each item OR click on the Field Settings tab. (You will find yourself repeatedly going back and forth between the Add a Field  and the Field Settings tabs.)
   1. Give the field a label.
   2. Change the text to suit your purposes.
   3. Be sure to add choices and drop-down items as needed.
   4. Make the field Required if relevant.
   5. Change field size if necessary.
   6. The green plus adds or duplicates items.
   7. The red minus removes items.
   8. NOTE: Tools and options vary per field.
6. After building a form, click on Form Settings to name the form and fill out various options.
   1. Include Form Name and Description, both of which become the form’s headline title.
   2. Confirmation Message: You can input a thanks or take the reader to a page on your website (paid subscription required for latter option.)
   3. It’s usually a good idea to send a confirmation email if the form involves sensitive information. (You will need to create an email after selecting this option.)
   4. It usually is a good idea to limit users to one entry.
7. After Saving the form you will get three choices:
   1. Resume editing the form.
   2. Set up automated emails.
   3. Or go to the Form Manager.

 

 

Form Manager

Once a form has been created, you need to customize the appearance. In Wufoo, you create a theme that can be applied to any of the forms you have created.

1. OPTION 1: You can use a CSS theme in the Wufoo Form Gallery (easy!)
2. OPTION 2: Build a theme from scratch. (A bit harder!)
   1. Click on the Themes tab.
   2. Theme will default to Create New the first time you open this tab.
   3. Select the Property you wish to stylize.

                                                              i.      You may display a logo, but it must be located on a web server. You will need to enter the logo’s URL.

                                                            ii.      You may need to use trial and error to find the logo height (unless you can check it in a photo editing program.) Resizing the logo and adding it to your website may be necessary.

                                                          iii.      You will need to play with each of the Properties to achieve the desired look.

                                                          iv.      NOTE: some properties will have multiple items to stylize.

4. Take a look at my (ugly) modified form.
5. Don’t forget to SAVE the theme.
6. Give it a name and hit Submit.

 

Apply Theme to Form

1. Go back to the Form Manager.
2. You will see a drop-down to the right of each form name.
3. Select the preferred theme.
4.  Click on View to see how your form looks. If it doesn’t open, be sure your pop-up blocker permits wufoo.com.
   

Posting Form on Your Website or Email

You can embed the form directly onto your site or in an email. You will need to try out the different coding formats to see which work best on your website and email system.

1. From the Form Manager, click on Code.
2. Choose one of the following:
   1. Link to Form: The link methods allow you to put a simple link on a website. (For example, clicking on this link will take you to my test form until I need the form for some other reason.)
   2. Embed Form Code: This gives you two methods to make the form become visible on your website.

                                                              i.      Java will only work if your web hosting service has the software installed. (Most do.)

                                                            ii.      IFrame works in most places and is not as scary as it sounds. Simply cut and paste the code onto your website. (This code may or may not work in emailing software such as Constant Contact.)

3. Full Page Form Code: This is raw code for the form, which requires some knowledge of CSS.
4. Pop-Up Form Link: Same as Link to Form except clicking on the link will launch a new window or tab.
5. XHTML/CSS Code: Um, this one is too complicated for this guide.
6. Via Email: Simply launches an email with the link embedded.
   

Your Results

Once the form is launched, it’s easy to check on the results. Here are the three methods:

1. If you have email notifications turned on, you will get an email for each form filled out. (Click on Notifications for each Form in the Form Manager.)
2. You can go to the Form Manager and click on Entries. (You need the form filled out at least once to see anything.)
3. Create a Report. Click on the Report Tab and follow the instructions.
   

Other Stuff

Like many form programs, Wufoo offers plenty of tools for the technically savvy:

1. The ability to create custom forms.
2. Access to form and CSS coding.
3. API integrations.
   

In case you’re wondering, Wufoo offers a free account for small players. This account allows for 100 entries a month. If you have a site with lots of traffic, accounts start at $10 a month.

Keep in mind that Wufoo is not the only solution out there. In fact, for blogs you can often find ready-to-go widgets that may also fill the bill.

Do you find a guide like this helpful? Post a comment to let me know.