Beyond Simple Contact Forms: Collecting Data with Gravity Forms
WordPress is a great web publishing system, but when it comes to collecting user data through a web-based form you’ll need to turn to a plugin to extend the core WP system. If you just need a simple contact form there are many good options to choose from, including CForms, Contact Form 7 and the Dagon Design Contact Form.
Frequently, though, you need more functionality than a simple contact form plugin provides. You might have more sophisticated data validation requirements, or maybe you want to allow users to upload files, or you might need to schedule your form to only accept submissions during a limited timeframe. While most competent web developers can easily create scripts to meet these requirements, let’s face it — it’s tedious work. Fortunately WordPress developers have a new power tool at their disposal: Gravity Forms.
Gravity Forms (affiliate link) makes the creation of complex data collection forms easy. Not only that, it also manages the submitted data for you.
In this tutorial I demonstrate the Gravity Forms plugin by creating a moderately complex job application form. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is.
If you just need a simple contact form, then Gravity Forms probably isn’t for you. It’s a premium plugin — that means you’ll have to pay for it. If, on the other hand, you have even slightly more advanced needs, then Gravity Forms will pay for itself in the time you save by not having to build custom data collection forms.
Well done! I’ve recently started using Gravity Forms myself and I have to think you for demonstrating some its capabilities that I had not yet discovered.
You mentioned that the GF plugin is extensive and intuitive but forgot to tout its BEST feature = the folks at Rocket Science are unbelievably pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful. There is a level of customer support provided on their Forum that is very unusual in the “WP Plugin World.”
Thanks again. I’m subscribing to your email feed — GOOD STUFF!
Wow, this is really comprehensive form plugin. I can see lots of ways I can use the form on client sites. Two questions:
1. Can Gravity Forms be used for a multi-page form?
2. Can a honeypot form field be used? I’m not interested in using the Captcha, rather would like to use a honeypot form field that is not displayed on page display, but can be used to limit spambots.
@Jim You’re absolutely right about the great support. I would add that they’re very good about incorporating user feedback into future versions.
@Deborah Multi-page forms are apparently in the works, although there’s no timetable for release. Right now the best you can do is group your form elements into sections on the same page.
The honeypot question was raised in the forums and it seems to be something they’re considering, along with Akismet integration. Right now, though, captcha is the only spam filtering options.
Wow, impressive. You didn’t mention cforms, which I use as the standard. But cforms doesn’t have the CSV export (as far as I know) that Gravity has. I also don’t think it has two fields next to each other (horizontally) or at least I don’t know how to do it easily! Very nice plugin. Thanks for taking the time to make the screen cast.
@Bradley Thanks for mentioning CForms. That one slipped my mind. I’ve added a link to the article above.
Hi great post
I love wordpress but one thing that has been a pain over the last few weeks is the contact form side of things. I started off using Easy Contact which looked great within the template I was using but simply didn’t work. I’m now trying 2 others Fast & Secure Contact From which works well within this site on SEO courses which is why I want to get aform together that works because I will be recommending it to my delegates. But this doesn’t work on another one of my sites on which I’m trying this SI Contact form which seems to work pretty well (althoughthe captcha’s now giving me grief!)
I may need to take a look at Gravity forms, not come across it before. Have you looked at anything from Theme Forest?
Any great site, will folowing you.
Andy: Depending on your theme you’ll likely have to do some additional CSS styling for form elements. Gravity Forms allows you to specify CSS class names to each form elements, so it gives you quite a bit of control over integration with your theme.
Thank you for the awesome explanation on Gravity Forms. I have a few questions and i hope you’d guide me.
Can i allow my user to upload videos?
Can i set the maximum file upload size?
How many file upload fields can i insert?
Thanks a million
Videos should be uploadable through the file upload field type. Size would only be limited by your server/php settings. There’s currently no way to limit the size of an upload in Gravity Froms. You can add as many file upload fields as you need.
Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, you may look at using WordPress MU. That would give you a bit more control over upload types and storage space per user.
Nice post. I also was smitten with Gravity Forms, but it lacked a lot of features I needed so I wrote Formidable. Yes, I’m biased, but I think the free version beats out cforms and Contact Form 7 no contest. The Pro version is in good running with Gravity Forms too, but it all depends on your needs.
Nice job with the demonstration video of Gravity Forms. I have to honestly say that whenever someone is promoting something and is also an affiliate it greatly diminishes the value of the testimonial.
I’ve used cForms for several years. The developer is incredibly responsive and cForms is free although donations are gratefully accepted by the developer.I’ve made several donations since cForms has been so valuable to me. Now when I look at Gravity Forms and some of the limitations you’ve mentioned, such as lack of multi-page forms, I immediately ask myself why I would pay $199 for a developer license when I can use cForms for free. cForms is amazingly powerful, even more so than Gravity Forms. cForms may not have quite as slick an interface but that does not bother me in the least.
Does Gravity Forms let you put a form in a sidebar using a widget? cForms does. Can Gravity Froms send you a non-html formatted email? cForms can. Can Gravity Forms allow you to set multiple styles for different forms? cForms can. Look, I’m not saying Gravity Forms isn’t a good tool, but the price is ridiculous. Seriously. $199 for a plugin that is a one-trick pony? I’ve got full-blown applications that cost way less than the GF plugin.
I develop websites and for my money, cForms is a far better deal. Yes, I’m entitled to my opinion and I recognize that there are many people who will disagree with me… especially affiliates of Gravity Forms.
Check out cForms guys before you plunk down your hard-earned money for GF. And then donate some money to the developer of cForms once you discover how much it does… for free.
Cool.
You should make a screencast of cForms. I’ll link to it from this post.
Gravity Forms always seems to impress me. They are the best in the business. i was learning do something just like this so thanks for taking the time to make this video. Awesome.
Your video on using Gravity Forms was very helpful. I learned about features I didn’t know about until I saw your presentation. Thank you.
Will Gravity Forms show up on a Mobile Device using WP touch
That’s a good question. I haven’t actually tested this yet, but I’m pretty sure it will. You may need to add some additional CSS to style your form fields properly for the mobile version of your site.
Great video- I’m thinking this is the product I need for a project I am working on, but I’m concerned about data security for social security numbers, etc. Does this plugin have any security features? Thanks
Also.. can the captured data be downloaded to a csv or txt file? Checking out their website now..
@dene No, you’ll need to run a secure server — setup SSL, ensure that your web and database servers are adequately secure, etc.
Having said that, storing SSN numbers on your server is never a good idea. No matter how good you think your security is.
Yes, you can download CSV and text file of data submitted.