Jext.info

perForms allows your visitors to send you information/feedback from your web-site by way of a form.

These are the steps in creating a form:

Step 1:  Create new form

Step 2:  Add form input fields

Step 3:  Create email and/or data base for forms to be sent to

Step 4:  Create menu link for form

Trouble Shooting Tips  

Step 1

From the back end of your site, go to:  Components > Performs

Click the new    button. 

Type in the Title, Intro and Thanks text.

The intro text will show up on your form and let your visitors know what you topic you want to hear from them on.  

The Thanks text will appear to your visitors after they have responded and submitted their message to you.  

Alternatively, you may choose to redirect to a URL of choice when the user clicks the submit button.

If you would like to change the word submit to something else, like 'send', click the Buttons tab on the right side of the screen and type in a new word. 

Step 2 

Next you want to add form input fields where visitors can type information to send to you.  PerForms call these Form Items.  Form Items  is the feature that provides your visitors an avenue to respond to you.  For example: You can have an item for their name, another item for their e-mail address and another item for a response to a particular issue. 

To add these items: - From the list of forms, under the Items heading, click the Edit Items link for the form you just created.

Click the new item  button.   Then systematically fill out the seven Form Item Details as listed below:

1. Caption
Type in a caption.  This is a description of the field you are creating (example: name, e-mail address, phone number, etc.). 

2. Name
Type in a name.  This is the technical name for the field (example: email). Note:  this name must have no captials, special characters or spaces.

3. Type 
Choose a type from the pull down menu.  There of several.  We have provided explanations below for the most commonly used.

a) text provides a small text box for your respondent to type in.  This works well for form items such as name.

b) textarea provides a larger text box to respond in.

c) checkboxes or radio allow you to insert values for your viewers to check when your item is a question (example:  Item name - How Do We Rate?, and values might be, great, good, poor). Check boxes allow the respondent to check one or more values, where as radio allows only on selection. 

1. Choose Checkbox from Type drop down box
2. Click the Values tab on the right hand side of the page
3. Type in the first value.  Example:  great
4. Click the insert button.
5. Add other values one at a time, clicking Insert after each entry.
6. Reorder the values if desired.
7. If desired, choose one of the values and click the set as selected button.  This value will automatically be checked off on the front end of the site.
8. Save when satisfied with values.
   

 d) date.   This option will insert a calendar into the form so that respondents can choose a date. (example: If your item name is 'Choose a date you will be attending',  the calendar will allow respondents to click on a date)

e) other options..... feel free to experiment with the type options 

 

5. Check
Important:  The "Check:" field is intended only for those with advanced computer skills.  Please do not use this field. 

6. Help Text
The next field is help text. This field will help your respondent fill out the form as you want them to (ex. 'Please type last name first').

7. Error Message
You can also provide an error message if they do not fill out the form correctly (ex. 'Name field must be filled in').

If you want the item to be a mandatory field, In the Display tab to the right, check Yes beside the Required option. 

Click the Save  button. You may then click the Add New button again to add another item.  Continue in this manner until you have all the fields you require on your form.  You may then reorder the way your items appear on your site by clicking the blue Reorder Items buttons to move the items up or down.

Step 3

Decide if you want the forms your visitors fill out, to be  1) emailed to your organization  and/or  2) put into a database.

1) Email the forms 

• First, go back to the form (Components > Performs)
• Click on the form you just created.
  
• Click on the Emails tab on the top right hand corner.
• Email form:   click yes
• From:  leave blank if you want to use the site default
• To:  type in one or more email addresses that you want the form to be sent to
• Email subject:  Whatever is appropriate
• Include intro text:  optional
• Click the Save button

And/Or.... 

 2) Have forms go into a database

• First go back to the form (Components > Performs)
• Click in the little box to the left of your form name to select it.
• 
• Click on the data button on the top right of your screen.

• Change the Table Name as instructed.  Be sure to select a name with no spaces, Capital letters, etc.

• Click the Save button. 

Now all respondents will appear in the database.   Later as people respond to your form, you can check the data base of respondents by logging in to your administration site.  Go to Components > perForms.  Select the form by checking the box beside it.  Click the Data button on the top right corner. The database will pop up for you to view or print.

Step 4

Now, you need to link your form to a menu on your site.  This will determine where your form will show up on the front end of your site.

Go to:  Components > Performs

Copy the form link from the form list. 

Go to the menu where you want the link to be. (example: Menu > Mainmenu).

Click the new  button.

Click Link-Url (near the bottom right corner of the page).  

Click Next .

Type in a name for the link.  

Paste the form link in the Link text box. 

Click the Save button. 

Go to the front end of your site.   Click the refresh button to see your form under the menu item you designated.  You may change the order in which it appears on your front end.  

Troubleshooting tips:  

Problem: When clicking on the form on the front end, error message is Intruder 22   or Not found 404. 

Cause:  You have not copied the url correctly into the URL field when creating the menu link. Please ensure url is copied precisely with no Caps or spaces.

The author, Debbie Braun, is a website consultant at Whale Hosting Inc.