How to Prefill Forms Using Query Strings in Trigger Links

Want your forms to fill in automatically for your contacts? By adding a query string to a trigger link, you can pass details you already have, like a contact's first name or email, straight into a form. Your contact clicks the link, and the form opens with their information already filled in.

What Is a Query String?

A query string is a small piece of text added to the end of a URL that carries information along with the link. For example:

https://yourform.com?first_name=Jane

When the form opens, it reads the query string and fills in the First Name field with "Jane."

Important: This only works for contacts who already exist in your Captivation Hub account. If you send the link to someone who isn't a contact yet, no information will be filled in.

Step 1: Turn On Query Strings in Your Form

1. Go to Funnels > Forms and open the form you want to use.

2. Click a field you want to fill in automatically, such as First Name.
3. In the menu on the right, find the Query Key setting and note the value. For First Name, this is usually first_name.
4. Repeat for each field you want to pass information into.

Step 2: Copy Your Form's URL

1. At the top of the form builder, click Integrate.
2. Copy the form's URL.

Step 3: Create Your Trigger Link

1. Go to Marketing > Trigger Links and create a new trigger link.
2. Paste the form URL you copied.

Step 4: Add the Query String to the Link

At the end of the form URL, add a question mark, the field's query key, an equals sign, and the custom value for that field. For first name, it looks like this:

?first_name={{contact.first_name}}

To pass more than one field, separate each one with an & instead of another question mark. For example, to add last name too:

?first_name={{contact.first_name}}&last_name={{contact.last_name}}

Save your trigger link, and you're ready to use it in your emails, SMS messages, and workflows.

Quick Syntax Guide

• Start with ? after the end of the URL.
• Add the field: the query key, then =, then the custom value (for example, first_name={{contact.first_name}}).
• Add more fields with & (for example, &email={{contact.email}}).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't the form fill in for my contact?
Check that the person is already a contact in your account, since query strings only pull information from existing contacts. Also make sure the query key in your link matches the one set on the form field exactly, and that each extra field is separated with &.

Can I use this with any field?
Yes. Any form field with a query key can be filled in this way, including custom fields, as long as you use the matching custom value in your link.