Form URL Directories and Customizing Form Links

Formsite makes building online forms easy and every form has a unique link. The form URL directories identify the account and form to display, and URLs are unique for every form. Creating a Formsite account assigns random character values for the directories initially. Account owners looking to customize the directory values can do that, too.

Reasons to customize the Formsite form link include:

• Branding compliance
• Differentiate separate forms
• Descriptive titles
• Use a new form at the same link

Modifying the URL isn’t the only way to create a custom URL. Form owners can also embed their forms into another website, making the form accessible at a completely custom link. For customers looking to customize the form link, keep reading to see how it’s done.

Form URL Directories

Formsite forms all use the same link structure:

Format: prefix://server/account/form/page
Example: https://fsX.formsite.com/account/form/index.html

• Prefix: All forms are automatically secure with our ‘https’ prefix
• Server: Every account appears from of our servers, such as ‘fs4’
• Account: All forms in the account share the same account directory
• Form: The form directory is unique for each form in the account
• Page: The main form page is always ‘index.html’

Change Account Directory

The account directory value can display the organization’s brand name or any other text value. Each Formsite account has a unique account directory value and all forms in the account show the directory value in their links.

Important Note: Changing the directory value for the account also changes all the links for forms in the account. Form links posted, emailed, or bookmarked will no longer work after changing the account directory. Therefore, only change the account directory value if the forms are not currently collecting results.

The account directory value appears on the User menu -> Profile page. Account owners can update the value and click the Save button to change the account directory.

Accounts with several forms and/or many results may see a message directing them to contact support for help. The customer support team can assist to update the account directory and verify the new links.

Change Form URL Directory

The form directory values can display the individual form’s topic and helps the user verify that they’re at the correct place. Each form directory shows a unique directory value in each account.

Important Note: As with the account directory, changing the form directory value also changes the link to the form. Be sure to only change the form directory on forms not currently collecting results.

Customizing the individual form’s directory occurs on the form’s Share page. Click the link to edit the Directory, then save the new form directory value.

Update Forms at the Same Link

Pro Tip: Since the form URL is unique for every form and the URL parts are editable, updating the form with a new version is possible.

For example, the form with the directory value of “event-sign-up” contains last year’s results and items. It’s possible to make a copy of the form and switch the form directories to make the new form display at the original link. Copying the form lets the form owner update the items with this years information.

When the new form is complete, the form owner switches the form directories so the “event-sign-up” directory value now belongs to the new form. That guarantees no interruption at the form’s URL and saves each Results Table separately.