You can configure forms to send registrants to a customizable confirmation page and to trigger email communications upon submission.

Configuring a form communication

To create an email triggered by a form submission:

1. Go to Forms.

2. Select an existing form, or create a new one.

3. Select Edit Communications.

4. Select New Mailing.

5. Configure the following settings:

   • Name: Provide a descriptive name for the communication.

   • Trigger: Upon registration or update

   • Group: Email + Confirmation Page

   • Status: Active

   • Method: Email

   • UTM Tracking: Disabled

6. Select Save.

7. Use the communication tools to build a mailing and confirmation page:

   • Edit Message: Select Edit Message to create the message form registrants will see.

   • Send Test Message / Submit Form Test: Once communication is built, use these buttons to test settings (If you are testing a mailing that has merge fields, you will need to use Submit Form Test to have the merge fields populate).

8. Use merge fields to customize the email message.

   

Personalizing email communication with merge fields

All of the fields from the form appear in this list as merge fields. Select a merge field from the list to insert it at your cursor location.

The name of the merge field is based on the export value for that field on the form. For example:

• {{sys-email}} corresponds to the sys:email field.

• {{sys-preferred}} corresponds to the sys:preferred field.

If Preferred Name (sys-preferred) is used as merge field in the form communication, collect this data on a form as well.

📖 Form communication merge fields

📝 Don’t use merge fields that begin with Form- in an inquiry form.

Testing form communications

There are a few ways to test form communications:

Submit using a test record (recommended)

1. Create a test record.

2. On the form overview page, select New Registration.

3. Submit an event registration using the test record’s information.

✅ Slate sends the form communication with merge fields populated.

Send a test message

Select Send Test / Ad Hoc to send a copy of the message to a specified recipient.

❌ Merge fields are not populated with values in test messages.

Submit form test

Select Submit Form Test to send a copy of the message after completing the form or event registration.

✅ Merge fields for values collected on the form are populated with a value.

❌ Merge fields that reference an actual registration, like Form-Share-Link or Form-Link, are not populated with a value.

Email + Confirmation Page Group

A confirmation page message will appear on a webpage wrapped with institutional branding. Therefore, if using the Email + Confirmation Page group for the communication, it is not necessary to include header or footer images.

If emails should include institutional branding:

• Make one communication using the Email only group that includes branding.

• Make another communication for the Confirmation Page Only group and exclude branding.

Upon Registration: Direct Entry + Admin Entry (Email Only)

Adding the Email only group allows for additional template branding in the email. (Institutional branding may be added by using the message editor toolbar.)

Sample message

Dear {{sys-first}}

Thank you for your interest in Slate University. We have added you to our mailing list.

We will send further communications to this email address. Be sure to check out our Facebook page, our student blog, and a PDF of our viewbook.

Regards,
Office of Slate Admissions


P.S. If your email or mailing address changes, please let us know.

Upon Registration: Direct Entry (Confirmation Page Only)

A confirmation page will use the institution’s branding (already built in Slate) so there is no need to add those details to this type of message.

Sample message

Thanks for submitting your information! We have sent a confirmation email to this address: {{sys-email}}

Upon Registration: Direct Entry + Admin Entry (Email + Confirmation Page Only)

The message will populate the confirmation page as well as the email that is sent to the prospective student.

If this option is used, template branding should not be added to the message (i.e., an institutional header image or footer image.)

Sample message

Dear {{sys-first}}

Thank you for your interest in Slate University. Per your request, we have added you to our mailing list.

Check your inbox for communication from Slate. Also, check out our Facebook page, our student blog, and a PDF of our viewbook.

Regards,
Office of Slate Admissions


P.S. If your email or mailing address changes, please let us know.