A query string parameter uses the content of a URL to pass information to a webpage.

The information is contained in a parameter and its value. They follow a ? at the end of the URL path.

For example: https://example.com/path/to/page?name=ferret&color=purple

• The query string begins after ?

• The parameters are name and color

• The values are ferret and purple

• The & chains multiple parameters together

Query string parameters in Slate

In Slate, query string parameters can do things like:

• Tell a form which person record is filling it out

• Pre-populate form fields, like an academic interest

For a Record

You can use person record parameter’s with that record's unique identifier to pre-fill system fields on a form.

The record is updated upon submission of the form.

📝 Parameters must be in all lowercase. Values can contain uppercase letters.

If your URL already includes a query string parameter, you will need to append this additional parameter with an ampersand & instead of a question mark ?.

For instance:

• www.slateuniversity.org/register/moreinfo would be be appended with ?person={{Person-GUID}}

• www.slateuniversity.org/register/?id=48125437-447b-4638-925b-5ee8b09808cf would be appended with &person={{Person-GUID}}

In a mailing

If a query string parameter uses a merge field in a mailing, that merge field must:

• Be included as an export in the mailing's recipient list

• Match the export's Name setting. If the export's Name setting has spaces, the merge field will replace those spaces with dashes -. For instance, "Academic Program" would become {{Academic-Program}}

For a Form Field

Slate can prepopulate a form field using a parameter and a value. The parameter will be the form field's Export Key (e.g., sys:first, sys:field:acainterest).

The value being passed in, however, must respect the form field type being used:

A prompt's GUID is visible when accessing that prompt in the prompts tool:

It is possible to concurrently pre-populate:

• Multiple form fields

• A form field with multiple values

Embedded Forms

If you wanted to prefill a program of interest form field with an Export Key of sys:field:acainterest and a value of "Computer Science" (using the example prompt above), the embed code would be something like:

<div id="form_48125437-447b-4638-925b-5ee8b09808cf">Loading...</div><script
 async="async" src="https://www.slateuniversity.org/register/?id=48125437-447b-4638-925b-5ee8b09808cf&sys:field:acainterest=84fcea7a-72e6-4743-8594-4c25c1c25015&amp;output=embed&amp;div=form_48125437-447b-4638-925b-5ee8b09808cf">/**/</script>