Map a form field to tell Dubsado where to store your client's response. When a client submits a form with mapped fields, their answers are automatically saved to the corresponding contact or project fields for easy reference and autofill.
Form fields, contact fields, and project fields
The term "field" is used in a few different ways in Dubsado. Here is a quick breakdown:
Form field — an element on a Dubsado form where clients type in or select a response. Only short answer and date select form fields can be mapped.
Contact field / project field — the storage location within a contact profile or project where information is kept. For example, the contact first name field stores the contact's first name. Default fields exist out of the box, and you can create custom fields under Settings ➔ Custom fields.
Smart field — a text placeholder that pulls stored data from a contact or project field to autofill emails and forms.
The flow works like this: a client fills in a mapped form field, the data is stored in the corresponding contact or project field, and a smart field can then autofill that data into emails or other forms.
For more on creating custom fields, see Custom fields. For using smart fields, see Personalize form templates with smart fields.
Map a form field
You map a field from within the form builder by selecting a form element and choosing a destination field from the Field Mapping dropdown in the sidebar edit panel.
Map a short answer field
Navigate to Forms ➔ Form templates and open a form template. You can also open a project, click the Forms tab, and edit a form.
Add a Short answer element to the form, or click an existing one.
In the sidebar edit panel, locate the Field Mapping dropdown.
Select a contact or project field from the dropdown. Fields are grouped under Client Fields and Project fields.
Click Save form.
When the client submits the form, the response in that field is automatically stored in the selected contact or project field.
Only short answer and date select form fields can be mapped. Other form elements (free response, dropdown, checkboxes, multiple choice) do not support mapping.
Map a date select field
Date select fields work the same way. Add the element, then choose a date-related field from the Field Mapping dropdown.
Add a Date select element to the form, or click an existing one.
In the sidebar edit panel, locate the Field Mapping dropdown.
Select a project or contact date field. Fields are grouped under Project Fields and Client Fields.
Click Save form.
Map a project date
Date select fields can be mapped to project date fields, which sets or updates the project date when the client submits the form. This also adds the project to your Events calendar.
Single project date
If the project takes place on a single day, use one date select field and map it to the project date field. The project appears as an all-day event on the Events calendar.
Project start and end date
For projects that span multiple days, use two date select fields: one mapped to project start date and another to project end date. Mapping to start and end dates adds a time selector to each date field.
Project dates set through mapped form fields automatically become "busy" events on the Events calendar, which blocks that time on schedulers. To avoid this, consider mapping the date to a custom project field instead and setting the project date manually.
Where mapped data appears
After a client submits a form with mapped fields, the stored data appears in several places.
Project sidebar — Open a project to see mapped project and contact fields in the sidebar details area. Not all contact fields display here.
Contact profile — Open the full contact profile from the project sidebar to see all contact fields, including any that do not appear in the sidebar.
Smart fields — Mapped data can be autofilled into emails and forms using smart fields.
The information must already be stored in the contact or project field before a smart field can populate it. Make sure your process collects the information before you try to autofill it.
FAQ
Do I need to map every form field?
No. Only map form fields that collect information you want to store in a contact or project field — for example, the contact's name, email, phone number, or project date. Unmapped fields still collect responses; the data just is not stored in a contact or project field.
Which form fields can be mapped?
Only short answer and date select form fields can be mapped. Other form elements (free response, dropdown, checkboxes, multiple choice) do not support mapping. You can map to any default project or contact field, as well as any custom fields you have created under Settings ➔ Custom fields.
Can a client update information in a mapped field?
Yes! If you map a form field to a project or client field that already has information stored, the client will see that information when they view the form. The client can type in a new response and submit the form to overwrite the existing information.
⛔️ Heads up! Lead capture forms handle mapped fields differently than other form types. When a lead capture form is submitted with a new email address (one that doesn't already exist in a contact profile), Dubsado will create a new contact profile and save the mapped field data as expected.
However, if a lead capture form is submitted with an email address that already exists in a contact profile, the mapped fields on that existing contact's profile will not be updated or overwritten.
This is a security measure. Because lead capture forms are meant to be shared publicly, Dubsado prevents anyone from overwriting existing client data by submitting a lead capture form with a known email address. To update mapped fields for an existing contact, use a contract, sub-agreement, questionnaire, or proposal sent directly to the client through a project.
Can I map the same field on multiple forms?
Yes. Multiple forms can map to the same contact or project field. The most recently submitted form overwrites the stored value.