Use the Form block

Use the Form block#

The Form block (provided by the volto-form-block integration) lets you build interactive forms on any intranet page without writing code. Common uses include contact forms, surveys, registration requests, and feedback forms.

Prerequisites#

  • You have Editor or Manager access to the page.

  • The volto-form-block add-on is enabled on your installation (contact your administrator if you are unsure).

  • You have an email address to receive submissions.

Adding the Form Block#

  1. Open the page in edit mode.

  2. Click the + button to open the block chooser.

  3. Search for Form and click it to insert the block.

Configuring the Form#

Email Settings#

Submissions are sent by email. Configure the recipient in the Email tab of the sidebar:

Field

Description

Send to

The email address that receives submissions. Can be a single address or a comma-separated list.

Reply-to field

Select a form field (typically an Email field) to use as the reply-to address

Subject

Email subject line. You can include field values using {field_id} placeholders.

Message template

Optional template text added before the submitted values

Tip

Use a shared mailbox (e.g. helpdesk@example.com) rather than a personal address so submissions are not lost if someone leaves the organisation.

Adding Fields#

  1. In the Fields tab of the sidebar, click Add field.

  2. Choose a field type:

Field type

Use for

Text

Short single-line input (names, subjects)

Textarea

Multi-line free text (messages, comments)

Email

Email address with format validation

Number

Numeric input

Date

Date picker

Checkbox

Single yes/no toggle

Select

Drop-down list of options

Radio

Single-choice from visible options

File upload

Allow respondents to attach a file

Static text

Non-interactive text or instructions within the form

  1. For each field, set:

    • Label – the visible field name

    • Required – whether the field must be filled in before submission

    • Placeholder – optional hint text inside the input

    • Description – optional help text below the field

  2. Drag field rows to reorder them.

Organize fields into tabs (fieldsets)#

By default, all fields belong to a single tab called Default. You can group fields into multiple tabs — called fieldsets — to split a long form into logical sections. Visitors see the tabs when they fill in the form.

Add a tab#

  1. Look at the tab bar at the top of the form block in the page editor. It shows the existing tabs (for example, Default) and a + button at the right end of the tab bar.

  2. Click the + button in the tab bar.

  3. In the dialog that opens, fill in:

    • Title — the label shown on the tab (for example, "Personal details").

    • Short name — a unique identifier used internally (for example, personal_details). No spaces or special characters.

  4. Click Save. The new tab appears in the tab bar.

Add fields to a specific tab#

  1. Click the tab you want to add fields to. It becomes the active (highlighted) tab.

  2. Click Add field below the field list. The new field is added to the active tab.

Rename or edit a tab#

  1. Click the pencil icon next to the tab title.

  2. Update the Title or Short name in the dialog.

  3. Click Save.

Move a field to a different tab#

  1. Click the pencil icon next to the field you want to move.

  2. In the field settings dialog, locate the Parent fieldset dropdown.

  3. Select the target tab.

  4. Click Save. The field moves to the selected tab.

Reorder tabs#

Drag a tab by its handle (the six-dot icon on the left of the tab label) to a new position in the tab bar.

Delete a tab#

  1. Click the × button next to the tab you want to remove.

  2. Confirm the deletion.

Warning

Deleting a tab also permanently deletes all fields inside it. Move any fields you want to keep to another tab before deleting.

Configuring options (Select / Radio)#

For Select and Radio fields, add the list of options:

  1. Click Add option under the field.

  2. Enter the option label and (optionally) a different value to store.

  3. Repeat for each option.

Submit Button#

Setting

Description

Button label

Text on the submit button (default: "Submit")

Success message

Message shown to the user after successful submission

Send copy to user

If enabled, and an Email field is present, a copy of their submission is emailed to the respondent

CAPTCHA / Spam Protection#

If your site has CAPTCHA configured, enable it in the Advanced tab to protect high-traffic forms from spam.

Previewing and Testing the Form#

  1. Click Save on the page.

  2. View the page and fill in the form with test data.

  3. Click Submit and verify you receive the email.

  4. Check that the success message appears.

Warning

Always test forms after creating or editing them. Check both the success flow and the validation messages when required fields are left blank.

Viewing Submitted Data#

Depending on your site configuration, form submissions may also be stored in the Plone database:

  1. Navigate to the page containing the form.

  2. Open the Actions menu and look for Download submissions or View submissions.

  3. If this option is absent, submissions are sent by email only.

Example: Simple Contact Form#

  1. Add a Form block.

  2. Add a Text field: Label = "Your name", Required = Yes.

  3. Add an Email field: Label = "Your email address", Required = Yes.

  4. Add a Select field: Label = "Topic", options = "General enquiry", "Technical issue", "Feedback".

  5. Add a Textarea field: Label = "Message", Required = Yes.

  6. In the Email tab: Send to = helpdesk@example.com, Subject = Intranet enquiry from {name}.

  7. Set Reply-to field to the Email field.

  8. Set Button label to "Send message".

  9. Set Success message to "Thank you. We will get back to you within two working days."

  10. Click Save and test.

See Also#

Contents