Use a URL query string to prefill default values on a form

Scenario

Imagine a sales manager who wants their team to log all client phone calls in a central, easily accessible sheet and have each call include the name of the sales rep logging it. The manager creates a single base form, then gives each team member a different URL with a query string that prefills their name. Each team member can easily log information without having to re-enter the same basic details each time, and can see all the information in one place.

Add a query string to a form URL

To build the query string for a form URL:

1. In Grid view, go to the menu bar, select Forms > Manage forms.
2. Hover over the form you want to distribute with custom URLs.
3. From the Kebab  Brandfolder Image  menu:

   • Select Copy Form URL if you're in Grid view.

     or

   • Select Copy link if you're in Table view. Learn more about sheet views.
4. In a spreadsheet or any word processing application, paste the URL.
5. At the end of the URL, do the following:
   • Type a question mark (?)
   • Type the value for the form field label that you'd like to populate (for example: Rep). You must use the form field label for the values to populate correctly. 
   • Type an equal sign (=).

   • Type the value you want to set as the default value (for example: Sally Smart).

     For example: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b?Rep=Sally%20Smart

6. To include multiple fields in the URL, join them with an ampersand (&).
    

   For example: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b? Rep=Sally%20Smart&ECA=sallysmart@smartsheet.com

To populate a Multi-Select dropdown list with multiple values using the query string, include an & and repeat the field for each additional value:
?Multi=Apple&Multi=Orange

For more than two values, continue to list the field each time:
?Multi=Apple&Multi=Orange&Multi=Banana

Things to consider

• Prefilled strings don't work when you require users to sign in to use the form. Authentication clears any customization from the URL. Only accessing the URL without being authenticated to Smartsheet populates these query strings.
• Form fields are case-sensitive. Keep this in mind when you add values to the URL string.
• URLs can’t contain spaces. To include a space, use %20. For other characters, refer to the special characters list at the bottom of this page.

• If you’ve enabled the Allow submitter to email a copy of form submission option in your form settings, you can use query strings to automatically select this option on your form and enter a default email address. Use ECA to pass information into this field. 

  For example:
  https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b?ECA=sallysmart@smartsheet.com

• Values are editable but not private. You can hide fields from appearing in the form, but the values still appear in the URL, and anyone with the link can see the URL and the pre-populated values.
• If your team needs to resubmit the same data, they can use the browser's back button to reload the form with the last submitted values, including prefilled values. Then they can overwrite any changes they need to make and resubmit the form. Consider adding this tip to the description field on your form for your team to learn this shortcut.
• Always use the form field labels instead of your intake sheet field names to ensure the values populate correctly in your form. For example, if your sheet field name is Ticket ID, but what you use in the form for the label is Request ID, you need to use the string ?Request%20ID for that field to populate.
• To avoid ambiguity, the recommended date format is YYYY-MM-DD. Other supported dates include MM/DD/YYYY and DD/MM/YYYY.

Include special characters in the query string

If you want to include a space or another special character in your URL, you need to use URL percent-encoding. The following table lists a few common special characters and their percent-encoding values. These characters are also known as escape characters.

Advanced scenarios

There are many ways to use query strings. The following list provides a series of ideas for which you can use query strings. 

• Dashboards: Create a dashboard with different links to the same form. Each link includes query strings that use fields that control conditional logic in the form, creating quick links for different types of requests that are all processed centrally. 
• Formulas: Use formulas to automatically create a prefilled form and generate follow-up items, such as an automated alert that sends the URL to the original requester.
• QR codes: Create multiple QR codes that use the same base form but have different URL query strings, and print them on stickers for different pieces of equipment. Have people scan the QR code and enter their details to create an easy equipment usage log.