Sometimes the need may arise to keep all the information that is sent through our forms in a site that is accessible by the different people in charge of managing this data, one of them may be the messages or data that are sent through of the contact forms on our website.
Currently, streamlining data collection on our websites developed with WordPress can be very simple, we will only have to use a plugin such as Contact Form 7, Ninja Forms, Wp Forms or Gravity Forms, everything will depend on which one we do not feel more comfortable with to add the forms. on our pages.
Once we are clear about what type of information we need to store and what data we want to collect from our form, some doubts may arise about how we can manage this information well. Many of these plugins offer additional add-ons that allow us to store the information within our website in the database that we can then export in a .CSV file; However, we may need to give access to this information to a certain number of users so it is not safe for them to have access to the administration of our website.
How can we store this data in the cloud to share it securely?
To solve this, we can make a connection with our forms developed with WordPress forms and Google Sheet for streamlining data collection so that we will only have to share the file where our users’ information will be stored once they send their data through it. To do this we only need to use the CF7 Google Sheets Connector connection plugin that will allow us to connect our form with our spreadsheet that we can then share with our collaborators or employees. Being clear about this, the first thing we have to do is install this plugin.
How do we configure the plugin to connect to our spreadsheet?
- Once we have the plugin installed and active we need to access Contact -> Google Sheet
- Within the configuration options we will see a button that indicates Get Code (Get Code) we will click on this
- This will open a pop-up window where we need to access our Gmail email and give the necessary access to the plugin to be able to connect with our account.
- We will need to activate permissions so that the plugin can see the information in our files on Google and edit our spreadsheets
- Once the plugin manages to connect correctly we will see that an access code is generated, we just have to click on save (save changes) to finish configuring the plugin with our spreadsheets.
Setting up our Spreadsheet to connect our form
After completing the initial configuration and obtaining the access code that allows us to connect our account with Google Sheet, we need to access our Google Drive and create a new spreadsheet where we will store the information from our form, adding the name to the document and the eyelash.
Once we have our new spreadsheet created, we will return to our website by accessing the Contact -> Contact Forms section where we will edit the form that we will connect with our new Spreadsheet.
Within the configuration options of our form we will click on the Google Sheets tab, in this section we need to configure:
- Google Sheet Name: Name of our spreadsheet
- Google Sheet ID: The ID of our document, we can obtain this from the URL
- Google Sheet Tab Name: Name of the tab created where the information will be stored.
- Google Tab ID: The ID of our tab, we can obtain this from the URL
With this we will have configured our form within our new created spreadsheet; However, the last step still does not need to be carried out, which will allow us to map the fields of our form with our spreadsheet and add the information in the corresponding row.
Setting up our form fields in our spreadsheet
Image source: https://www.google.com/sheets/about/
Once we have made the first configurations we will need to add the fields that we have already created in our form within our spreadsheet, this will allow us to add the correct information in each column of our document and store it correctly.
For this, the first thing will be to identify the fields that we need to add, to do this go to Contact -> Contact Form and edit the form that we are configuring with Google Sheet, within the mail tab we can see which are the created fields that we need to add in our document, for example:
- your-name, your-email, your-subject, your-message
- With our fields identified we will return to our spreadsheet and add these column names to row 1.
- If you have more fields created in your form, you must add all the field names to the spreadsheet so that all the information is stored correctly in our document.
- Finally, we will only need to make a test send and check everything is working correctly and the information is being stored in our document.
Why isn’t the data stored in the Google Spreadsheet?
Sometimes it may take some time before the information syncs correctly, however if the data never shows up in your spreadsheet you can check for the following common errors:
1) Check if you have not used the contact form field name in capital letters and also have not used the underscore and the special character, please note that the fields must be the same as those configured in your form.
2) Verify that the names of your spreadsheet, tab and ID match those of your spreadsheet in Google.
3) Check which Google account you have integrated into; to do this you can check that within Contact -> Google Sheets the message Connected email account: name@gmail.com is displayed
4) Check the log files for any errors by clicking the “view” link under the Google Sheet connector in Contact -> Google Sheet, make sure to enable debug mode from the wp-config file. php, check this link for common problems and how to enable debug mode -> How to Activate DEBUG Mode in WordPress
5) Finally, try to authenticate again with a new Google authentication code and save all the data again.
Conclusion
Data collected through your website may be safely exchanged and stored by integrating WordPress forms with Google Sheets. You may integrate your Contact Form 7 forms with Google Sheets by using the CF7 Google Sheets Connector plugin. It also aids in enhancing teamwork and data management. The success of the integration depends on precisely mapping the fields and adhering to the step-by-step setup method. If you are experiencing problems with data not being saved in your Google Spreadsheet, the following troubleshooting procedures could help you find and fix common problems. This solution makes data administration easier while guaranteeing that your data is available to your team and securely kept in the cloud.
FAQ’s
1. How can I securely store data from WordPress forms in the cloud for sharing with collaborators?
Ans: You may use the CF7 Google Sheets Connector plugin to securely save data from WordPress forms in the cloud for sharing. It connects your Contact Form 7 forms to Google Sheets, allowing you to simply share the collected data with colleagues or staff.
2. How can I save data from the form fields to my Google Sheet?
Ans: Go to Contact -> Contact Form and study the fields under the mail tab to identify the form fields you want to add to your spreadsheet. In row 1 of your Google Sheet, add these field names as column headings. To ensure that information is kept accurately, ensure that all field names match those defined in your form.
3. What should I do if the data isn’t stored in the Google Spreadsheet?
Ans: If your data isn’t syncing properly to your Google Spreadsheet, you may resolve the problem by doing the following:
• Make sure that the field names in your form correspond to those in your Google Sheet and that no capital letters, underscores, or other characters are used.
• Double-check that the names and IDs of your spreadsheet and tab correspond to those in your Google account.
• Confirm that you’re using the right Google account by navigating to Contact -> Google Sheets and checking the associated email address.
• Check the log files under the Google Sheets connector in Contact -> Google Sheets for issues, and activate debug mode in WordPress if necessary.
• If the problem persists, try connecting with a new Google login code and saving the data.
