Documentation Campaign Campaign Classic v7 Documentation

Also applies to v8

Publish a web form

Last update: September 10, 2024

Applies to:
Campaign Classic v7

Topics:
Web Forms

Pre-loading the form data

If you wish to update the profiles stored in the database via a Web form, you can use a preloading box. The preloading box lets you indicate how to find the record to be updated in the database.

The following identification methods are possible:

Adobe Campaign Encryption

This encryption method uses the encrypted Adobe Campaign identifier (ID). This method is only applicable on an Adobe Campaign object and the encrypted ID may only be generated by the Adobe Campaign platform.

When using this method, you need to adapt the URL of the form to deliver to the email address by adding the <%=escapeUrl(recipient.cryptedId) %> parameter. For more on this, refer to Delivering a form via email.
DES encryption

This encryption method uses an identifier (ID) provided externally, linked to a key shared by Adobe Campaign and the external provider. The Des key field lets you enter this encryption key.
List of fields

This option lets you choose from the fields in the current context of the form, those that will be used to find the corresponding profile in the database.

Fields can be added to the form properties via the Parameters tab (refer to Adding parameters). They are placed in the form URL or input zones.

CAUTION
The data in the selected fields isn’t encrypted. It must not be provided in an encrypted form because Adobe Campaign will not be able to decrypt it if the Field list option is selected.

In the following example, profile preloading is based on the email address.

The URL can include the unencrypted email address, in which case users have direct access to the pages that concern them.

If not, they will be asked for their password.

CAUTION
If several fields are specified in the list, the data of ALL FIELDS must match the data stored in the database in order for the profile to be updated. Otherwise, a new profile is created.
This function is particularly useful for Web applications but not recommended for public forms. The selected access control option must be “Enable access control”.

The Skip preloading if no ID option must be selected if you do not wish to update profiles. In this case, each profile entered will be added to the database after approval of the form. This option is used, for example, when the form is posted on a website.

The Auto-load data referenced in the form option lets you automatically preload the data that matches input and merge fields in the form. However, data referenced in Script and Test activities is not concerned. If this option isn’t selected, you need to define the fields using the Load additional data option.

The Load additional data option lets you add information which is not used in the pages of the form, but will nonetheless be preloaded.

You can, for example, preload the gender of the recipient and automatically direct them to the appropriate page via a test box.

Managing web forms delivery and tracking

Once the form has been created, configured and published, you can deliver it and track the user responses.

Life cycle of a form

There are three stages in the life cycle of a form:

Being edited

This is the initial design phase. When a new form is created, it is in the editing phase. Access to the form, for testing purposes only, then requires the parameter __uuid to be used in its URL. This URL is accessible in the Preview sub-tab. See Form URL parameters.

CAUTION
As long as the form is being edited, its access URL is a special URL.
Pending publication

In some cases (such as when importing a form through a package), a web form can have the Pending publication status until it is live.

NOTE
For technical web applications (available through the Administration > Configuration > Web applications menu), a form with the Pending publication status is automatically published and gets the Online status.
Online

Once the design phase is complete, the form can be delivered.

When a form has the Being edited or Pending publication status, it must be published to be online and accesssible through the web form URL in a browser.

Once published, the form will be live until it expires.

The form will be Live until it expires.

CAUTION
To be delivered, the URL of the form must not contain the __uuid parameter.
Closed

Once the form is closed, the delivery phase is over and the form becomes unavailable: it is no longer accessible to users.

The expiry date can be defined in the form properties window. For more on this, refer to Making a form available online.

The publication status of a form is displayed in the list of forms.

Publishing a form

To change the state of a form, you need to publish it. To do this, click the Publication button above the list of Web forms and select the state in the drop-down box.

Making a form available online

To be accessed by users, the form must be in production and started, i.e. within its validity period. The validity dates are entered via the Properties link of the form.

Use the fields in the Project section to enter start and end dates for the form.
Click the Personalize the message displayed if the form is closed… link to define the error message to display if the user tries to access the form while it isn’t valid.

See Accessibility of the form.

Delivering a form via email

When you deliver an invitation via email, you can use the Adobe Campaign Encryption option for data reconciliation. To do this, go to the delivery assistant and adapt the link to the form by adding the following parameter:

<a href="https://server/webApp/APP264?&id=<%=escapeUrl(recipient.cryptedId) %>">

In this case, the reconciliation key for data storage must be the recipient’s encrypted identifier. For more on this, refer to Pre-loading the form data.

In this case, you need to check the Update the preloaded record option in the record box. For more on this, refer to Saving Web forms answers.

Log responses

Response tracking can be activated in a dedicated tab to monitor the impact of your Web form. To do this, click the Advanced parameters… link in the form properties window and select the Log responses option.

The Responses tab appears to let you view the identity of respondents.

Select a recipient and click the Detail… button to view the responses provided.

You can process the response logs provided in queries, for instance to target only non-respondents when sending reminders, or to offer specific communications to respondents only.

Importing web form packages

When exporting and importing a package including a web form from an instance to another instance (for example, from stage to production), the web form status on the new instance can vary according to several conditions. The different cases are listed below.

Learn more on the different statuses of a web form in this section.

NOTE

When you export a web form through a package, the form status is visible in the content of the resulting package.

If the web form status was Pending publication or Online when exported from the first instance:
- The web form gets the Pending publication status when imported on the new instance.
- If the web form already exists on the new instance, it is replaced with the new version of the form and takes the Pending publication status, even if the old version of the form was Online.
- Whether the form existed or not, the form must be published to become Online on the new instance and accesssible through the web form URL in a browser.
If the web form status was Being edited when exported:
- If the web form is new on the instance where the package is imported, the web form gets the Being edited status.
- If the web form already exists on the new instance, this is a modification on an existing form. If the old version of the form was Online, the old version remains online until the new version of the form is published again on the new instance.
NOTE
You can check the latest version of your web form using the Preview tab.

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