In case you usually acquire kind submissions in Blogging platform, then exporting that information manually can rapidly change into a chore. Whether or not you’re monitoring leads, orders, or suggestions, downloading all these entries one after the other takes time, and it’s straightforward to overlook one thing necessary.
Sadly, Blogging platform doesn’t supply a built-in method to auto export kind entries. However with WPForms, I found that I might automate your complete course of utilizing their export instrument—no want to put in additional plugins or mess with customized code.
As a substitute of manually downloading CSV recordsdata or copying information from the dashboard, WPForms saves entries in clear, structured recordsdata on a schedule you’ll be able to management.
On this information, I’ll present you how one can arrange automated kind exports in WPForms in order that your submissions keep organized with none additional effort.
Why Auto Export Blogging platform Kind Entries?
Mechanically exporting Blogging platform kind entries permits you to save and manage information from these kind submissions with none guide effort.
As a substitute of logging in to obtain submissions each time somebody fills out a kind, you’ll be able to robotically ship the info to your e-mail, cloud storage account, or one other linked app.
It’s a easy method to maintain every thing sorted, backed up, and accessible, with out having to consider it.
Most Blogging platform web site homeowners depend on types to gather leads, orders, suggestions, or bookings. However as soon as submissions begin including up, manually managing them takes increasingly more time. That’s the place auto export turns into actually helpful.
With automated exports, you’ll be able to:
- Again up kind entries to a location you management.
- Minimize down on repetitive admin work.
- Maintain your information organized and straightforward to entry.
- Keep away from lacking or overlooking submissions.
- Simplify your reporting and follow-up course of.
As soon as it’s working, auto export takes care of every thing within the background, so you’ll be able to give attention to the work that really strikes your web site ahead.
Now, I’ll present you how one can auto export kind entries utilizing WPForms:
Methods to Auto Export Blogging platform Kind Entries
One of the simplest ways to auto export Blogging platform kind entries is through the use of WPForms, which is the perfect contact kind plugin for Blogging platform.
It comes with a strong Entry Automation addon designed precisely for this function.
Whether or not you wish to e-mail reviews usually, again up submissions to Google Drive, or robotically delete entries after they’re processed, this addon quietly handles every thing within the background—no guide steps required.
At WPBeginner, we use WPForms ourselves to create all types of types, from easy contact types to our annual reader survey.
We’ve additionally examined all its options totally and included them in our detailed WPForms evaluate.
It’s a type of instruments that simply works and saves us time behind the scenes, which is why I confidently advocate it to inexperienced persons and professionals alike.
Plus, getting began with it’s fast and straightforward.
Step 1: Deploy and Start the WPForms Integration
First, that you must set up and activate the WPForms plugin.
In case you’re undecided how to do that, then we have now a step-by-step information on how one can set up a Blogging platform plugin that can assist you out.
👉 Observe: WPForms provides a free model that you should utilize to create primary contact types. Nonetheless, the Entry Automation addon is simply out there with the Elite plan.
Upon plugin activation, it’s important to activate your license key. To do that, go to the WPForms » Settings web page in your Blogging platform dashboard and add your license key.
You will get this info out of your account space on the WPForms web site. It will unlock all of the options out there in your plan, together with entry to premium addons like Entry Automation.
Now that your license is energetic, head over to the WPForms » Addons web page out of your Blogging platform admin sidebar.
Right here, search for the ‘Entry Automation Addon’ within the listing. As soon as you discover it, click on the ‘Deploy Addon’ button to activate it in your web site.
Step 2: Set Up the Kind You’ll Use for Automated Exports
Now that WPForms and the Entry Automation addon are energetic, it’s time to create the shape with the entries you wish to export robotically.
To get began, go to the WPForms » Add New web page in your Blogging platform dashboard and a reputation to your kind.
Then, you’ll be able to both select a premade template like a contact kind, registration kind, or suggestions kind—or construct one from scratch utilizing the drag-and-drop builder.
If you wish to velocity issues up much more, WPForms consists of an AI Kind Builder that may generate an entire kind for you in seconds.
All it’s important to do is kind in a brief immediate, like ‘a easy buyer suggestions kind,’ and the AI will immediately create a kind with the fitting fields, format, and construction. I’ve examined this function myself, and it really works very well.
Now, you can be taken to the visible builder the place you’ll be able to simply customise your kind by dragging fields from the left panel into your kind format on the fitting.
You may add fields like Identify, E mail, Dropdowns, Checkboxes, File Add, and extra primarily based on the kind of info that you must acquire.
In case you’d like extra assist constructing the fitting kind, I’ve bought you coated. At WPBeginner, we’ve written step-by-step tutorials to stroll you thru completely different kind sorts:
As soon as your kind appears to be like good, you’ll be able to configure its affirmation e-mail settings. Then, click on the ‘Save’ button on the prime to retailer your modifications.
Step 3: Set Up Automated Export for Your Kind Submissions
Now that your kind is prepared, it’s time to automate your exports so that you simply don’t need to manually obtain kind entries ever once more.
To do that, change to the Settings » Entry Automation tab within the WPForms builder. That is the place you’ll handle every thing associated to automated exporting and deleting entries.
To start, click on the ‘Add New Job’ button.
When you do this, a immediate will open up, the place it’s important to give a reputation to your activity. I like to recommend selecting one thing clear like ‘Weekly Contact Kind Export to E mail’ so it’s straightforward to recollect later.
This activity shall be like organising a small workflow to your kind. You may even create a number of duties for one kind, corresponding to one activity to ship weekly e-mail reviews and one other to again up entries to Google Drive.
After getting into the identify, click on the ‘OK’ button to maneuver ahead.
Subsequent, you’ll be requested to decide on a activity kind.
WPForms provides you two choices: Export Entries and Delete Entries. For now, that you must choose the ‘Export Entries’ possibility.
You may all the time come again later and arrange a deletion activity if wanted. For instance, to robotically take away previous submissions after 30 days.
After selecting to export entries, you’ll see a couple of settings associated to how your export file must be named. You may kind a reputation manually, however I like to recommend utilizing Sensible Tags.
These tags can robotically pull in issues like the shape identify or the date, which helps maintain your recordsdata organized with none additional work in your half.
Simply click on the Sensible Tag icon to see your choices and insert those that make sense for you.
Subsequent, let’s speak about how your kind entries shall be exported and the place they’ll find yourself. I like to recommend selecting your file format first — this determines how your information shall be organized when it’s despatched out.
WPForms provides you many file sorts to choose from, and every one has its personal benefits:
- CSV – The default possibility, good for spreadsheet instruments like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
- Excel (XLSX) – This format preserves primary styling and construction, making reviews look cleaner and extra skilled proper out of the field. I like to recommend this selection should you plan to share the file straight with purchasers or non-techy individuals who use Microsoft Excel.
- PDF – Nice for clear, printable summaries. I like this selection once I need one thing polished to share in a gathering.
- JSON – Finest suited to builders or customers integrating the info into different methods or apps.
As soon as that’s carried out, it’s time to determine the place the exported file ought to go.
WPForms permits you to automate this too, so that you don’t need to manually ship or add something. Listed here are your vacation spot choices:
- E mail – Ship the export to a number of e-mail addresses.
- Google Drive – Save a duplicate of the export on to your Google Drive account.
- Dropbox – Retailer the file in your Dropbox folder for simple sharing and entry.
- FTP – Add the export to a server utilizing FTP. This feature is designed for extra superior customers or builders who have to ship information to a customized utility or a separate server.
As soon as you choose your vacation spot, WPForms will stroll you thru the connection steps.
For instance, should you select ‘E mail’, then you will have so as to add the e-mail handle the place the entries could be despatched. Then again, should you select Dropbox, then you’ll have to combine it with WPForms.
Nonetheless, you don’t want to fret, for the reason that plugin makes the method tremendous beginner-friendly. Simply comply with the steps on the display.
Step 4: Select Kind Fields and Apply Entry Filters Earlier than Exporting
After setting your export format and vacation spot, scroll right down to configure what information must be included within the export and whether or not you wish to filter the entries.
First, you’ll see the ‘Entry Data’ part. This space is neatly divided into two components: Kind Fields and Extra Data, providing you with full management over what will get shared.
Underneath ‘Kind Fields’, you’ll see the precise fields out of your kind—like Identify, E mail, and Remark or Message. Simply test the containers for the fields you wish to embody.
In case you’re exporting an extended kind with a number of inputs, you should utilize the ‘Choose All’ possibility to avoid wasting time.
Then there’s the ‘Extra Data’ part. This consists of additional particulars that WPForms tracks robotically, like Entry ID, Entry Date, Entry Notes, and Kind.
You may choose any mixture of those fields to customise your export. I’ve discovered this particularly helpful should you solely want a couple of key items of data for a weekly report or wish to cover inside notes earlier than sharing a file externally.
Beneath that’s the ‘Filter’ part. That is the place you’ll be able to slender down your export to incorporate solely the entries that meet sure situations—for instance, submissions from a sure date vary or entries that embody particular responses.
By default, WPForms units the filter to ‘Any Subject incorporates’, however you’ll be able to customise this to slender down entries primarily based on particular kind fields and values.
For instance, in case your contact kind features a dropdown like ‘Purpose for Contact’, you might filter to solely export entries the place the reason being ‘Help Request’ or ‘Enterprise Inquiry’.
This helps maintain your exports centered on the forms of messages you care about most.
You may also filter primarily based on the standing of the entry. WPForms permits you to select whether or not to incorporate entries which might be Printed, Deserted, or marked as Spam.
I like to recommend this filter if you would like clear, finalized submissions in your export, or if you wish to analyze incomplete or flagged messages individually.
Moreover, you’ll be able to select to export all contact kind entries or simply the brand new submissions since your final export. This can be a helpful possibility for automating reviews with out duplicating information.
When you’ve chosen which fields and filters to use, WPForms will tailor the export precisely to your wants.
Step 5: Schedule Blogging platform Kind Entries Export
As soon as your export settings and filters are in place, the ultimate step is to schedule once you need WPForms to run the export robotically.
For this, scroll right down to the ‘Schedule’ part.
You can begin by selecting how usually the export ought to occur. You may set it to run each day, weekly, or month-to-month, relying on how usually you want updates.
Subsequent, choose the particular day(s) you need the export to run—like each Monday or the first of every month. You additionally want so as to add a begin date and, optionally, an finish date should you’re solely exporting for a restricted time.
WPForms will run the export at midnight by default, however you’ll be able to customise the time of day to suit your workforce’s workflow or reporting schedule.
As soon as that’s carried out, the plugin takes care of the remaining—robotically producing and sending the export file precisely as you configured.
💡Bonus Tip: To start out amassing entries, you’ll additionally have to embed the shape you simply configured right into a web page in your web site. For particulars, take a look at our step-by-step information on how one can embed types in Blogging platform.
Step 6: Add a Job to Delete Kind Entries After Export (Non-obligatory)
As soon as your kind is stay and the automation is working, you’ll be able to go one step additional by organising a separate activity to delete the entries after they’ve been exported.
WPForms doesn’t bundle this into the export activity itself. As a substitute, you’ll have to create a brand new activity with the ‘Delete Entries’ possibility and configure it to run after the export.
Don’t neglect to toggle the ‘Run After Earlier Job’ change to ensure the duties run in sequence.
You may even drag to reorder the duties, so deletion solely occurs as soon as the info has been safely exported.
This can be a nice method to maintain your Blogging platform database lean and stop information bloat. A smaller database helps your web site run easily and makes your web site backups smaller and sooner to finish.
It’s additionally a great information privateness follow.
By not storing consumer information in your web site longer than crucial, you scale back threat and might extra simply adjust to privateness rules like GDPR.
Step 7: Monitor Every part from the Automation Dashboard
In case you’re managing a number of types or scheduling common exports, then having a transparent overview of all of your automated duties is a game-changer.
The Automation Dashboard in WPForms makes this straightforward by displaying all energetic duties in a single place.
I discovered this extremely useful when testing the function as a result of it gave me on the spot visibility into what was working, when, and whether or not every thing was working as anticipated.
You may entry it by going to the WPForms » Instruments » Entry Automation web page, the place you’ll be capable of:
- View all types with automation duties configured.
- Evaluate activity sorts, schedules, and present standing.
- Verify whether or not export or delete duties have run efficiently.
It’s the best method to keep organized and guarantee every thing is working precisely as deliberate.
🔄 Bonus: Take Automation Even Additional with Uncanny Automator
Mechanically exporting information out of your Blogging platform types is only one means it can save you time. I additionally advocate organising extra automated workflows with Uncanny Automator.
It’s the greatest Blogging platform automation plugin and comes with built-in integration for WPForms, so you’ll be able to set off highly effective workflows the second somebody submits a kind.
Whereas WPForms’ Entry Automation is ideal for managing the entries themselves (like exporting or deleting them), Uncanny Automator permits you to use a kind submission as a set off to carry out actions in different plugins or apps.
For instance, you’ll be able to robotically ship a notification to Slack, create a brand new consumer account, enroll somebody in a course, and even generate a WooCommerce coupon when somebody fills out a kind.
This may prevent tons of time and streamline duties that used to take hours. It’s an effective way to stage up your web site’s automation with out writing any code.
To get began, simply see our tutorial on how one can create automated workflows in Blogging platform with Uncanny Automator.
Incessantly Requested Questions About Blogging platform Kind Entries
Listed here are some questions which might be continuously requested by our readers about auto exporting Blogging platform kind entries:
What are the constraints of utilizing e-mail to auto export kind information?
The principle limitation is that the info isn’t saved in a central dashboard. As a substitute, it lives in your e-mail inbox. Which means you’ll have to manually type, manage, or again up the info if you wish to maintain information long-term.
There’s additionally a better threat of lacking one thing necessary in case your inbox will get cluttered.
In my expertise, this setup works properly for smaller websites or solo enterprise homeowners who simply desire a fast method to test kind entries with out logging into Blogging platform.
However as your web site grows, you may want one thing extra scalable.
When that point comes, WPForms makes it straightforward to modify to cloud storage choices like Dropbox or Google Drive, so your entries are all the time backed up and straightforward to handle.
Is there a method to cease kind spam from being exported?
Sure. WPForms consists of built-in spam safety instruments like Google reCAPTCHA, hCaptcha, and its personal sensible honeypot function that assist block junk submissions earlier than they ever attain your inbox.
On prime of that, WPForms additionally has a kind entry filter that ignores deserted or partial kind submissions. Which means your exports solely embody full and legit entries, which saves time and retains your information clear.
For particulars, see our information on how one can block contact kind spam in Blogging platform.
Can exporting kind entries scale back database bloat?
Sure, this helps maintain your database clear and optimized. Once you export entries after which delete them from Blogging platform, you keep away from pointless information buildup. This makes backups sooner and your admin space extra responsive.
Will auto-exporting kind entries decelerate my Blogging platform web site?
No, auto-exporting kind entries received’t have an effect on your web site’s velocity if arrange accurately.
The export course of occurs within the background, so guests received’t discover any slowdown when submitting a kind. Consider it like a scheduled activity in your laptop—it runs quietly at a set time with out interrupting what you’re doing.
I didn’t expertise any efficiency points throughout testing, even on a web site with a number of types working.
I hope this text helped you discover ways to auto export Blogging platform kind entries. You might also be focused on our newbie’s information on how one can create GDPR compliant types in Blogging platform and our listing of greatest practices for contact kind web page design.
In case you appreciated this text, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Blogging platform video tutorials. You may also discover us on Twitter and Fb.
