Add Form Parameter Support (Pre-fill form fields)

[Sean_O_Shea]

Would love the ability to pre-fill all form fields using URL parameters.

Currently some fields have parameter support (see this Support post for details), but not all.

The ability to pre-fill linked fields with parameters could be super useful as people use Airtable to build web applications.

[Kanta_Kiyomoto]

We have a similar use case! We are using our form to collect information from users of our service, and want to link the entry to their main record in another table. However, with the linked record field visible, they would be able to pull up the records of other users, which is obviously not okay since that’s private information. Being able to prefill a hidden, linked record field would allow us to avert this issue.

[Eric_Petersen]

I have a data entry table with views where internal users create records. We also have forms filled out by public users. I am looking for ideas to filter all the form submissions for review. I was thinking I would filter by Public user, but this does not seem to be an available option yet. I will start looking at the API now, but I look forward to hearing your ideas. Thank you.

Pre-filling out a hidden field with “Public User” was one idea.

[Eric_Petersen]

I started using a different date field on the form vs in Airtable to help differentiate records.
-Input Date field for data entry within AirTable.
-Form Date field for data entry with Forms.
-CreateDate = Created time field type
-Date =
IF({Input Date},{Input Date},IF({Form Date},{Form Date},{Create Date}))

In the end, I am back to one date field, Date. This does not help if they do not enter a date on the form so I will make it required.

[Jeannie_Ruesch_]

My use case for the hidden pre-filled field is for notification purposes.

We have a form that people can fill out on our site, and I wanted to add a hidden collaborator field with the person already identified so they would get notified when there is a new entry. Right now, we only know if we happen to go to the table.

[Moe]

For those who are interested in prefilling hidden fields, we’ve added support for this feature in our form extension.

miniExtensions

Prefill Hidden Airtable Fields in miniExtensions Form

With miniExtensions form, you have to choice to allow prefilling any field including the hidden ones. It works by using the prefill_fieldName= parameter.

[AliceLaRenarde]

Another workaround would be not to hide the field in form but to make it appear on conditions that are never met (like when 1=0).

[AliceLaRenarde]

edit : it’s not a solution as the hidden field with a condition is not taken in account either in the form that is submitted…