Creating a New Capture Webform to Share with Prospects

Using Actionstep Capture, you can collect and manage prospect information through web forms, which you can embed on your website to gather information from potential clients. Once a prospect submits a web form, you can review the data and instantly sync it with Actionstep, which means you can easily add contacts to your system, create matters, and update custom data fields.

Some of the key features of Capture web forms include:

• Domain verification for secure form hosting
• Web form builder linked to your Actionstep matter types
• Embedded iframe code for webpages, landing pages, and marketing campaigns
• Submissions management and automated matter creation in Actionstep

This article breaks the form creation process into five parts:

• Part 1: Setting Up the Web Form Domain
• Part 2: Creating the Web Form
• Part 3: Setting Up a Contact Section on a Web Form
• Part 4: Setting Up a Data Collection Section on a Web Form
• Part 5: Finalizing Your Web Form

NOTE:  As you build your form, it helps to understand how and where the different components of the form will be used once it's published. The following image shows this. (Click the image to enlarge it.) 

Part 1: Setting Up the Web Form Domain

This process involves working with website domains and DNS records. Basic instructions are provided below, but you should work with your firm's IT contact or a web developer to complete these steps.

To set up the web form domain and DNS records:

1. In Actionstep, go to Admin > Capture. The Capture page appears.
2. Click Domains on the left side of the page. The Domains page appears.
3. In the empty field, enter your site's full domain URL (including the www subdomain). For example, www.lawfirmname.com.
4. Click Add Domain. The domain is added to the list.
5. In the Verified At column, click Verify. The Verify Domain window appears. It contains both a TXT/Name and Value which you will need to copy and paste in your website host's DNS record. 
6. Leave the Verify Domain window open.
7. Sign in to your domain registrar / DNS provider's website and navigate to the the area where DNS / domain settings are managed. 
8. For both the TXT/Name and Value fields, copy and paste the data from the Verify Domain window into the corresponding fields in your domain settings. 
9. Click Verify on the Verify Domain window and save your work in your provider's domain settings.

Once your domain is successfully verified and your DNS records are updated, the Status column in your Domains list will be updated to say Verified. This process may take up to 24 hours, depending on your provider and settings.

Part 2: Creating the Web Form

In order to fully integrate with Actionstep, Capture forms must be associated with specific matter types. Before you create a web form, make sure you understand what matter type you want to associate it with. It's recommended that you use a CRM matter type or a dedicated lead management matter type. This ensures inquiries are routed to a specific workflow for qualification before being converted into a prospect, client, or matter.

A Capture webform can be associated with only one specific matter type.

To set up a web form:

1. In Actionstep, click More > Capture > Web Forms > Create Web Form. The form builder page appears. 
2. Enter the following general information about the web form:
   • Enter a web form Name.
   • Optionally, enter a Description. The description is displayed under the web form name in the intake interview. 
   • Optionally, in the Matter name field, enter the name of the matter that will be created when the web form is imported.
   • Click in the Matter type field and choose the matter type the web form will be associated with. (This is typically a CRM or lead management matter type.)
     
     This section of the form may look something like this:
     
3. Proceed to Part 3, where you will set up your contact fields.

Part 3: Setting Up a Contact Section on a Web Form

The primary component of a Capture web form collects contact information. This section covers how to choose the contact information you want to capture from prospective clients.

To do this:

1. On the Create Form page, click Add Contact. A section for Contact fields is added to the page.
2. Click the Contact Type field and choose the participant type that you want to gather information about. 
3. Enter a Name for this section of the form. For example, if you’re asking for contact information, you might enter Contact Information.
4. Optionally, in the Description field, enter additional information or instructions that might help prospects as they complete this section of the form. 
5. Select Allow Multiple Rows if you want to allow prospects to enter more than one set of answers. For example, if you’re creating a list of contacts, selecting this option lets users enter more than just one. (When you select this option, each contact entered in this section will create a new system contact in Actionstep, as well.)
6. In the field table, click the Mapping field and select the Actionstep field you want included in the form. (The available fields depend on your matter type. If a field is missing, create it in Actionstep first.)
7. Enter a Label for the field. This is the text users will see associated with the field in the form. 
8. Enter additional information or instructions in the Help Text field. 
9. Choose whether the user must answer the field before they can submit it by selecting Required.
   
   A Contact section used to collect a list of contacts might look like this:
10. Click Add Field to add fields to the section. 
11. Once all of the contact fields are added. proceed to Part 4, where you can add data collections to the form. 

TIP:  You can change the order of fields by clicking move icon for the field and dragging it to its new location.

Part 4: Setting Up a Data Collection Section on a Web Form

In addition to contact or participant information, you can collect other types of information on a web form. This section covers how to link your data collections to a web form.

To do this:

1. On the Create Form page, click Add Collection (located below the Contact section). A section for Collection fields is added to the page. 
2. Click the Collection Type field and choose the data collection you want to gather information for. 
3. Enter a Name for this section. For example, if you’re asking for information about assets, you might enter Assets.
4. Optionally, enter additional information or instructions that might help prospects as they complete this section of the form in the Description field. 
5. If your data collection is set up as "multi-row", select Allow Multiple to allow prospects to enter more than one set of answers. 
6. In the field table, click the Mapping field and select the Actionstep field you want included in the form. (The available fields depend on your matter type. If a field is missing, create it in Actionstep first.)
7. Enter a Label for the field. This is the text users will see associated with the field in the form. 
8. Enter additional information or instructions in the Help Text field. 
9. Choose whether the user must answer the field before they can submit it by selecting Required.
   
   A Data Collection section might look like this:
   
10. If needed, click Add Field to add more fields to the section. 
11. Once your data collections are set up, proceed to Part 5, where you will finalize your form.

Part 5: Finalizing Your Web Form

Once a web form is published, you can’t make changes to it unless you unpublish it. To minimize some of this churn, it’s recommended you perform a final review before publishing. 

To do this:

1. Review the web form:
   • Make sure your web form sections are in the right order. To move a section in the form (and not just the fields in the section), click the section name/tab and drag it to the new location. 
   • Verify that all fields are listed in the correct order in their sections. (See the tip in Part 3 for more information on moving fields.)
   • Verify that all required fields are marked as such. 
   • Review all field labels and help text to make sure you’ve provided enough information for the user or client to quickly and accurately complete the form.
2. Once you are ready to save your work, click Create Form. The form is created and added to the list of forms. 
3. Publish your form and embed it in your website. For instructions, see Sharing a Published Capture Form.

Once created, you are returned to the Forms page. You can use the options in the Action column for the form to complete additional tasks, like Edit, Preview, Publish, or Remove the form.