New feature! Customize form closed message

Last year we wrote a cheeky guide on how to use CSS to create a custom closed message on a form. It was a solid workaround, but required a bit of legwork to execute. We’re happy to say, you can now skip leg day as much as you’d like, thanks to the new form closed options.

Form closed options, which are available on all paid plans, let you add a completely customized message for your users when they visit a closed form. If you don’t want to leave a custom message for the user, you can choose to redirect them to your own website instead. Better yet, setting this up requires no CSS or workaround. To show you how easy it is to use, let’s check out an example using a glorious donation form.

Dodge the Dinos 20K Run is an annual 20K run with a twist. Runners are chased by Wufoo’s very own dinosaurs. Fundraising for chosen charities is urged, and participants can use a donation form for their fundraising. Cue the Dodge the Dinos 20K Run Donation Form.

Taking donations before the event is fantastic, but what if someone visits the form after the event is over? It would be great to let the visitor know that the dinos have been dodged, but they can learn all about the chosen charity if they’d like. This can be done with a form closed message. Setting this up couldn’t be easier:

  1. Click the Forms tab at the top of the page
  2. Click Edit on the form
  3. Click Form Settings
  4. Click Show Text under the Form Closed Options section
  5. Add the custom message and save

Easy Peasy. Now, if someone were to try to donate after the event, they’d see the custom form closed message telling them that they’re too late.

Form Closed Message

It could also be good to redirect the person to a website after the event is over. That could be a site to the specified charity or any site you’d wish. Setting this up is just as easy. Simply follow the same steps as before, but choose Redirect to Website instead. Then add the URL from there.

Closed Form Settings

In this case, if someone were to view the form after it was closed, they’d be immediately redirected to the specified website. This is a fantastic option if you’d like to send your customers to your own website after a form has closed as well.

The form closed options offer you a brand new dimension to keep your users informed or to get them to your website. We really hope you like this new feature and we’ve got loads more to come. If you’d like to learn more about how form closed options work, check out our help center article as well.

Comments

  • I think you rename this blog to refer to a “Form Inactive” message – not “Form Closed” message.

    When I first read this, I thought you were implying that a message would be shown if someone actually tried to “Close” the form…i.e., opting out/closing the form and without completing the form. THAT would be very beneficial.

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by Paul.
  • This is good news as a stock/standard message does not always apply to each created form. Allowing a custom message with a form-specific intent to it is a good thing.

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by Rob.
  • This is fantastic! Thank you so much for introducing this!

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by David.
  • Thank you! This was what I always put as my wishlist item when you would ask for them.

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by Susan.
  • Thank you so much! The ministries I work with have been wanting to customize the closed form message for a long time! 🙂

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by Denise C.
  • (Everyone needs a hug.) {This is true! ;)}

    Thank you for this update!

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by Randi Rivers.
  • Yay! This is such a great addition! Thank you for making this simple and easy to use.

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by Amy.
  • @Paul Thanks for clarifying that, and you’re right that would definitely be useful! One option to make use of the current version of this feature would be to set a “form inactive” message as well a closure date in the past within the Form Settings. That way, you could close a form when you want while showing your custom message.

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by Cody Curry.
  • thank you , great article

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by abdominoplastie tunisie.
  • Good idea, this can add a lot of functionality! I like that it re-routes to the website if they are still looking to donate.

    Posted May 11th, 2017 by Jeremy Covert.

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