External Forms (Public Links, QR Codes, and Use Cases).
🌐 External Forms: Public Access, QR Codes, and Use Cases
External Forms let you collect form submissions from people outside your organization—no login required. Whether you're gathering leads, onboarding employees, or checking in visitors on-site, this feature helps you bridge the gap between your internal workflows and the outside world.
🧩 What Are External Forms?
An External Form is a version of your form that can be accessed through:
- A public URL
- A QR code
- A button on your website
- A link in your email signature l
They’re perfect for customers, subcontractors, job site visitors, or prospective employees who aren’t part of your Ontraccr account.
🛠 How to Enable External Forms
- Go to Forms → Templates
- Create or edit a form
- In Step 1: Details, scroll to Form Options
- Check the box for External Form
Once enabled, new configuration fields will appear (see below).
🔗 Public Form Link
Once External Form is enabled, Ontraccr generates a unique URL for the form.
🧠 Use Cases:
- Embed on your website (e.g. “Contact Us” or “Service Request” forms)
- Share via email to customers or partners
- Send to job candidates for pre-onboarding forms
🧾 QR Code Access
After enabling External Form, you can also check:
- ✅
Generate QR Code
This creates a downloadable QR code image linked to the form’s public URL.
🧠 Use Cases:
- Site check-in/out forms for trades or guests
- Safety issue reports
- Laminated forms posted in site trailers or break rooms
✅ Pro Tip:
- QR codes stay the same even if you toggle them off and on again.
- You can re-download the exact same code at any time.
🎨 Customize Branding & Colours
Once enabled, you can match the external form’s visual appearance to your brand:
- Primary Colour – Background
- Accent Colour – Main buttons
- Secondary Accent Colour – Additional UI elements
You can select a colour manually or enter a HEX code.
✅ Your company logo is automatically pulled from your general settings and applied to the external form.
🔐 Data Privacy & Field Restrictions
To protect internal data, external forms do not expose company datasets, including:
- Projects
- Customers
- Equipment
- Internal users
- Financial data
Only custom fields (e.g., text, checkboxes, attachments) are available.
🔁 Optional Redirect After Submission
After someone fills out the form, you can redirect them to a URL of your choice (e.g., your website, thank-you page, or a scheduling tool).
- Field:
External Form Redirect URL - Paste the full URL (e.g.,
https://yourcompany.com/thanks)
💡 Use Cases
| Use Case | Description |
|---|---|
| Lead Intake Form | Add to your website to capture service inquiries |
| Site Visitor Check-In | Post QR codes around job sites |
| Service Request Form | Add to your team’s email signature |
| Pre-Hire Paperwork | Send to new employees before they’re added to Ontraccr |
| Change Request from Clients | Email a form link for approval or revisions |
📌 Key Limitations
- Form numbering is not supported for external forms
- These forms are considered “special forms” with more limited field types
- You cannot display internal databases or auto-link to Ontraccr records
✅ Workaround: Have the external form trigger an internal form that supports numbering and workflow actions.