How to Setup Your Connector

This connector allows you to automatically forward submitted data to any remote script. The protocol used is the standard HTTP POST (the same protocol used when a web form is submitted).

This connector is particularly useful if you already have a form set up and you need to keep using your server-side script. FormAssembly.com will act as the 'middle-man', processing your form and delivering all its advanced features, and then forwarding the data so that your existing business process remains uninterrupted.

The Connector List

The 'Connectors' tab shows the list of the available connectors for the selected form.

1. To access the list, go to the 'forms' tab and click on the form you need to set up. This opens the form properties panel on the right-hand side.
2. Click on the 'Connectors' tab.
3. To setup your connector, click on 'configure'.

Connector Setup and Authentication

First activate the connector by selecting either 'Background' or 'Interactive' from the 'Run Mode' section.

• 'Background' is the recommended mode, in which the form data is passed invisibly to the remote script. No errors will be reported to the respondent and the respondent will be taken to the thank-you page/url immediately after completing the form.
• 'Interactive' mode will also hide any errors from the respondent, but will wait for the remote script to complete before taking the user to the thank-you page/url. If the remote script is slow, your respondents will experience a noticeable delay between hitting 'submit' and seeing the 'thank-you' page. 'Interactive' mode will also create the server alias %%TFA_POST%% containing the remote script's response.

Next provide the address (URL) of the script that will process the data. If needed you can also enter a username and password (RFC 2617 Basic HTTP Authentication).

Field Mapping

The purpose of the field mapping process is to specify what information should be sent and how it should be identified.

The connector lists the fields present in your form with their default field name. You can edit the field names to match the names expected by your remote script. You can also enter additional fields with fixed values as needed.

The Connector Activity Log

The connector's activity log is particularly useful to troubleshoot configuration problems with your connector. To access it, go to the 'Connectors' tab for the desired form and click on the 'view log' link.

POST Response Alias

When the connector's mode is set to 'Interactive' the content of the response returned by the remote script can be accessed in server side formulas using the alias %%TFA_POST%%. Note that the value returned will include any markup contained in the response.