Creating Your First Form Manually

Learn how to create a custom form from scratch in FormRobin without using AI. Build forms step-by-step with full control over every field and setting.

Prerequisites

• Account: Logged into FormRobin
• Access: Any plan (Free or Individual)

How to Create a Form Manually

1. From your Dashboard, click the New form button in the top right corner
2. Enter a Form Name (required, up to 255 characters)
3. Optional: Select a Folder to organize your form, or leave as "No folder"
4. Click Create Form
5. You will be redirected to the form editor where you can add fields

💡 Note: Forms are automatically published when created, making them immediately accessible via their unique URL. You can start collecting responses right away without needing to manually publish.

💡 Alternative: New users may see a template library when creating forms. You can start from a pre-built template and customize it, or choose "Blank Form" to start from scratch.

Adding Form Fields

After creating your form:

1. In the form editor, you will see options to add fields
2. Choose from 13 field types:
   • Short Text - Single-line text input
   • Long Text - Multi-line text area
   • Email - Email address with validation
   • Number - Numeric input only
   • Phone Number - Phone input with international format
   • URL - Website address with validation
   • Date - Date picker for selecting dates
   • Multiple Choice - Radio buttons (single selection)
   • Dropdown - Select menu (single selection)
   • Checkboxes - Multiple selection options
   • Checkbox - Single checkbox (yes/no, agree/disagree)
   • File Upload - File attachment field
   • Statement - Text block for instructions or information
   • Image - Display images within your form
   • Hidden Field - Store data without user input
3. For each field, configure:
   • Label - The field name users will see (required)
   • Description - Optional help text below the field (max 1000 characters)
   • Placeholder - Example text shown inside the field
   • Required - Toggle whether users must fill this field
4. Drag and drop fields to reorder them
5. Click Save after adding or editing fields

💡 Tip: Use the Image field to add logos, product photos, or visual instructions to your forms. Great for branding and providing visual context.

💡 Tip: You can format your form title, question text, and descriptions with bold, italic, colors, and links using the formatting toolbar that appears when you click into these text areas. Learn more about text formatting options.

Form Settings

Configure additional form options by clicking Settings in the form editor:

• Email Notifications - Receive an email when someone submits the form (enabled by default)
• Multi-page Mode - Display one question at a time with navigation buttons instead of showing all questions on a single page (available on all plans)
• reCAPTCHA Protection - Enable spam protection with Google reCAPTCHA v3
• Custom Redirect - Redirect users to a custom URL after submission (Individual tier only)
• Source Tracking - Track UTM parameters and referrer data (Individual tier only)
• Integrations - Connect to SendFox, webhooks, Google Sheets, or other services

💡 Tip: Multi-page mode creates a conversational, one-question-at-a-time experience perfect for surveys, lead generation, and mobile users. Learn more in our Multi-Page Forms guide.

Customizing Your Form

Make your form unique:

• Format text - Add bold, italic, colors, and links to form titles, questions, and descriptions
• Add conditional logic - Show/hide fields based on user responses
• Enable multi-page mode - Display one question at a time for better engagement
• Reorder fields - Drag and drop to arrange fields logically
• Use Statement fields - Add instructional text between sections
• Add Image fields - Include logos, product images, or visual instructions
• Configure validation - Set min/max length, required fields, etc.

Sharing Your Form

Once your form is ready:

1. Click the Share button in the form editor
2. Copy the form URL to share directly
3. Or copy the embed code to add to your website
4. Forms are live immediately - no publishing step required

Form URL format: https://forms.formrobin.com/your-form-slug   

Viewing Responses

To see form submissions:

1. Go to Forms from the dashboard
2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to your form
3. Select Responses
4. View, export, or manage all submissions

Form Creation Best Practices

• Keep it short - Only ask for necessary information
• Use clear labels - Avoid jargon or ambiguous questions
• Provide examples - Use placeholder text to show expected format
• Group related fields - Use Statement fields to separate sections
• Add visual context - Use Image fields for logos, product photos, or instructions
• Format important text - Use bold or colors to highlight key information
• Consider multi-page - For longer forms (5+ questions), enable multi-page mode
• Test thoroughly - Submit test responses before sharing
• Enable reCAPTCHA - Protect against spam submissions
• Set up notifications - Get alerted when forms are submitted

Troubleshooting

Issue: Can't find the New Form button.

Fix: Ensure you're logged in to FormRobin. The button appears in the top right of the Dashboard or Forms page.

Issue: Form fields aren't saving.

Fix: Click the Save button in the form editor. Wait for the confirmation message before closing the page.

Issue: Form URL doesn't work.

Fix: Forms are automatically published. Ensure you copied the complete URL from the Share button. Check for typos in the URL.

FAQ

Q: Do I need to publish my form after creating it?

A: No! Forms are automatically published when created. They're immediately accessible via their unique URL and ready to receive submissions.

Q: How many fields can I add to a form?

A: There's no hard limit, but keep forms concise for better completion rates. Aim for 5-10 fields for most use cases.

Q: Can I edit a form after it's published?

A: Yes, you can edit forms at any time. Changes take effect immediately, even for forms that are already receiving submissions.

Q: Can I duplicate a form I created?

A: Yes, use the Duplicate option in the form's three-dot menu to create a copy.

Q: What's the difference between manual and AI form creation?

A: Manual creation gives you complete control over every field. AI generation creates forms automatically from a description, which you can then edit.

Q: What are form templates?

A: Templates are pre-built forms you can start from and customize. New users may see a template library offering common form types (contact forms, surveys, registrations, etc.).

Q: What is multi-page mode?

A: Multi-page mode displays one question at a time with Next/Previous buttons, creating a conversational experience similar to Typeform. It's perfect for longer forms and mobile users.

Q: Can I format text in my forms with bold, italic, or links?

A: Yes! Click into any form title, question text, or description to reveal a formatting toolbar with options for bold, italic, underline, colors, and links.

Need help creating forms? Contact our support team - we're here to help!