How To Pass Field Data as URL Parameters

Send Form Data to External Pages via URL #

Extend your form’s capabilities by passing submitted data to external websites through URL parameters. FORMEPIC’s parameter mapping feature lets you append form field values to redirect URLs, enabling seamless data transfer to landing pages, analytics platforms, CRM systems, and third-party tools. Perfect for prefilling subsequent forms, tracking conversion sources, personalizing landing pages, and triggering automated workflows based on form submissions.

Control exactly which form fields become URL parameters and customize parameter names for compatibility with any system. Map user names, email addresses, selections, and custom data to URL parameters that external platforms can read and process. Create sophisticated integrations without coding, connecting your forms to marketing automation tools, payment processors, membership platforms, and more.

Build powerful form workflows that extend beyond FORMEPIC. Prefill checkout forms with customer information, personalize landing pages based on user responses, track campaign performance with custom parameters, and automate data transfer to third-party services—all through simple URL parameter configuration.

How to Pass Field Data as URL Parameters #

Step 1: Enable Redirect with Parameters #

1. Open your form in the Form Builder
2. Click on the Thank You Page panel in the right sidebar
3. Select “Redirect to an external link after submission”
4. Enter your redirect URL in the Redirect URL field

Step 2: Enable Parameter Passing #

1. Find the “Pass Field Data as URL Parameters” toggle
2. Switch it to ON
3. The Field Mappings section will appear below

Step 3: Configure Field Mappings #

1. In the Field Mappings section, you’ll see all your form fields listed
2. Each field has a toggle switch—turn it ON for fields you want to pass as parameters
3. Only enabled fields will be included in the redirect URL

Step 4: Customize Parameter Names #

1. For each enabled field, you’ll see a “URL Parameter Name” input box
2. Enter the parameter name that your destination website expects
3. Parameter names should be lowercase with underscores (e.g., first_name, email_address)
4. Click the Auto button to automatically generate a parameter name based on the field label

Step 5: Review Example URL #

1. As you enable fields and set parameter names, an Example URL appears at the bottom
2. This shows exactly how your redirect URL will look with parameters appended
3. Example: https://example.com/thank-you?first_name=John&email=john@example.com

Step 6: Save Your Settings #

1. Click Save at the bottom of the Thank You Page panel
2. Your parameter mapping is now active
3. Test by submitting your form to see the complete redirect URL with actual values

Parameter Mapping Examples and Use Cases #

Example 1: CRM Integration #

Scenario: Send lead data to your CRM system

Form Fields: Full Name, Email Address, Phone Number, Company Name

Parameter Mapping:

• Full Name → full_name
• Email Address → email
• Phone Number → phone
• Company Name → company

Result URL: https://crm.company.com/add-lead?full_name=John+Doe&email=john@example.com&phone=555-1234&company=Acme+Corp

Example 2: E-commerce Checkout Prefill #

Scenario: Prefill checkout form with customer information

Form Fields: First Name, Last Name, Email, Shipping Address, Phone

Parameter Mapping:

• First Name → fname
• Last Name → lname
• Email → customer_email
• Shipping Address → ship_address
• Phone → contact_phone

Result URL: https://store.com/checkout?fname=Jane&lname=Smith&customer_email=jane@example.com&ship_address=123+Main+St&contact_phone=555-9876

Example 3: Event Registration with Ticket Details #

Scenario: Pass registration details to event management platform

Form Fields: Attendee Name, Email, Ticket Type, Quantity, Dietary Restrictions

Parameter Mapping:

• Attendee Name → attendee
• Email → email
• Ticket Type → ticket
• Quantity → qty
• Dietary Restrictions → dietary

Result URL: https://events.com/confirm?attendee=Mike+Johnson&email=mike@example.com&ticket=VIP&qty=2&dietary=vegetarian

Example 4: Analytics and UTM Tracking #

Scenario: Track campaign source and user data in analytics

Form Fields: Email, Referral Source, Campaign Code

Parameter Mapping:

• Email → user_email
• Referral Source → utm_source
• Campaign Code → utm_campaign

Result URL: https://yoursite.com/thank-you?user_email=user@example.com&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=summer_sale

Example 5: Membership Portal Login #

Scenario: Redirect to login page with username prefilled

Form Fields: Username, Email, Membership Type

Parameter Mapping:

• Username → username
• Email → email
• Membership Type → tier

Result URL: https://portal.site.com/login?username=user123&email=user@example.com&tier=premium

Example 6: Payment Gateway with Order Info #

Scenario: Pass order details to payment processor

Form Fields: Customer Name, Email, Product ID, Amount

Parameter Mapping:

• Customer Name → customer_name
• Email → customer_email
• Product ID → item_id
• Amount → total

Result URL: https://payment.com/checkout?customer_name=Sarah+Lee&customer_email=sarah@example.com&item_id=PROD-123&total=99.99

Requirements #

• Redirect must be enabled (cannot pass parameters without a redirect URL)
• The destination website must be capable of reading URL parameters
• Parameter names must match what the destination system expects
• Special characters in field values are automatically URL-encoded
• The redirect URL must be a valid, publicly accessible web address

Tips and Tricks #

• Match Destination Requirements: Check destination platform documentation for exact parameter names
• Use Auto-Generate First: Click “Auto” to create parameter names, then customize as needed
• Test Thoroughly: Submit test entries and verify parameters appear correctly in destination URL
• Only Pass Necessary Fields: Don’t enable all fields—only include what’s needed to reduce URL length
• Use Descriptive Names: Parameter names should be clear and match destination expectations
• URL Length Limits: Be aware that extremely long URLs (over 2000 characters) may cause issues
• Encode Special Characters: The system automatically handles spaces and special characters
• Check Browser Console: Use browser dev tools to see the exact redirect URL
• Document Your Mappings: Keep notes on which parameters map to which destination fields
• Avoid Sensitive Data: Don’t pass passwords, SSNs, or highly sensitive information via URL
• Use HTTPS Destinations: Ensure redirect URLs use https:// for security
• Test Edge Cases: Try submissions with special characters, long text, and empty optional fields
• Parameter Order Doesn’t Matter: Most systems read parameters regardless of order
• Combine with Custom Landing Pages: Create destination pages optimized to receive parameter data

Important Notes #

• Parameters are appended to the redirect URL automatically—don’t manually add ? or &
• Field values are URL-encoded automatically (spaces become +, special characters are encoded)
• Empty or unfilled fields are excluded from the URL parameters
• File upload fields cannot be passed as URL parameters (only file names, not actual files)
• Very long field values may be truncated by some browsers or servers
• Parameters are visible in the browser address bar—don’t pass sensitive information
• The destination website must be coded to read and use the parameters
• Parameter names are case-sensitive depending on the destination system
• Multiple choice fields with multiple selections create comma-separated values
• Date and time fields pass in the format the user entered them
• Number fields pass as plain numbers without currency symbols or formatting
• Boolean fields (yes/no) pass as text values “Yes” or “No”
• Calculated fields can be passed and will include computed values
• Parameters work across all form types: Forms, Surveys, Quizzes, and Polls

Common Issues & Troubleshooting #

Parameters Not Appearing in URL #

Issue: Redirect works but parameters don’t appear in the destination URL

Solutions:

• Verify “Pass Field Data as URL Parameters” toggle is turned ON
• Ensure at least one field mapping is enabled (toggle switched on)
• Save the Thank You Page settings after configuring mappings
• Check that fields were actually filled out (empty fields aren’t passed)
• Test with a fresh form submission, not an old cached entry

Incorrect Parameter Names #

Issue: Parameters appear in URL but with wrong names

Solutions:

• Review each field mapping’s “URL Parameter Name” input
• Verify parameter names match destination system requirements
• Check for typos or incorrect capitalization
• Click “Auto” to regenerate default names if needed
• Save settings after changing parameter names

Destination Page Not Reading Parameters #

Issue: Parameters are in URL but destination doesn’t use them

Solutions:

• Verify the destination website is coded to read URL parameters
• Check destination platform documentation for correct parameter format
• Ensure parameter names exactly match what the destination expects (case-sensitive)
• Test the destination URL directly with sample parameters
• Contact destination platform support to confirm parameter handling

Special Characters Breaking URLs #

Issue: URLs with special characters cause errors

Solutions:

• This should be handled automatically by URL encoding
• Check browser console for specific error messages
• Verify the destination site accepts URL-encoded parameters
• Test with simpler values first to isolate the issue
• Avoid using unusual Unicode characters in form fields that will be passed

URL Too Long Error #

Issue: Browser shows “URL too long” error after submission

Solutions:

• Reduce the number of enabled field mappings
• Pass only essential fields, not all form fields
• Use shorter field labels and values where possible
• Consider using a thank you page with POST method instead of GET
• Split long forms into multiple steps with separate submissions

File Upload Fields in Parameters #

Issue: Want to pass uploaded files via URL

Solutions:

• Files cannot be passed via URL parameters (technical limitation)
• Only file names are passed, not file contents or links
• Use email notifications with file attachments instead
• Store files in cloud storage and pass file IDs if integration supports it
• Use webhooks for advanced file transfer needs

Empty Fields Showing in URL #

Issue: Optional fields show blank or null values in URL

Solutions:

• Empty fields should not appear in the URL at all (this is normal behavior)
• If they are appearing, check that conditional logic isn’t interfering
• Verify the field mapping is properly configured
• Test with fresh submissions to rule out cached data

Multiple Choice Parameters Showing Oddly #

Issue: Multiple choice fields create messy parameter values

Solutions:

• Multiple selections are comma-separated—this is expected
• Destination site must be coded to handle comma-separated values
• Consider using separate single-choice fields for cleaner parameter passing
• Check if destination supports array-style parameters