Processing Web Form Data

 The script or program is normally located on your hosting web server. This obviously requires that you have support for scripts (PHP or ASP, CGI scripts are old and not normally used today).

Most ISPs (provided that you have purchased the required package) will provide access to form handling scripts, if not or they don’t satisfy your requirements then there are many scripts available on the Internet, often free for very basic ones, or you can write them yourself.

If  your ISP or web host is unable to provide form processing, then a common alternative is to use one of many form processing services .

These are simply form mail scripts that reside on another server but are offered for use as a service sometime for free but in many cases on subscription.

 The script processes the form data and usually does the following:

• Checks for necessary fields
• Checks for valid data in fields
• Forward the data on as an email, or saves it in a database.
• Sends an email acknowledgement to the visitor confirming the form data. This is common on order forms.
• Sends the visitor to a thank you page

Getting A Form Processing Script

Because form processing scripts involve php or asp programming they are usually written by web professionals.

Although it is quite difficult to write one from scratch it is usually quite straightforward to modify an existing one if the modifications are minor. I examine a script in the Contact Forms tutorial (The PHP Script) and also include a link so you can download it and modify it as you wish.

However for complex forms I recommend you try the Coffee Cup Form design software (free trial) or alternatively use third party web based script hosts/providers like:

• http://www.jotform.com/
• http://www.formhosts.com/
• wufoo.com
• http://www.freedback.com/
• http://www.formspring.com/

Please note I don't use any of the above I found them on a google search.

Form Thank You Page

When the visitor submits the form controls is passed to a form processing script. After the script has done the data extraction the script then passes the user back to the website. It is normal (and very desirable) to pass the visitor onto a thank you page.

The thank you page besides being used to thank the visitor for filling out the form (or order) can be used to recommend additional/complimentary products, supply download details etc. One of my favourite uses is to collect data in the form of online polls.

Related Articles and Resources:

• Creating Web Forms
• Introduction to HTML Web forms
• Creating an Email Contact Us page
• The site wizard offers a free PHP/Perl form generator and even a course on writing your own php form.