Building forms
Limits, schedules and access
Open and close a form on a schedule with a countdown, limit entries with an optional waiting list, limit entries per person, and choose who can use a form.
These settings are in the form settings, Schedule and limits group. Every limit is checked again on the server when a form is sent, so a page that was open for a long time cannot slip past it.
Opening and closing on a schedule
Turn on Open and close the form automatically and set Opens and Closes. Times are in the site's time zone (Settings, General), including changes between summer and winter time.
- Before it opens, visitors see Message before opening instead of the form. With Show when the form opens, with a countdown (on by default), the message is followed by the opening date with the time zone and the time left, for example "Opens in 3 hours". The time left updates each minute without interrupting screen readers. When it reaches zero, the text asks the visitor to reload the page to use the form.
- After it closes, visitors see Message after closing.
Limiting the number of entries
Maximum number of entries closes the form once that many entries are stored. Spam, trashed and test entries do not count. Count chooses every entry or paid entries only, useful when places are only taken by paying.
When the limit is reached chooses what happens next:
| Choice | Effect |
|---|---|
| Close the form | The form is replaced by Message when the limit is reached |
| Take entries on a waiting list | The form stays open with the message shown above it. New entries get the Waitlist status, do not count towards the limit, and see Message after joining the waiting list instead of the usual confirmation |
To give someone on the waiting list a place, change their entry's status in Entries. The places left can be shown anywhere with the Form entry count block or the [flavonto_form_count] shortcode (see Embedding forms).
Limits per person
| Setting | Counts |
|---|---|
| Entries per logged in user | Entries by the same WordPress user |
| Entries per email address | Entries with the same answer in the email field you choose |
| Entries per IP address | Entries from the same connection. People in offices and schools can share one address, so prefer the other two when you can |
Each can count over all time or over a period such as a day, week or month. A visitor who reaches a limit sees Message when a visitor reaches their limit. Turn on Staff who manage forms are not limited so you can test freely.
Who can use the form
Who can use the form is Everyone, Logged in visitors, or Selected roles. Others see Message for others, optionally with a log in link that brings them back to the same page. To hide single fields from some visitors instead, use Who sees this field (see Conditional logic).