Public Forms

Public Forms allow you to create a web form with a shareable URL that allows anyone to submit new records to a table without logging in to your Noloco app.

Enabling Public Forms For a Table

To enable public forms for a table, simply click the "enable public forms" toggle in the Edit Mode sidebar for the "create new record" page for any table.

Setting a Custom Success Message

Users will see a short thank you message when they successfully complete a form. While there is a default message, you can customize this message by filling in the "On Submit Message" textbox.

Distributing a Public Form

Simply copy the public form URL from the "Public Forms" menu. This URL can then be distributed to users who will be able to fill out the form without logging in.

Deleting a Public Form

If you want to delete the public form associated with a table, you can do so immediately by clicking the "enable public form" toggle again.

Note If you delete a public form for a table, existing public form links will be permanently broken, even if you later re-enable public forms for that same table.

Workflows

Any workflows that are triggered by adding a record to a table, will also be triggered if a public form is submitted for that table.

Troubleshooting Public Forms

Submit Button Disabled or Missing

If your public form's submit button appears disabled or users can't submit the form:

1. Check Required Fields: The submit button is automatically disabled if any required fields are empty

   • Review all form fields marked as "Required"

   • Ensure users can see and fill all required fields

   • Test the form yourself to identify which fields may be causing issues

2. Verify Field Visibility: Make sure all required fields are visible on the public form

   • Check field-level permissions for public users

   • Ensure required fields aren't hidden by visibility rules

   • Test in an incognito browser window

3. Form Configuration: Verify the form is properly configured for public access

   • Check that the form page itself is set to public

   • Ensure all form fields have appropriate permissions for public users

"This app does not have a public page setup" Error

If users see this error when trying to access your public form:

1. Enable Public Access: Ensure public access is enabled for your app

   • Go to Settings > Public Access

   • Toggle the main public access switch to ON

   • Configure which tables should be publicly accessible

2. Configure Page Settings: Set the form page to public

   • Navigate to the form page in build mode

   • Check the page's visibility settings

   • Set page visibility to "Public" or "All User types"

3. Table Permissions: Ensure the underlying table allows public access

   • Go to Data & API tab > hover over the table > click Permissions icon

   • Create a permission rule for public users

   • Grant CREATE permission (minimum) for form submissions

   • Grant READ permission for any linked fields displayed in the form

4. Publish Your App: Public access changes require republishing

   • Go to Settings > Publishing > "Publish Changes"

   • Wait for publishing to complete before testing

Public Form Stopped Working After Initial Setup

If your public form worked before but suddenly stopped:

1. Check Recent Changes: Review what changed since it last worked

   • App republishing status

   • Permission rule modifications

   • Form field changes

   • Page visibility updates

2. Verify Publishing Status: Ensure your app is still published

   • Go to Settings > Publishing

   • Check if there are unpublished changes

   • Republish if necessary

3. Test Permissions: Confirm public users still have proper permissions

   • Review permission rules for the table

   • Check field-level permissions haven't changed

   • Verify no new restrictions were added

4. Browser Testing: Test in multiple browsers and incognito mode

   • Clear browser cache

   • Test from different devices

   • Try accessing the form URL directly

Public Form Permission Requirements Checklist

For a public form to work properly, ensure:

App Level:

• ✅ Public access is enabled in Settings > Public Access

• ✅ App is published (Settings > Publishing)

• ✅ Form page is set to "Public" visibility

Table Level:

• ✅ Table has permission rule for public users

• ✅ Public users have CREATE permission (required for form submissions)

• ✅ Public users have READ permission for any linked fields in the form

Form Level:

• ✅ All required fields are visible to public users

• ✅ All required fields have CREATE permission for public users

• ✅ Form fields are properly configured (no hidden required fields)

• ✅ File upload fields (if any) allow public user uploads

Testing:

• ✅ Form works in incognito browser window

• ✅ All required fields can be filled out

• ✅ Submit button becomes enabled when all required fields are completed

• ✅ Form submission creates a record in your table

File Upload Issues in Public Forms

If users get "file required" errors despite uploading files:

1. Check File Field Permissions: Ensure public users have CREATE permission for file fields

2. File Size Limits: Verify uploaded files don't exceed size limits

3. File Type Restrictions: Check if file type restrictions are properly configured

4. Required Field Settings: Confirm file field is properly marked as required/optional

General Public Form Best Practices

1. Keep Forms Simple: Minimize required fields for better completion rates

2. Test Regularly: Periodically test your public forms in incognito mode

3. Clear Instructions: Add help text for complex fields

4. Success Messages: Use custom success messages to confirm submission

5. Monitor Submissions: Regularly check that form submissions are creating records properly