# Forms

URL: https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms

Build B2B forms such as trade account applications and credit requests in SparkLayer Forms, embed them on your store and act on entries with workflows.

> **Quick summary**
>
> - SparkLayer Forms is a no-code form builder. Use it to collect information from customers, such as trade account applications, credit requests and contact enquiries, without a third-party app.
> - Forms are in the **SparkLayer Dashboard** (app.sparklayer.io) only, at **Forms** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/forms)). They aren't in the SparkLayer Wholesale app in Shopify admin. Shopify merchants sign in to the Dashboard to build forms and review entries.
> - For trade account applications, the quickest start is the **Wholesale Registration Form** [template](#start-from-a-template): when you approve an application, it creates the customer in your store with their customer group.
> - Forms are included on every plan. [Form workflows](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/workflows.md) (automations) are on the Growth plan and above: see [Plans and features](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/plans-and-features.md). They send submission emails and run the **Approve** and **Reject** buttons on entries, so without them you review entries and create customers yourself.

## What you can use Forms for

Use Forms wherever your B2B journey needs structured information from a customer or your team:

- Wholesale or B2B registration (trade account applications)
- Account credit or returns requests (see the [worked example](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/account-credit-request-form.md))
- Contact or enquiry forms, including internal ones for your team
- Capturing structured customer data, such as VAT IDs, trade references and licences
- Approval and onboarding processes, such as editing sales agent details

## How it works

Every form follows the same lifecycle. You build it, publish a version, add it to your store, then review the entries that arrive. Workflows can act on each entry automatically.

The lifecycle of a form:

1. **Build**: Add fields, pages, logic and validation in the form builder.
2. **Publish a version**: Your draft becomes the live version customers see.
3. **Embed on your store**: Add the form with the Shopify block or an embed code.
4. **Entries arrive**: Each submission is saved as an entry you can review and edit.
5. **Workflows act**: Send emails, create customers or call other systems.

**Everything Forms includes**

| Area | What you can do |
| --- | --- |
| **Form builder** | Build forms with a drag-and-drop builder. Add text, email, phone, dropdown, checkbox, date, address and file upload fields, set fields as required or optional, apply validation (such as email, phone or tax ID formats), show or hide fields with conditional logic, and split forms into pages with headers, dividers and progress indicators. Customers can save their progress and return later. |
| **Internal fields** | Add a separate set of fields that only your team sees when reviewing entries, such as a review status or approval buttons. Customers never see them. Internal fields support the same features as the main form, including display logic, validation, pages and workflows. |
| **Publishing** | Preview forms before publishing, embed them on your storefront, create internal-only forms for your team, and customise the success message shown after submission. |
| **Branding** | Style forms to match your site with CSS variables, and customise labels, help text and messages. |
| **Entries** | View all submissions in one place, approve or reject applications, review answers and uploaded files, update internal fields, track timestamps and status, and export entries to CSV. |
| **Workflows** | Automate what happens when an entry is submitted, a field changes, an admin clicks a button or an API call is made. Steps can assign approved customers to customer groups, apply tags, map form data to your platform (such as metafields or customer data), call your ERP or another system, and send emails. |

## Where to find Forms

Forms has two screens in the SparkLayer Dashboard. **Forms** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/forms)) holds your forms and their entries. **Forms > Data tables** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/forms/tables)) holds your [data tables](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/data-tables.md).

**Shopify only:**

> **Using the Shopify app?**
>
> Forms and Data tables aren't in the SparkLayer Wholesale app in Shopify admin. Sign in to the SparkLayer Dashboard at app.sparklayer.io to use them. Forms you build there can still go on your Shopify store with the **SparkLayer Form** theme block: see [Embed and style a form](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/embedding-and-styling.md).

The **Forms** screen lists your forms, with their status and new entries:

| Column | What it shows |
| --- | --- |
| **Form** | The form's name, with when it was last updated. Click it to see its entries. |
| **Status** | **Published** (live on your store) or **Draft**. |
| **Entries** | How many entries it has. |
| **Unread** | How many entries are new, for example "2 new", or "None". |

Each row has **View entries**, and a **⋯** menu with **Edit form**, **Duplicate** and **Archive**.

## Start from a template

A template is the quickest way to start. The **Start from a template** card on the Forms screen has two. Click one to create a draft form, which you can customise with extra fields and workflows before you publish it.

| Template | What it includes |
| --- | --- |
| **Wholesale Registration Form** | Prospective buyers apply for a trade account, with an approve/reject workflow and email notifications. Approving an application creates the customer in your store with their customer group's tag, so they see trade prices when they sign in. |
| **Contact Us Form** | A simple contact form that notifies you of new submissions and sends an automatic reply. |

To start from scratch instead, click **Start with a blank form**. The form builder opens with an empty page. See [Build a form](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/setup.md).

## Guides

Follow these in order the first time you build a form.

- [Build a form](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/setup.md): Create a form, organise it into pages and groups, add internal fields and set its title and success message.
- [Field types](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/field-types.md): Every field you can add, from text and email to file upload, address and repeatable groups.
- [Conditional logic](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/conditional-logic.md): Show or hide fields, groups and pages based on answers or the logged-in customer.
- [Validation rules](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/validation.md): Check answers before a form can be submitted, with built-in and custom rules.
- [Versions and publishing](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/versions.md): Edit a draft safely, preview it and publish it as the live version.
- [Embed and style a form](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/embedding-and-styling.md): Add a form to your store, match it to your brand with CSS variables and translate it.
- [Form entries](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/entries.md): Review, filter, edit and export the submissions your forms receive.
- [Form workflows](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/workflows.md): Automate emails, approvals, customer creation and API calls.
- [Data references](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/data-references.md): Use answers, customer data, purchases and other SparkLayer data in logic, options and templates.
- [Data tables](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/data-tables.md): Keep reusable lists, such as sales territories or approved tax numbers, in one place.
- [Account credit request form](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms/account-credit-request-form.md): A worked example: build a credit request form with internal review and approval workflows.