Connecting Forms to Lists

This guide explains how to connect a signup form to one or more subscriber groups, map form fields to subscriber profiles, and configure opt-in settings in Sender.

Where to Find This Setting

Open the form builder by going to Forms in the left sidebar and clicking the edit (pencil) icon next to any form. In the builder, select the Settings tab in the right panel. The audience connection controls are organized under three collapsible sections: Options, Fields, and Groups. Click any section heading to expand or collapse it.

For double opt-in configuration, go to the Publishing settings page instead. From the Forms list, click the gear icon next to the form. The Double opt-in settings toggle appears at the top of this page.

Steps to Connect Your Form

Step 1 — Select Subscriber Groups

In the form builder, open the Settings tab and expand the Groups section. Under Add subscribers to these groups, click the Select option dropdown. Choose one or more groups from the list. You can also click Create a new group directly from this dropdown if the group you need does not exist yet.

Every subscriber who submits this form will be added to all groups you select here.

Step 2 — Map Form Fields to Subscriber Data

Expand the Fields section under the Settings tab. The Email field is included by default and cannot be removed. To collect additional data, click Add field and select from available fields such as Last name, Phone number, or Birthday. You can also click Create a new field to add a custom field.

For each field, edit the Field label and Input placeholder text. Check the Required checkbox on any field to make it mandatory before submission.

Under the Options section in the Settings tab, check Confirmation checkbox. This adds a consent checkbox to your form. Edit the Confirmation text field to customize the message visitors see (the default is “I would like to receive newsletter and promotions”). Adjust the Confirmation text validation message if needed.

The checkbox must be selected by the visitor before the form can be submitted.

Step 4 — Configure Double Opt-In

From the Forms list page, click the gear icon next to your form to open Publishing settings. Toggle on Double opt-in settings at the top of the page.

Once enabled, a Confirmation email section appears. Click Edit to customize the Email subject, Sender’s name, and Sender’s email address. Click Save to apply your changes. When active, new subscribers receive a confirmation email and are only added as active after clicking the confirmation link.

Step 5 — Allow Subscribers to Choose Interest Groups (Optional)

Back in the form builder under the Settings tab, expand Groups and locate Allow subscribers to choose their interest groups. Click Add group and select a group from the dropdown. The group appears on your form as a checkbox that visitors can select.

Edit the Group label field in the settings panel to change the text displayed on the form. Repeat to add more groups. Visitors will only be added to the groups they check.

How Data Flows

Email and profile fields — When a visitor submits the form, the data entered into each field (email, name, phone number, birthday, or custom fields) is written directly to the corresponding subscriber profile field. The field mapping is automatic based on the field type selected in the Add field dropdown.

Group assignment — Subscribers are added to every group selected under Add subscribers to these groups. If interest group checkboxes are enabled, the subscriber is also added to whichever groups they selected on the form. Both assignments happen at the same time on submission.

Double opt-in — When enabled on the Publishing settings page, the subscriber is created with an unconfirmed status after form submission. They receive a confirmation email and become active only after clicking the confirmation link. Automations connected to the form are triggered after confirmation, not at the time of submission.

Existing subscribers — If a subscriber with the same email address already exists in the selected group, Sender updates their profile with any new field data from the form submission. A duplicate subscriber record is not created.

Connection Tips

Always assign at least one group — If no group is selected under Add subscribers to these groups, new signups may not appear where you expect them. Select a group before publishing your form.

Use interest groups for segmentation — Adding groups under Allow subscribers to choose their interest groups lets visitors self-segment. This keeps your lists organized without requiring separate forms for each audience.

Test field mapping before publishing — Submit a test entry through your form and check the Subscribers section to verify that all field data (name, phone number, custom fields) appears correctly in the subscriber profile.

Customize the double opt-in email — Edit the Email subject and Sender’s name on the Publishing settings page so the confirmation email matches your brand. A recognizable sender name improves confirmation rates.

Mark important fields as required — Check the Required checkbox on fields like Phone number or Last name if you need complete data. This prevents submissions with missing information.

Common Issues

Subscribers not appearing after form submission → No group is selected under Add subscribers to these groups in the Groups section. Open the form builder, go to the Settings tab, expand Groups, and select at least one group from the dropdown.

Subscriber shows as unconfirmed or inactive → Double opt-in settings is enabled on the Publishing settings page. The subscriber must click the confirmation link in the email before they appear as active. Check whether they received and opened the confirmation email.

Custom field data not saving to profiles → The field was not added through the Add field dropdown in the Fields section. Fields added this way are automatically mapped to subscriber profile fields. Verify the field exists under Subscribers → Fields in the left sidebar.

Interest group checkboxes not showing on the form → No groups have been added under Allow subscribers to choose their interest groups. Click Add group in the Groups section of the Settings tab and select at least one group.

Confirmation checkbox not visible on the form → The Confirmation checkbox option is not enabled. Expand the Options section in the Settings tab and check Confirmation checkbox.

FAQs

Can I connect one form to multiple subscriber groups?

Yes. In the Settings tab, expand the Groups section and select multiple groups from the Add subscribers to these groups dropdown. New signups will be added to all selected groups simultaneously.

What happens if an existing subscriber submits the form again?

If the email address already exists in the selected group, Sender updates the subscriber’s profile with any new field data from the form. A duplicate subscriber is not created.

How does double opt-in work with signup forms?

When enabled on the Publishing settings page, new subscribers receive a confirmation email after submitting the form. They are only added to your list as active subscribers after clicking the confirmation link.

Can subscribers choose which groups to join?

Yes. Under the Groups section in the Settings tab, click the Add group button under Allow subscribers to choose their interest groups. Visitors will see checkboxes on the form for each group you add.

Where do I find subscribers who signed up through a specific form?

Go to Subscribers in the left sidebar and filter by the subscriber group connected to the form using the Groups dropdown. You can also check the form’s stats on the Forms list page for submission counts.