Brief Overview of Contact Form 7 and Flamingo
This guide provides a basic overview of the Contact Form 7 and Flamingo plugins used on the Dixie Chemical websites. Note that creating or modifying forms will be covered in a follow-up training session.
Important: This training focuses on editing existing page content only. Do not delete or modify form shortcodes on pages. If a form needs changes, contact your administrator.
Contact Form 7 Basics
What is Contact Form 7?
Contact Form 7 is a popular WordPress plugin used on the Dixie Chemical website to create and manage contact forms. It allows visitors to submit inquiries, requests, and other information through web forms.
Key Features
- Multiple Forms: Create different forms for various purposes
- Customizable Fields: Add text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, etc.
- Form Validation: Ensure required fields are completed
- Email Notifications: Receive submissions via email
- CAPTCHA Support: Protect forms from spam
Where to Find Forms
- Forms are created and managed in the WordPress admin area
- Look for "Contact" in the left sidebar menu
- Forms are embedded on pages using shortcodes or Avada elements
Contact Form 7 admin interface
Flamingo Overview
What is Flamingo?
Flamingo is a companion plugin to Contact Form 7 that captures and stores form submissions in the WordPress database. This allows you to view submission history directly in the WordPress admin area.
Key Features
- Message Storage: Saves all form submissions
- Inbox Interface: View submissions in an email-like inbox
- Search Capability: Find specific submissions
- Export Option: Export submissions to CSV
Where to Find Submissions
- In the WordPress admin area, look for "Flamingo" in the left sidebar
- Click "Inbound Messages" to view form submissions
- Messages are organized by date with the newest at the top
Flamingo inbox showing form submissions
Relationship Between Contact Form 7 and Flamingo
- Contact Form 7: Creates and displays the forms on your website
- Flamingo: Stores the submissions from those forms
- Both plugins work together to provide a complete form management system
Future Training Topics
In the follow-up training session, you'll learn:
- How to create and modify forms
- How to manage form fields and validation
- How to access and respond to form submissions
- How to export submission data
- Best practices for form management
Next Steps: Now that you have an overview of the form functionality, check out the Quick Reference Guide for a handy summary of all the key tasks covered in this training.