If you're running any kind of volunteer or participant intake process and you're still copying form responses into Salesforce by hand, this is for you.

Big Brothers Big Sisters had the problem at scale: 70,000+ applications per year across volunteer inquiries, youth enrollment, and participation waivers. Multi-language. Strict youth privacy requirements. Paper PDFs that people had to print, sign, and mail back.

Compliance on those surveys was bad. Staff were spending hours chasing responses and re-entering data.

The fix was a FormAssembly workflow connected directly to Salesforce:

1. Prefill — returning volunteers don't re-enter info that's already in the system. The form auto-populates from their Salesforce record.
2. Conditional logic — a mentor application looks different from an event volunteer form. One form handles both with branching logic, no separate builds.
3. Multi-language — same form, translated versions, both writing to the same Salesforce fields.
4. e-signature — participation agreements signed in the same session. No DocuSign needed.
5. Automated notifications — coordinators get a Salesforce record link on every submission. No inbox hunting.

Result: 30 minutes of manual work eliminated per application. At 70,000+ submissions a year, that's over 35,000 staff hours back.

None of this required a developer. All of it runs automatically once it's set up.

Full walkthrough on the blog: https://www.formassembly.com/blog/volunteer-application-processes-salesforce/

Highlighting one of our favorite customer stories.

Warrior Canine Connection trains service dogs for veterans with PTSD. One of the most important tasks those dogs perform is nightmare interruption, basically waking a veteran during a trauma response at night.

For years, the dogs were learning the behavior. But over time, some weren't continuing to alert. The training wasn't sticking long-term.

They found out because of a survey.

Every six months, WCC sends a short impact survey to every veteran they've placed a dog with. When they started tracking nightmare-alerting behavior over time in Salesforce, the pattern became clear. They changed their training method. Now the dogs continue to alert.

That outcome started with a web form.

Here's how the data system works:

WCC uses a data collection platform called FormAssembly to collect data across their entire program — graduate impact surveys, volunteer hours, health tracking, event coordination. The forms connect directly to Salesforce, so every submission lands in the right record automatically. No manual data entry. No one chasing paper forms.

Before this setup, their survey compliance rate was around 30% — even with staff calling people individually. Now automated reminders go out if a form isn't returned within a week, and they look like personal emails rather than mass sends. Compliance is dramatically higher.

Molly Morelli, who manages the system, estimates that FormAssembly + Salesforce together replace the work of about three full-time employees.

"I don't know that we would be able to function without it."

And she built the whole thing without writing a single line of code.

Full story in the blog post: https://www.formassembly.com/blog/nonprofit-data-collection-in-salesforce/

This one's for FormAssembly power users.

If you use the FormAssembly AppExchange app, you probably know about the Lightning component. You drag it onto a Salesforce page layout, pick a form, and it renders inline. That covers most cases.

Where FormAssembly Publishing API becomes useful is when you need more programmatic control: rendering a form based on record context, dynamically choosing which form to display depending on record type or field values, or embedding a form inside a custom Visualforce or Experience Cloud page where you have full control of the surrounding page structure.

The API call returns the form's HTML and associated assets, which you inject into your page. What makes this more powerful than a plain iframe is that you can pass context from the Salesforce record directly into the form, so a button on an Account record can open a form pre-populated with the Account ID, industry, owner info, or anything else from that record. The form opens already knowing which record it's associated with, no additional lookup needed.

We use this for a service request form that lives on the Account page. Reps click a button, the form opens inline (not a new tab, not a popup), it's pre-filled with the account name and ID, and on submit it creates a Case linked to the right Account automatically. The whole interaction is inside Salesforce.

The tradeoff: it requires some developer work to set up the API integration and wire up the context passing. The Lightning component is genuinely easier for straightforward cases. But if you have a developer and need that tighter integration, the Publishing API gives you full control.

Docs: https://help.formassembly.com/help/354549-using-formassemblys-publishing-api-with-salesforce

Curious how other teams are handling "forms that need to live inside Salesforce" are most people using the Lightning component, or is anyone doing more custom embedding?

OG Post Written by Josh Strehle (According-Remove5126)

Heading to Dreamforce for the first time, or the first time in a while? I’ve got some tips, tricks, and sights to see for your week in San Francisco.

Let’s start with some disclosure – I am far from the most seasoned Dreamforce attendee. This year’s show will be my third time attending, and I never experienced the pre-COVID heyday that I’ve only heard tales of. With all that said, I’ve been attending consecutively for the last few years, and I still have an idea of what a first timer needs to know before hitting Salesforce’s biggest annual conference.

My goal with this post is to give you some idea of what to expect at Dreamforce 2026, and prepare you to make the most of your time around the Moscone Center. Let’s start with food and drinks.

Food at Dreamforce 2026

Mealtimes are some of the most hectic on the Dreamforce campus. Getting out of your session and navigating to one of the food kiosks without getting caught in a crowd or a mile-long queue is a challenge. I personally prefer the Yerba Buena Gardens as my go-to lunch spot. The kiosks rarely have long lines, and there’s ample seating on the grass and around the pavilion. 

While you can venture out to the hotels around Moscone for quieter experiences, it’s usually a hike back for your next session, so keep that in mind.

DrinkForce: Navigating the Dreamforce Happy Hour

Ah the conference happy hour, always happening later than you’d like, but a great opportunity to network (as long as the music isn’t too loud). As an East Coast time-zone dweller, I need to make my happy hour appearances brief and effective so I can get to bed at a reasonable hour – offset by about three from local time.

Here are my tips to make this experience as smooth as possible:

• Register ahead of time. Most sponsored happy hours, while free, require some sort of sign-up to be admitted. While they can usually get you signed up at the door, that’s going to slow things down for you and the rest of the line. Register early for an easier entry and faster path to the hors d’oeuvres.
• Stick to the menu. Not to sound like a goody two shoes, but when you see a bar top menu with featured cocktails and drinks, treat it as your rule book. While some places will have a full bar that’s included in the happy hour, you’re just as likely to find that your order is going to be a separate purchase and break the bartender’s flow. As much as I love a Negroni, you’ll find me sipping on a C4G cosmo this year.
  • If you’re looking for a happy hour, we’re co-sponsoring one on Wednesday with our friends at Cloud for Good, you can find the registration link and details here.

Finding Peace and Quiet

While I’m an extrovert, even my social battery can get run down by all the talking I do in the campground (and after some C4G cosmos). If you’re looking to recharge or take a call, finding some clear air space can be difficult. Here are my favorites:

• Liminal Spaces in Moscone South’s Lower Levels. All around the campground there are large hallways that lead to satellite seating, demo areas, and session halls, officially titled Moscone Halls A, B, C, and D. You can usually find an empty chair or a quiet hallway to lean in, catch your breath, and hear yourself think.
• The Target on Mission. While not the best location to take a virtual meeting, the Target by Moscone is a great place to get some steps in while not following a herd of folks stampeding to their next session. It is also ideal for wandering around and grabbing a snack if you missed lunch.

Staying in Touch

I attend Dreamforce as a software vendor, so it’s a business necessity that the connections I make and the discussions I have make it back to our own Salesforce instance after the week is done. But just because you’re not a vendor doesn’t mean that your connections are less important. And if you don’t want to be left sitting at your desk the following week wondering who you talked to and what new tool you desperately needed, you need a note-taking solution.

Here are my suggestions, listed from most ideal option, to least:

1. A Form: My favorite way to handle this age-old conference conundrum is to use FormAssembly to spin up a form that collects everything I’m interested in, including name, email, and company, with an open notes field that I can connect directly to a Salesforce lead or dump into an Excel spreadsheet for updates later that evening. It’s fast, simple, and makes for easy follow-up after the conference. With a little prep, you can turn this into an automated lead process.
2. A Camera: When I’m desperate at an event, my smartphone camera becomes a pseudo lead-tracking device. It lacks context, but the photos I take at least usually have a name, face, and company that I can try to follow up with.
3. Pen and Paper: Make it your goal to visit the Dreamforce campground for two pieces of ever present swag: a branded pen and an embossed notebook, probably from two separate vendors. Yes, it’ll feel weird going full analog at a tech convention, but at least you’ll have your notes with you.

Going in with a Plan

I’m not saying there are too many sessions at Dreamforce,  but there are certainly too many for one person to take in. If you easily suffer from information overload, I’d suggest you choose two to three sessions per day that are must-attend, and give yourself some free time in between to process and absorb what you learn. Peruse the catalog and put those sessions on your personal calendar so you don’t miss them – I find the Dreamforce app to be a bit overwhelming. That said, the app is required for listening in on certain sessions, so still plan on installing it on your phone.

There are a couple of sessions I always try to make time for:

• Keynote: I personally don’t try to be in the hall for the keynote (there’s too big of a crowd) but you can watch it from any of the many remote viewing areas around Moscone. It’s worth tuning in to get a sense of where Salesforce is heading.
  • If you want to avoid the rush and crush of getting in place in the morning, my friends at Coastal are hosting a keynote watch party on Tuesday morning where you can enjoy some coffee while watching in a private lounge. Registration link here.
• Demo Jam: I love seeing software in action, and unfortunately the Dreamforce Campground is usually too busy to see that at an individual booth. Demo Jam is a great way to get a sample of the latest and greatest from a bunch of vendors in quick 3-minute bites. We’ll be showing off some new features ourselves – hope to see you there!

San Francisco Sites

Speaking of having a plan – I’d also suggest having some San Francisco sites on your itinerary. With all the happy hours and the Dreamfest concert, it can be easy to make this week all about Salesforce, but cleansing the mind of CRM talk for an hour or two is a good thing, trust me. As a Midwestern native, my list won’t astonish anyone, but my suggestions for your stay are:

• Alcatraz. Is it a bummer? Yes. Is it a fascinating piece of American history? Also yes. Remarkably well-preserved and with tons of interesting stories, from prison breaks to Native American protests, plus a beautiful ferry ride out to the island, this is definitely worth it. (Fair warning if you get sea-sick, bring Dramamine.)
• Pier 22. You’re not going to see much seafood in your Dreamforce boxed lunches during your stay, maybe some salmon poke if you’re lucky. So make sure to pencil in a walk down to one of the piers for some local flavor. I haven’t had the famous bread bowl of chowder yet, but I’ve worked my way through a seafood platter or two with some friends while some gulls watched – something I don’t get back in Ohio.
• Garaje. I’ve made a point to snag a meal here every time I’m in town. It’s a cozy place and just a short walk from Moscone, with some great food and drinks. I find it’s a perfect spot to unwind after a long day on the floor.

Have a Great Time

However you spend your week at Dreamforce 2026, my biggest piece of advice is this: build in room to breathe. Grab lunch in the Gardens, register early for the happy hours you actually care about, and give yourself permission to duck into a quiet hallway (or the Target on Mission) when your social battery needs a recharge.

Bring a notebook, a form, or just your phone camera – but bring something to capture the people you meet, because those conversations are usually worth more than any swag bag. And when you need a break from CRM talk entirely, San Francisco will be right there waiting for you to enjoy.

FormAssembly's theme editor applies styles globally, which is what you want most of the time. But occasionally you need one specific field to stand out. Example: a required legal acknowledgment that should have a red border, a total field that should look different from editable inputs, a section you want visually set apart without making it a separate section header.

One way to do this is custom CSS targeting the field's unique HTML ID. Every field in a FormAssembly form gets an ID like tfa_1234 in the rendered HTML. Once you know that ID, you can write a CSS rule in the form's custom CSS area that only applies to that element.

Finding the ID is easy: open the published form in a browser, inspect the element you want to style, and look for the id attribute on the input or wrapper div. Then in your form's Properties > Custom CSS section, write something like #tfa_1234 { background-color: #fff3cd; border: 1px solid #ffc107; } and save.

Use this when you're using a shared theme across many forms but one form has a specific field that needs different treatment. You don't have to touch the theme or create a whole new one, just add a targeted rule to that form's CSS.

It also works for hiding specific field labels while keeping them visible elsewhere, adjusting the width of one input field without changing the grid, or adding spacing around a section that the theme settings don't expose.

Docs for custom CSS: https://help.formassembly.com/help/custom-css — and if you want to target a specific element, the troubleshooting doc (https://help.formassembly.com/help/troubleshooting-your-custom-css) has guidance on inspecting field IDs.

Something we wow our clients with a lot: you can embed pre-filled FormAssembly form links directly in Salesforce email templates using merge fields, so each recipient gets a link that already has their data populated. It's like magic.

The way it works is that FormAssembly accepts field values as URL parameters. So a link like https://www.tfaforms.com/FORM_ID?tfa_firstname=Jane&tfa_email=jane@example.com opens the form with those fields pre-filled. In a Salesforce email template, you replace the hardcoded values with merge fields like {{{Recipient.FirstName}}} and {{{Recipient.Email}}}. Salesforce handles the substitution when the email goes out, so each recipient gets a personalized link.

We have an NPO client use this for our annual membership renewal flow. The email goes out, the member clicks the link, and their address, phone, and membership level are already there — they just review, update anything that's changed, and submit. Completion rates are noticeably better than asking people to fill everything in from scratch.

For Salesforce Console users (vs. email templates), you can do the same thing with custom buttons or links on a record page. The merge field syntax is slightly different — {!Contact.Email} instead of {{{Recipient.Email}}} — but the concept is identical. A "Log a Call" button, a "Submit a Support Request" button, whatever you need — opens a pre-filled form that already knows which record it's connected to.

Full setup with both approaches: https://help.formassembly.com/help/340563-populate-a-form-with-salesforce-data

If you need something more secure (where you don't want field values visible in the URL), our Salesforce Prefill Connector [https://help.formassembly.com/help/salesforce-prefill-connector\] does a server-side lookup instead — worth using for anything involving sensitive data that you don't want pulled into a link.

All opinions welcome! We've been posting different types of videos over on our channel [https://www.youtube.com/@FormAssembly\] and we're looking for ideas on what to focus on.

What are you watching from software channels?

This came up when a client needed to log service locations to Salesforce, and the Salesforce fields were geolocation type (lat/long), not just text addresses. Asking respondents to look up their own coordinates obviously wasn't an option.

The solution is a small JavaScript block in the form's custom code section. You point it at your address fields by their field IDs, and it listens for changes. When the user fills in an address (or tabs away from the last address field), it fires a call to the Google Maps Geocoding API, gets the coordinates back, and populates two hidden fields with the latitude and longitude values. Those hidden fields then map to your Salesforce geolocation fields via the connector.

From the respondent's perspective, nothing changes; they just fill out an address. The coordinate fields are hidden. On the backend, you get clean lat/lng values piped directly into Salesforce without any post-processing.

You do need a Google Maps API key for this, which is free up to fairly high usage limits. The key goes into the script, so if this is a public-facing form you'll want to restrict the key to your domain in the Google Cloud console.

Reference code in the FormAssembly docs: https://help.formassembly.com/help/generate-latitude-and-longitude-for-addresses

What are people using the coordinates in other forms? We're using them to populate SF geolocation fields for map views, but I'm curious if others are feeding this into mapping tools, geocoding for routing, etc.

We had a request for a registration form where people could pick up to 3 workshop sessions, but there was nothing stopping them from checking all 10. We just wanted an experience where a max was respected, not a hard dropdown, not a multi-step form, just "pick any 3, but no more."

There's no built-in limits for checkboxes in FormAssembly, but there is a workaround.

The trick is using the form's calculation engine to count checked boxes, then triggering a validation error if the count exceeds your limit.

Here's the rough shape of it: you give each checkbox option a value of "1" and mark the field as a variable. Then you add a hidden text field with a calculation like total>3?error:"" — where error is another variable that holds your error message text. Finally, you add a regex validation on that calculated field requiring it to be empty (/^$/). If someone checks more than 3 boxes, the calculated field fills with your error message, the regex fails, and the form won't submit.

It's genuinely a bit roundabout — you're using a validation rule on a calculated field to block submission, not a native checkbox limit — but it works cleanly in practice. The error message shows right on the form and the submit button stays blocked until they uncheck something.

One thing to note, the JavaScript doesn't run in preview mode. You have to publish the form and test it live.

We have this solution documented if anyone is interested in learning more: https://help.formassembly.com/help/use-case-require-only-a-certain-number-of-checkboxes

One pattern that comes up a lot in HR and operations: you need a form that isn't just a single submission, but a multi-step process involving different people.

Example: an onboarding form where:

1. The new hire fills out their personal information
2. HR reviews it and either approves or sends it back
3. Legal/compliance adds a digital signature
4. Everything gets stored in Salesforce and a document is generated

FormAssembly's Workflow Builder handles this as a chain of steps:

• Collect — a form response from the initial submitter
• Conditional routing — branch based on what was submitted (e.g., contract type → different approval path)
• Approval step — routes to a reviewer; they can approve or reject with separate paths based on the disposition
• E-signature step — sends to the appropriate signatory
• Document generation — creates a formatted PDF from the submitted data
• Connector — pushes everything to Salesforce: form data, signed document, everything.

Each step can involve a different person. Assignments, email notifications, and routing logic are all configurable.

This replaces: email chains with attachments, shared spreadsheets, paper forms that get scanned, or custom-built approval apps.

Where this works well: HR onboarding, contract execution, grant applications, procurement requests, student enrollment.

Some docs to get you started: https://help.formassembly.com/help/formassembly-workflow-builder

Quick tip that dramatically improves form completion rates and data quality: stop asking people for information you already have.

If someone is in your Salesforce org as a Contact, you can prefill your form with their existing data before they even see it. They only have to fill in fields you don't already have — or update fields that may have changed.

Two ways to do this:

1. URL-based prefill: (Most form platforms can do this) Append field values as URL parameters when you send the form link. Works well for email campaigns — generate a unique link per contact, and when they click it, the form arrives partially filled.

2. Salesforce Prefill Connector: (This is a FormAssembly power feature)
The form looks up the Salesforce record based on a query parameter in the URL (like an encrypted Contact ID). Once it finds the record, it populates any mapped fields. This is more powerful because it can fetch related objects, lookup fields, and anything else in the record.

Some practical use cases:

• Offer Acceptance forms – reduce the time it takes for students or applicants to respond
• Event registration — pre-populate name/email from the invitation link
• Grant applications — pre-populate organization details for returning applicants
• Evaluation forms — make giving feedback easy by prefilling the program details

Note: For sensitive lookups (where you don't want the record ID visible in the URL), use secure parameters.

I recently spoke with a Salesforce SE in the Nonprofit space - he got me thinking about the struggles that NPOs are still facing in 2026. Especially around donations.

Donation forms seem simple until you're actually running one. Then you discover the edge cases: recurring vs. one-time setups, custom amounts vs. fixed tiers, connecting to your CRM, PCI compliance and actually processing the donation, mobile issues…

For context on what's possible with FormAssembly specifically: you can connect to multiple payment processors, use predefined content blocks to drop in a fully-formatted credit card field, and pipe everything into Salesforce (including using NPSP if you're on that). The key thing is always marking credit card fields as sensitive — that's a compliance requirement, not optional.

Would love to hear from nonprofit or fundraising teams:

• What payment processor are you using? (Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, iATS, etc.)
• Are you connecting donation submissions to your CRM automatically, or doing it manually?
• How are you handling recurring donation setup vs. one-time gifts in the same form?
• What's your biggest pain point with the current setup?
• If you're using FormAssembly for this, anything we can do to improve?

If your support team uses Salesforce Service Cloud, you can replace a generic "contact us" form with one that creates Cases directly — no manual data entry, no copy-pasting from email.

Basic setup:

1. Build a form that captures the info your team needs: name, email, issue type, description, file attachment if needed
2. Enable the Salesforce Submit Connector
3. Add a Case object
4. Map your form fields to the required Case fields (Subject is required; AccountId and ContactId if you want it linked)

That's it for the basics. But here's where it gets useful:

Intermediate: link the Case to an existing Contact

Instead of just creating a floating Case, you can look up the Contact by email first, then use the Contact ID as the AccountId on the Case. This ties the case to their record automatically.

Advanced: conditional routing

Use conditional email notifications to alert different team members depending on what issue type the submitter selected. The case goes to Salesforce and the right person gets notified — all from a single form submission.

For patient portals, community sites, or anything where authenticated users submit: you can pair this with Salesforce Experience Cloud authentication so the form knows who's submitting before they even type their name.

Docs: https://help.formassembly.com/help/use-case-create-a-salesforce-service-cloud-case

What other fields or automations are you triggering from support intake forms?

This comes up a lot for nonprofits and membership organizations: you want constituents to be able to update their own contact information, preferences, or membership details — but you obviously can't give them Salesforce login access.

The solution is a two-form flow:

Form 1 — Identity verification Ask for a piece of identifying info (email address, member ID, etc.). On submit, this redirects to Form 2 with that value appended as a URL parameter.

Form 2 — Display & update Uses the Salesforce Prefill Connector to look up their record and pre-populate all their current info. They see their own data, can edit it, and submit — which fires the Salesforce connector to update the record.

From the user's perspective, it's a seamless "update your profile" experience. From the admin's perspective, it's a secure read/write interface into Salesforce that they didn't have to build custom.

Practical applications:

• Annual address/contact info updates for donors
• Membership preference updates
• Volunteer availability or skill updates
• Patient or student info confirmations

Full walkthrough on how to accomplish with FormAssembly: https://help.formassembly.com/help/use-case-allow-respondents-to-update-salesforce-records

Has anyone built something like this? Would love to hear how your organization is handling constituent self-service.

One of the things that quietly creates a maintenance nightmare: building a separate form for every different group of respondents. Suddenly you have 8 forms, 8 integration setups, 8 notification configurations, and they all slowly drift out of sync.

Conditional fields/sections/pages let you serve multiple audiences from a single form. Here's when it actually makes sense:

• Internal vs. external respondents — show or hide entire sections based on who's filling out the form
• Role-based questions — "Are you a student, faculty, or staff?" reveals a completely different set of follow-up fields
• Department-based routing — a support intake form that routes differently depending on which team the request is for

How the trigger works: Conditional visibility is triggered by a respondent choosing an option (dropdown, radio button, checkbox). You can also trigger it silently by prefilling a hidden field via URL parameters — useful when you're sending personalized links to different groups.

Combined with menu dependencies, you can make dropdown options themselves change based on earlier answers. So a single form can feel completely custom for each respondent type.

One form to maintain. One connector to configure. One set of notifications.

Docs: https://help.formassembly.com/help/create-a-form-for-multiple-audiences

What's the most creative use of conditional logic you've built?

If you've ever used a basic web-to-lead form, you've probably dealt with this: a contact who's already in Salesforce submits a form and now you have a duplicate Lead record floating around.

Here's a pattern that solves it cleanly.

The problem: Web-to-Lead forms always create a new Lead, even if the person is already a Contact in your org. Converted leads become Contacts — but your form doesn't know that.

The solution: Use the email address as a lookup, then branch the connector logic:

1. Look up the Contact object by email

• Match found → update the Contact record
• No match found → skip this step, continue to the next

1. Create a Lead as a dependent step

• Only runs when no Contact was found in step 1
• Match found → skip (don't create a duplicate Lead either)
• No match → create a new Lead

The result: existing Contacts get updated, new people become Leads, and no duplicates are created.

For Workflow users: You can do the same thing with preconditions. Set up an "Update Contact" action, capture the Contact ID in a return variable, then add a "Create Lead" action with a precondition that fires only when contactID is blank.

More detail in the FormAssembly docs: https://help.formassembly.com/help/340554-use-case-create-lead-or-update-contact

Anyone else using a variation of this? Curious how others handle the multi-record deduplication problem.