Yuav ua li cas thaub qab koj cov ntawv xa tawm WordPress

Where Submission Data Is Stored

Auto Form Builder saves submissions in a dedicated database table on your WordPress site. File uploads from forms are stored separately in:

wp-content/uploads/auto-form-builder-submissions/

A complete backup strategy covers ob qho tib si the submission records (exportable through the plugin) and any uploaded files (backed up with your media/uploads folder or site backup).

Method 1: Export Submissions (Recommended)

The built-in export tool is the fastest way to create a downloadable backup of your form entries.

How to export

1. mus rau Tus Tsim Daim Ntawv Pib → Chaw in the WordPress admin
2. nias lub Ntshuam / Export tab
3. Nyob rau hauv Export Data → Export Entries, select a form or Txhua Daim Ntawv
4. Xaiv ib qho Hom Ntawv Xa Tawm
5. xaiv Cov Ntaub Ntawv Xaiv (timestamps, IP addresses, anonymization)
6. Nyem Xa cov ntawv nkag mus
7. Save the downloaded file to a secure location — cloud storage, external drive, or backup server

Export hom ntawv

• CSV (Excel Compatible) — Best for spreadsheets, reporting, and sharing with non-technical team members. Opens directly in Excel or Google Sheets.
• JSON (Developer Friendly) — Best for complete archival backups and restoring entries via Import Entries. Preserves structured field data.
• XML — Structured format for integrations, migrations, or systems that consume XML data.

CSV exports include Submission ID, Form ID, Form Title, optional timestamps, and all field values as columns. JSON and XML exports include the full submission structure for each entry.

Cov kev xaiv ntaub ntawv

• Include Timestamps — Adds the submission date and time (enabled by default)
• Include IP Addresses — Adds visitor IP data when recorded
• Include User Agents — Adds browser/device information when recorded
• Tsis qhia npe cov ntaub ntawv tus kheej — Masks sensitive field values for privacy-safe sharing or compliance exports

Method 2: Restore Submissions from a Backup

If you need to recover exported entries — after a migration, accidental deletion, or site restore — use the import tool on the same Ntshuam / Export tab:

1. Nyob rau hauv Import Data → Import Entries, xaiv lub Target Form
2. Upload your backup file (.csv, .json, .xlsx, or .xls)
3. Configure import options:
   • Skip Duplicate Entries — Avoid importing the same data twice
   • Validate Field Data — Check values against field rules
   • Auto-Map Fields by Name — Match CSV/JSON columns to form fields automatically
   • Create Missing Fields — Add fields that exist in the backup but not on the current form
4. Nyem Ntshuam Cov Ntawv Nkag Mus

For reliable restore workflows, use JSON exports as your primary backup format — they preserve the most complete submission structure for re-import.

Method 3: Backup Form Configurations Too

Submission backups protect your data. Form configuration backups protect the forms themselves — fields, settings, styling, and conditional logic.

On the same Import/Export tab, under Export Forms:

1. xaiv Txhua Daim Ntawv or a specific form
2. Include export options: Form Settings, Custom Styling, Add-on Configurations, Creation Dates & Metadata
3. Nyem Export Forms
4. Txuag lub .json file alongside your entry backups

Form exports download as JSON with plugin version and export date metadata. Restore forms via Import Forms with options to create new forms, replace existing forms by ID, or preserve original IDs.

Method 4: WordPress Database Backup

Because submissions live in your WordPress database, a standard site database backup also captures all form entries. Use your hosting provider’s backup tool, a plugin like UpdraftPlus or WPvivid, or manual phpMyAdmin exports.

Database backups are useful for full-site disaster recovery but harder to browse or share than CSV/JSON exports. Use ob qho tib si: regular database backups for site-wide recovery, and periodic entry exports for accessible, form-specific archives.

Method 5: Backup Uploaded Files

Forms with Cov ntaub ntawv upload fields store attachments in wp-content/uploads/auto-form-builder-submissions/. Entry exports include file metadata and references but not the physical files themselves.

Include this folder in your:

• WordPress media/uploads backups
• Full site file backups
• Hosting snapshot backups

Without backing up this directory, you can restore submission records but lose the actual uploaded documents, resumes, or images.

Backup Strategy: What to Export and When

Daily or weekly (active lead forms)

Export entries as CSV for all high-traffic forms. Store files with date-stamped names like contact-form-2026-07-13.csv.

Monthly (archival)

export Txhua Daim Ntawv entries as JSON for a complete snapshot. Export form configurations as JSON too. Store off-site.

Before bulk actions

Always export before bulk deleting, moving to trash, or running privacy deletion tools. The Privacy Delete page explicitly warns that deleted data cannot be recovered without a prior export.

Ua ntej tsiv chaw

Export all forms (JSON) and all entries (JSON). Copy the uploads folder. Import on the new site after installing Auto Form Builder.

Before plugin removal

Export all data first. Check the Remove all plugin data on uninstall setting under Settings → General before deleting the plugin — if enabled, uninstall removes database tables and upload files.

GDPR Privacy Export (Per-User, Not Full Backup)

Auto Form Builder also includes a Kev Ntiag Tug Export tool (separate admin page) for exporting all submission data associated with a specific email address. This is designed for GDPR Article 15/20 compliance — responding to individual data access requests — not for full-site submission backups.

For complete backups, use Settings → Import/Export → Export Entries xwb.

Protecting Your Backups

• Store off-site — Keep copies outside your web server (Google Drive, Dropbox, S3, local NAS)
• Encrypt sensitive exports — Submission files often contain emails, phone numbers, and addresses
• Txwv tsis pub nkag — Only administrators (manage_options) can export data in Auto Form Builder
• Use anonymized exports for testing — Enable Anonymize Personal Data when sharing sample data with developers
• Name files clearly — Include form name and date in filenames for easy retrieval
• Test your restore process — Periodically import a backup to a staging site to verify it works

Step-by-Step: Complete Backup Checklist

1. mus rau Tus Tsim Daim Ntawv Pib → Chaw → Ntshuam/Tshaj Tawm
2. Export all forms as JSON (with all export options checked)
3. Export all entries as JSON (with timestamps enabled)
4. Export high-priority forms as CSV for spreadsheet access
5. Rov qab txog wp-content/uploads/auto-form-builder-submissions/
6. Run your regular WordPress database backup
7. Store all files in a dated backup folder off-site
8. Document which form IDs map to which exports

What Is Not Included in Exports

• Physical uploaded files — Export entries reference uploads; copy the uploads folder separately
• Automatic scheduled backups — Auto Form Builder does not schedule exports automatically; set a calendar reminder or use a backup plugin for automation
• Email notification copies — Notification emails are not a substitute for exports; email clients may truncate or lose data
• Webhook delivery logs — Outbound webhook payloads are not stored as a separate backup archive

Cov Lus Nug

Pib nrog Auto Form Builder

Your form submissions are too important to leave unprotected. Export entries in minutes, store backups off-site, and restore data whenever you need it — all from your WordPress dashboard.

download:
Tus Tsim Daim Ntawv Pib ntawm WordPress.org

Plugin hloov kho tshiab kawg: Last update 1 August