How to View Form Submissions in WordPress

Where to Find Form Submissions

Submissions are available in the WordPress admin under:

Auto Form Builder → Submissions

You can also reach submissions from:

• All Forms — Click the submission count next to any form to view entries for that form only
• WordPress admin bar — If enabled in plugin settings, Auto Form Builder appears in the admin bar with a direct Submissions link

Only users with the manage_options capability (typically administrators) can access the submissions inbox.

The Submissions Inbox Overview

The Submissions page displays a paginated list of all stored entries (20 per page by default). Each row shows:

• Entry ID — Unique submission number
• Form name — Which form was submitted
• Date and time — When the submission was received
• Preview — A snippet of the first few field values
• Source page — The page title where the form was submitted (when available)
• Status — Read, unread, starred, spam, or trash
• Quick actions — Star, mark read/unread, and change status inline

Click any submission row or the View action to open the full entry detail page.

Status Tabs: Organize Your Inbox

Status tabs at the top of the Submissions page filter entries by workflow state. Each tab shows a count of matching submissions:

• Unread — New submissions you have not processed (default view)
• Starred — Important entries you have flagged with a star
• Read — Submissions you have marked as read
• Spam — Entries flagged as spam
• Trash — Submissions moved to trash
• All — Every submission regardless of status

Unread badges on tabs show how many unread entries remain in each category — useful for spotting new leads at a glance.

Search and Filter Submissions

Use the search and filter bar to find specific entries quickly:

Search

Search across all submission data — field values, emails, names, phone numbers, and any text stored in the entry. Matching terms are highlighted in the preview column.

Filter by form

Select a specific form from the dropdown to show only its submissions. Each form option displays its submission count.

Filter by date

Narrow results by time period:

• Today
• Yesterday
• This Week / Last Week
• This Month / Last Month
• Last 30 Days / Last 90 Days
• All Time

Sort order

Sort submissions by:

• Newest First (default)
• Oldest First
• Form Name A–Z
• Form Name Z–A

Click Search & Filter to apply your selections. Use Clear All to reset every filter and return to the default inbox view.

View a Single Submission in Detail

Click any entry to open the full submission detail page. This view shows:

• Entry header — Submission ID, date, time, and form name
• All field values — Every answer with human-readable labels (dropdown, radio, and checkbox values display as labels, not raw values)
• Submission metadata — Source page title and URL, IP address, and other context when available
• Status panel — Current status badges and quick action buttons
• Print button — Print a clean copy of the submission for records or offline review

Use Back to Submissions at the top to return to the inbox list.

Manage Submissions: Read, Star, and Status

Mark as read or unread

New submissions arrive as unread. Mark entries as read after you have reviewed them — individually from the list or detail page, or in bulk. Mark as unread again if you need to revisit an entry later.

Star important entries

Click the star icon to flag high-priority submissions — hot leads, urgent support tickets, or entries needing follow-up. Filter the Starred tab to see only flagged entries.

Spam and trash

Mark suspicious entries as Spam or move them to Trash. Restore entries from trash or mark spam submissions as “Not Spam” from the detail page quick actions.

Bulk actions

Select multiple submissions using the checkboxes, then choose a bulk action:

• Mark as Read / Mark as Unread
• Add to Starred / Remove from Starred
• Mark as Spam
• Move to Trash
• Delete Permanently

Click Apply to process the selected entries at once.

Step-by-Step: View Your First Submission

Step 1: Submit a test entry

Open a page with your form on the frontend and submit a test entry with sample data.

Step 2: Open the Submissions inbox

In WordPress admin, go to Auto Form Builder → Submissions.

Step 3: Find your entry

Your test submission appears in the Unread tab by default. Use the form filter or search box if you have many entries.

Step 4: Open the full entry

Click the submission row to view all field values, metadata, and status options on the detail page.

Step 5: Mark as read and star if needed

Click Mark as Read after reviewing. Star the entry if it needs follow-up.

View Submissions for a Specific Form

Two quick ways to see entries from one form only:

• From All Forms — Go to Auto Form Builder → All Forms and click the submission count beside the form name
• From the Submissions inbox — Select the form in the Form Filter dropdown and click Search & Filter

Combine the form filter with date filters or status tabs to narrow results further — for example, unread contact form entries from the last 7 days.

What Data Is Stored with Each Submission?

Auto Form Builder stores submissions in your WordPress database — on your server, not on third-party cloud storage. Each entry includes:

• All form field values with field labels and types
• Form ID and form title
• Submission date and time
• Read/unread and starred status
• Workflow status (unread, spam, trash, etc.)
• Metadata such as source page URL, page title, and IP address when collected

File uploads, address field components, and signature data are stored and displayed within the submission detail view alongside standard text fields.

Email Notifications vs the Submissions Inbox

Email notifications alert you when a form is submitted — but email is not a database. The submissions inbox is your permanent, searchable record of every entry.

Best practice: enable email notifications in Form Settings for instant alerts, and use the Submissions inbox as your source of truth for reviewing, organizing, and managing entries over time.

Export and Additional Tools

For backup, analysis, or migration, use the plugin’s Import/Export tools to export submission data. The submissions inbox remains the primary interface for day-to-day viewing and management.

Optional add-ons can extend submission management — for example, Entry Tags for labeling entries and Form Analytics for tracking views and submission trends over time.

Tips for Managing Submissions Efficiently

• Start with the Unread tab — Process new entries daily before they pile up
• Star high-priority leads — Filter Starred to focus on entries that need action
• Use search for lookups — Find entries by email, name, or any submitted value
• Filter by form and date together — Quickly review weekly signups or monthly feedback
• Mark as read after review — Keep the unread count accurate as a new-entry indicator
• Use bulk actions for cleanup — Trash or delete spam entries in batches
• Print important entries — Keep offline records for compliance or client files

Frequently Asked Questions

Get Started with Auto Form Builder

Every form submission lands in your WordPress admin — searchable, filterable, and ready to action. Open the Submissions inbox and start reviewing entries today.

Download:
Auto Form Builder on WordPress.org

Plugin last updated: Last update 18 August