Create a form

Build a newsletter signup, waitlist or lead form. Choose the contact fields it collects, how visitors subscribe, and where the form appears. This guide sets up the form; the next two guides cover consent and publishing.

What a form is

A form creates or updates people in one contact schema, such as Subscribers or Leads. It cannot collect object or event records. A submission can update an existing email-only contact; it is not necessarily a new person.

You need editing access. Draft forms accept no submissions until you publish them.

Create and bind the form

1. Open Forms → Create form. The draft opens in Builder.
2. Give it an internal name, such as Newsletter signup.
3. Under Form Content, choose the Contact schema that should receive signups.

Changing the schema later removes custom fields that are unavailable on the new one.

Map fields to attributes

For a first newsletter form, keep required email and add optional first name. Each field maps to an attribute in the selected schema.

• Email is required. It cannot be removed or made optional.
• Choose which additional fields are required.
• Collect either full name or separate first and last names, not both.
• Only writable attributes can be collected. On demand and Scheduled evaluated attributes, and platform-controlled values, are not form inputs.

Add missing fields to the schema first. Attribute definitions determine accepted values and validation.

Configure tags and communication topics on the form. Submitted field values cannot override them. Topics are added only when the visitor opts in; tags are added to the contact's existing tags. See consent and double opt-in.

Forms match email-only contacts in the selected schema. They do not automatically merge a product-identified contact at the same address. Contact identity explains the matching rules.

Choose a display mode

Inline

Choose Inline form for a signup block inside a page. Its embed appears where you place it.

Popup

Choose Popup form for an invitation over the page. Set its position, delay/exit-intent/scroll trigger, frequency, overlay and close behavior. An optional teaser lets visitors open it themselves.

Both modes support an image and your brand kit. Use Viewing in the preview to inspect the form, teaser and success screen. The preview does not submit a contact.

Understand popup triggers

Under Popup Triggers, choose when the form or its teaser appears. Multiple enabled triggers are alternatives: the first qualifying trigger opens the invitation.

Always permits each eligible display. Once (never show again after dismissed) uses stored display history. Once per session uses browser-session history. Once per day requires at least 24 hours since the recorded display, rather than resetting at midnight.

Frequency records a display, not a newly subscribed customer. Clearing browser storage or using another browser can show the invitation again. The display history is shared with other maxclicks popup forms on the same origin, so a previous test can affect another form. The builder preview bypasses frequency.

Choose what appears before and after closing

The teaser is a smaller invitation that opens the full form. Its timing and the popup trigger are separate choices.

• Show first (before the form) displays the teaser first.
• Show first and if the customer closes the form also returns to the teaser after closing.
• Show if the customer closes the form without subscribing starts with the form and shows the teaser after a close.
• Show Never hides the teaser.

Under Close Behavior, configure Show close button, Close on overlay click and Close on Escape key separately. Turning off the close button does not turn off the other dismissal methods. Overlay-click dismissal applies when an overlay is enabled.

For a newsletter popup, one setup is a positive delay, once-per-session frequency and a teaser after closing. Test both opening from the teaser and dismissing the form. Changing those controls does not change the contact schema, consent rule or required fields.

Inspect a complete signup

Use the published hosted page or the embed on your real site. Required email and custom field validation come from the selected contact schema. A popup can display correctly while submission fails because a required stored value or CAPTCHA configuration is missing.

Check one new address and one matching existing contact. Inspect their saved fields, tags and subscriptions, then any resulting workflow. A form targets email-only contacts; a product-identified contact at the same address can remain a separate record.

Use the forms reference for submission behavior, popup frequency, reporting formulas and failure diagnosis.

Next steps

Set consent and confirmation, then publish and share. Test the live form with an address you control and inspect its saved fields, tags and subscriptions before sharing it widely.

Frequently asked questions

Does a popup frequency rule follow a contact across devices?

No. It uses browser storage, rather than the contact's identity. Check the form on the browser and website where visitors use it.

Does changing the form update the live version immediately?

Select Edit to unpublish the form, make your change, then select Publish again. The public form is unavailable during that interval.

Does every submission create a new contact?

No. A matching email-only contact in the selected schema is updated. Inspect the saved record and consent rather than treating submission count as new subscribers.