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Configure Form Notifications

Form notifications determine who receives submissions when a visitor completes a form. Regularly reviewing notification settings helps ensure submissions are delivered to the appropriate individual or department.

Use this job aid to update notification recipients and review existing notification settings for a Gravity Forms form.

For additional form-related tasks, see:

Before You Begin

  • Verify the form has been tested and is functioning correctly.
  • Confirm the intended notification recipient(s).
  • Ensure email addresses are current and accurate.
  • Review updates carefully before saving.

Steps

1

Open Gravity Forms

  1. Log in to WordPress.
  2. Hover over Forms in the left navigation menu.
  3. Choose Forms
screenshot navigating to forms

2

Open Form Settings

  1. Hover over the form name
  2. Hover over Settings
  3. Select Settings.
form settings menu screenshot

3

Access Notifications

  1. Select Notifications from the Settings menu.
  2. Review the list of available notifications.
screenshot pointing to notifications in menu

4

Edit the Notification

  1. Select the notification you want to update.
  2. Review the notification settings.
  3. Update recipient email addresses as needed.
  4. Verify the notification subject and message content.
screenshot of form editor

Understanding Notification Types

Most forms contain multiple notifications that serve different purposes.

Admin Notification

The Admin Notification is typically sent to the department or individual responsible for reviewing form submissions.

Review the following settings:

  • Send To Email
  • From Email
  • Subject
  • Message
User Notification

The User Notification is sent to the person who completed the form.

These notifications are commonly used to:

  • Confirm a form was submitted successfully
  • Provide next steps
  • Share additional information
  • Send a copy of the submission

Review the notification text carefully to ensure it remains accurate and up to date.

Update the From Email address
When configuring notifications, update the From Email field to your email address or the appropriate departmental email address. This helps ensure replies are directed to the correct person or department.

5

Save the Notification

  1. Review your changes.
  2. Click Update Notification.
update notification button screenshot

6

Test the Form

  1. Submit a test entry through the form.
  2. Verify the notification is delivered successfully.
  3. Confirm the notification contains the expected information.

Tip: Test both Admin and User Notifications to ensure each notification is delivered as expected.

Tips

Use departmental email addresses when appropriate
Shared departmental email addresses help ensure form submissions continue to be received during staffing changes.

Review notification recipients regularly
Verify recipients whenever employee roles or responsibilities change.

Keep notification messages clear
Include enough information for recipients to understand and respond to submissions efficiently.

Test notifications after making changes
Always perform a test submission before considering the update complete.

Document notification ownership
Departments should know who is responsible for monitoring and responding to submissions.

Review both notifications when making changes
Many forms contain both an Admin Notification and a User Notification. Verify the settings and content of both notifications before saving changes.

Use departmental email addresses when appropriate
Shared departmental email addresses help ensure notifications continue to be received during staffing changes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using outdated email addresses
Inactive or incorrect email addresses can prevent departments from receiving submissions.

Skipping notification testing
Always verify notifications are delivered successfully after making changes.

Sending notifications to the wrong recipient
Review recipient email addresses carefully before saving.

Creating unnecessary notifications
Too many notifications can create confusion and increase maintenance requirements.

Assuming notifications are working correctly
Periodic testing helps identify configuration issues before submissions are missed.

Updating only one notification
Many forms contain both Admin and User notifications. Review all notifications associated with a form when making changes.

Leaving an outdated From Email address
An outdated From Email address can cause replies to be sent to the wrong person or department.

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