Toolset Forms is a WordPress plugin that allows you to create and manage front-end forms for your website. It is part of the Toolset Types suite, which is a collection of tools designed to help users build and manage custom post types, fields, taxonomies, and more. Toolset Forms is particularly useful for creating custom forms to collect user submissions, create content from the front-end, and manage the interaction between users and your website’s data. With Toolset Forms, you can build a wide variety of forms, such as contact forms, event submissions, job applications, and much more—all without needing to write any PHP code. This plugin integrates seamlessly with other Toolset tools, such as Toolset Types (for creating custom post types and fields), Toolset Views (for displaying content dynamically), and Toolset Access (for managing permissions and access control).

Key Features of Toolset Forms:

1. Front-End Content Creation:
   • Toolset Forms allows users to create content directly from the front-end of the website. This is useful if you want users to submit posts, pages, custom post types, or other data (like events or listings) without needing to access the WordPress backend.
2. Custom Form Fields:
   • You can use custom fields created with Toolset Types to collect specific data in your forms. This includes text fields, checkboxes, dropdowns, file uploads, date pickers, and more. The form fields can be tied to custom post types and can capture complex, structured data.
3. Conditional Logic:
   • Toolset Forms includes conditional logic, which allows you to show or hide fields based on the values of other fields. For example, you can create a form that asks additional questions based on the user's initial responses, making your forms more dynamic and user-friendly.
4. User Registration and Login Forms:
   • You can use Toolset Forms to create custom user registration and login forms. This is particularly useful for membership sites or community-driven websites, where users need to sign up or log in to submit content or interact with the website.
5. Frontend Content Editing:
   • Users can edit their submissions directly from the front-end. Once content is submitted, they can return to the website to update or modify their content, such as updating a job listing or changing a personal profile.
6. Form Submission Notifications:
   • You can set up email notifications to be sent to both administrators and users upon form submission. These notifications can include form data and links to view or edit submissions, and they can be fully customized.
7. Integration with Custom Post Types:
   • Toolset Forms is designed to work seamlessly with custom post types and custom fields. You can create forms for users to submit content to custom post types (e.g., testimonials, events, job applications) that are automatically added to your website's content structure.
8. Drag-and-Drop Form Builder:
   • The plugin provides a visual drag-and-drop form builder that makes it easy to create and arrange form fields. You can design forms intuitively without needing to write any code.
9. Front-End Display of Submitted Content:
   • After form submission, the submitted content can be displayed dynamically on the front-end of the website using Toolset Views. You can set up templates for displaying submissions, such as a list of submitted events or a directory of user-generated content.
10. File Uploads:
    • Users can upload files through your forms, which is perfect for use cases such as job applications, event registrations, or content submission where users need to attach files, images, or documents.
11. User Permissions and Access Control:
    • With the Toolset Access plugin, you can control who has access to specific forms based on user roles. For example, you can restrict form submissions to registered users or allow certain roles to edit or submit specific types of content.
12. Spam Protection:
    • To reduce spam submissions, Toolset Forms integrates with reCAPTCHA to help prevent bots from submitting forms. This feature is easy to configure and adds an extra layer of security to your site.
13. Form Styling and Customization:
    • While Toolset Forms comes with some default styling, you can fully customize the appearance of the forms to match your site’s design using custom CSS. This ensures that your forms integrate seamlessly with your website’s theme.
14. Form Redirects and Thank You Pages:
    • After a successful form submission, you can set up custom thank you pages or redirects. This is useful for guiding users to the next step after they’ve submitted the form (e.g., directing them to a confirmation page or a thank-you message).
15. Multi-Step Forms:
    • Toolset Forms supports multi-step forms, which break down long or complex forms into smaller, more digestible parts. This improves user experience by guiding users through the submission process.

Ideal Use Cases for Toolset Forms:

1. User-Submitted Content:
   • Use Toolset Forms to allow users to submit content such as blog posts, articles, or other custom content types. This is ideal for community-driven websites, marketplaces, or collaborative platforms where users contribute content.
2. Job Listings:
   • If you run a job board, you can create job submission forms where users can submit job listings and manage them directly from the front-end.
3. Event Management:
   • Toolset Forms can be used for event registration, allowing users to submit details for upcoming events, conferences, or meetups. You can display the event details dynamically using Toolset Views.
4. Membership and User Registration:
   • Toolset Forms is great for creating custom registration forms for your membership site, including the option to register, log in, and manage user profiles from the front-end.
5. Job Applications:
   • You can create job application forms where users can submit their resumes and cover letters, or fill out detailed forms for applying to positions.
6. Survey or Polls:
   • Collect data via surveys or polls by building custom forms to gather user responses. This is useful for feedback, market research, or user interaction.
7. Product Submissions (e.g., Marketplace Sites):
   • For marketplace websites, Toolset Forms allows vendors or sellers to submit their own product listings, which can then be displayed and managed on the site.
8. Real Estate Listings:
   • Allow users to submit real estate property listings, including images and other property details, which are then displayed on your site using Toolset Views.
9. Directory Listings:
   • Create a directory where users can submit their business or personal information, and have it displayed on a publicly visible directory page on your website.

How to Set Up Toolset Forms:

1. Install and Activate Toolset Plugins:
   • First, install and activate the Toolset Forms plugin (it works best when combined with Toolset Types and Toolset Views for full functionality).
2. Create Custom Post Types (optional):
   • If you need custom post types (e.g., jobs, events, products), you can create them using Toolset Types before creating your forms.
3. Create a Form:
   • Go to the Toolset Forms dashboard, click “Add New,” and start building your form using the drag-and-drop builder. Add the necessary fields for the type of content you want to collect (e.g., text fields, images, dates).
4. Set Form Permissions:
   • Determine who can submit the form by setting permissions. For example, you might restrict a form to logged-in users or certain user roles.
5. Set Up Notifications:
   • Configure email notifications to alert admins or users when a form is submitted. You can customize the message to include submission data.
6. Publish the Form:
   • Once the form is ready, publish it on your site by embedding the provided shortcode into a page or post.
7. Display Submitted Content:
   • Use Toolset Views to display the content submitted via your form on the front-end. You can create a view to list all form submissions, or to display a single item in a detailed format.
8. Test the Form:
   • Test the form to ensure it works correctly, ensuring data is being submitted, notifications are sent, and the content is displayed as intended.

Conclusion:

Toolset Forms is a powerful and flexible plugin that allows you to create and manage custom forms in WordPress without needing any coding skills. It integrates seamlessly with the Toolset suite to offer advanced features like custom post types, content creation, and dynamic content display. Whether you're building a membership site, managing user submissions, running a directory, or collecting survey data, Toolset Forms offers an intuitive solution to create complex forms and streamline user interaction.