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Prefilled Forms in SmartSuite

Add Prefill_ parameters to a form's link to fill in fields before it opens, by hand or from a Button or Formula field.

Written by Brian Dollen

Feature Overview Video

You can fill in fields on a SmartSuite form before anyone opens it. Add prefill parameters to the end of the form's link, and the form opens with those values in place.

Here is the test: do you send a form about something you already know, such as a vendor or a project? Prefill what you know, so people answer only what you do not.

Example: a vendor risk program. Each vendor gets the Annual Assessment form once a year. A Button field on the vendor record builds the form link with the vendor's Record ID in a hidden Vendor field. When the vendor submits, the new assessment links to the right vendor, and the vendor never sees the ID.

Plan Availability

All plan types.

Permissions

Administrators and Solution Managers create, change and delete forms.

Platform

Web

Related Reading

Sharing Forms
​Form View
​Formula Functions & Operators
​Button Field.

How does a prefill link work?

Start with the form's shared link, then add one parameter per field:

{form link}?Prefill_{field name or field ID}={value}

  • The prefix. Each parameter starts with Prefill_, then the field name or the field ID.

  • Capital letters. Prefill_ must be written exactly like this. Field names and IDs can use any case.

  • Spaces in a field name. Write each space as +, or use ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT() in a formula.

  • More than one field. Separate the parameters with &.

  • Hidden fields. A prefilled value in a hidden field is still submitted and saved.

For example, this link fills in Vendor Name and Vendor Tier:

{form link}?Prefill_Vendor+Name=Northwind+Data&Prefill_Vendor+Tier=Tier+1

Note: Option names for select fields must match the case used in the field. "Tier 1" and "tier 1" are not the same option.

Where do I find a field's ID?

  1. Open the field's settings.

  2. Select the ? button next to the field type.

  3. Copy the Field ID.

A field's settings with the ? button selected and the Field ID shown with its copy icon.

A field's settings with the ? button selected and the Field ID shown with its copy icon.

How do I build the link in a Button or Formula field?

A Button or Formula field can build the link from the record's own values. People click the button, or an automation sends the link.

This Button field formula fills in Vendor Name from the record:

CONCAT("https://app.smartsuite.com/form/{workspace_id}/{form_id}?Prefill_Vendor+Name=", ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Vendor Name]))

This one skips the prefill when a name field is empty:

CONCAT(
  IF(AND(IS_NOT_NULL([First Name]), IS_NOT_NULL([Last Name])),
    CONCAT("https://app.smartsuite.com/form/{workspace_id}/{form_id}?Prefill_Full+Name=", ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([First Name]), ",", ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Last Name])),
    "https://app.smartsuite.com/form/{workspace_id}/{form_id}"
  )
)

Replace the link with your form's own shared link. Replace each field name or {field_id} with your own.

A link that fills several fields

This Formula field sends the record's ID and four of its values in one link:

CONCAT(
  "https://app.smartsuite.com/form/{workspace_id}/{form_id}",
  "?Prefill_{field_id}=", RECORD_ID(),
  "&Prefill_{field_id}=", ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Assigned To]),
  "&Prefill_{field_id}=", ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Full Name]),
  "&Prefill_{field_id}=", ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Phone Number]),
  "&Prefill_{field_id}=", ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Email])
)

A link that picks a value with IF()

This one sends a linked record's ID and chooses a review team from the vendor's tier. If Vendor Tier is Tier 1, the form gets Security. Otherwise it gets Procurement.

CONCAT(
  "https://app.smartsuite.com/form/{workspace_id}/{form_id}",
  "?Prefill_{field_id}=", ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Contract].[Record_ID]),
  "&Prefill_Review%20Team=", IF([Vendor Tier] = "Tier 1", "Security", "Procurement")
)

How do I hide a prefilled field?

Prefill a record ID or a field ID instead of a name. Then hide that field on the form, so the person filling it in cannot see or change it.

  • The link stays private. Even if someone removes the values from the link, no sensitive detail shows on the form.

  • The record still links. The submission links to the right record.

For the vendor example, the Annual Assessment button sends the vendor's Record ID to a hidden Vendor field. The vendor's name and contract details never show in the link.

Which values does each field type take?

Each field type takes its own value format. The lists below give one example per type, grouped by kind.

Text fields

  • Text: Prefill_Text=Example+Text

  • Text Area: Prefill_Text+Area=This+is+a+multi-line+example

  • SmartDoc, plain text: Prefill_SmartDoc=Example+Text

  • SmartDoc, HTML (encode it): Prefill_SmartDoc=%3Cb%3EExample+Text+%3C%2Fb%3E

Number fields

  • Number: Prefill_Number=123

  • Number Slider: Prefill_Number+Slider=50

  • Currency: Prefill_Currency=100.50

  • Percent: Prefill_Percent=80

  • Rating: Prefill_Rating=5

Select fields

Option names must match the case used in the field.

  • Single Select: Prefill_Single+Select=Option+Name

  • Multiple Select: Prefill_Multiple+Select=Option1,Option2

  • Status: Prefill_Status=Status+Name

Linked Record fields

Use the linked record's Record ID or its title.

  • One record: Prefill_Linked+Record=Record+Title or Prefill_Linked+Record={record_id}

  • Several records: Prefill_Linked+Record=Record+Title1,Record+Title2

Date and time fields

Dates use the YYYY-MM-DD format.

  • Date: Prefill_Date=2024-12-18

  • Date with time: Prefill_Date=2024-12-18T09:36

  • Time: Prefill_Time=14:30

  • Date Range: Prefill_Date+Range=2024-12-18,2024-12-20

  • Due Date: Prefill_Due+Date=2024-12-20

  • Duration, in minutes: Prefill_Duration=60

Contact fields

  • Email, one: Prefill_Email=name@example.com

  • Email, several: Prefill_Email=first@example.com,second@example.com

  • Phone, one: Prefill_Phone=%2B1234567890

  • Phone, several: Prefill_Phone=%2B1234567890,%2B0987654321

  • Address, one line: Prefill_Address=100+Main+Street+Los+Angeles+California

  • Address, several lines: Prefill_Address=100+Main+Street,Suite+300,Los+Angeles,California,90017,US

Full Name fields

Separate the name parts with commas. Values fill the parts the field shows, in order.

  • First Name and Last Name, the default: Prefill_Full+Name=Alex,Morgan

  • All four parts, Title, First Name, Middle Name and Last Name: Prefill_Full+Name=,Alex,,Morgan

To build it from separate First Name and Last Name fields, encode each part:

Prefill_{full_name_field_id}=ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([First Name]),ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Last Name])

If the field also shows Title and Middle Name, leave them blank with commas: =,ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([First Name]),,ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT([Last Name]).

Other fields

  • Link, one: Prefill_Link=https://smartsuite.com

  • Link, several: Prefill_Link=https://smartsuite.com,https://google.com

  • Yes / No: Prefill_Yes+/+No=true, Prefill_Yes+/+No=1 or Prefill_Yes+/+No=yes

  • Color Picker in CMYK: Prefill_Color+Picker=cmyk(0%2045%2050%2061)

  • Color Picker in HEX and RGB: Prefill_Color+Picker=%23821D1D,rgb(100%20100%20100)

  • IP Address, one: Prefill_Ip+Address=192.0.2.1

  • IP Address, several: Prefill_Ip+Address=192.0.2.1,192.0.2.2

  • Assigned To, the member's full name: Prefill_Assigned+To=Alex+Morgan

  • Signature, typed: Prefill_Signature=Alex+Morgan

  • Checklist, one item: Prefill_Checklist=Item+A

How do I encode special characters?

In a Button or Formula field, wrap each value in ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT(). It encodes the value for you. Always encode the parts of a Full Name, so spaces and special characters do not break the link.

If you write a link by hand, use these codes:

Character.

Code.

Space.

%20.

Carriage return.

%0D.

Exclamation point.

%21.

Double quotation mark.

%22.

Number sign (#).

%23.

Dollar sign ($).

%24.

Left parenthesis.

%28.

Right parenthesis.

%29.

Question mark.

%3F.

How do I send a date from a date field?

Forms take dates as YYYY-MM-DD. This formula builds that value from a date field, with leading zeros for single-digit months and days, then encodes it:

ENCODE_URL_COMPONENT(CONCAT(YEAR(FIRST([Date of Birth])), "-", IF(MONTH(FIRST([Date of Birth])) < 10, "0", ""), MONTH(FIRST([Date of Birth])), "-", IF(DAY(FIRST([Date of Birth])) < 10, "0", ""), DAY(FIRST([Date of Birth]))))

Add it after the field's parameter in the link, for example "&Prefill_{field_id}=", followed by the formula above.

Which field types cannot be prefilled?

  • Files and Images

  • Rollup, Lookup and Formula

  • Dependency

  • Tags

Frequently asked questions

Is the Prefill_ prefix case sensitive?

Yes. Write Prefill_ exactly like this. Field names and field IDs are not case sensitive.

Can I prefill a field people cannot see?

Yes. A prefilled value in a hidden field is submitted and saved. Prefill a record ID into a hidden field to link the submission without showing anything personal.

How do I prefill a Linked Record field?

Use the linked record's Record ID or its title. Separate several records with commas.

Why did my select field not fill in?

The option name must match the case used in the field. Check spaces too: write each space as + or encode the value.

Which fields cannot be prefilled?

Files and Images, Rollup, Lookup, Formula, Dependency and Tags.

Need more help? Ask the SmartSuite Community, where builders, administrators and the SmartSuite team answer questions about building on SmartSuite. For your account, billing or data, select the chat button in the lower-right corner of SmartSuite to reach support.

Last verified 1 Nov 2026.

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