HubSpot Forms: Solving the Mystery of Disappearing Fields
HubSpot forms are a powerful tool for lead capture, but sometimes they can throw you a curveball. Imagine setting up a form with multiple columns, only to find that some fields randomly disappear when the form is live. A community member recently faced this exact issue, and the discussion that followed offers valuable insights into troubleshooting HubSpot forms.
The Case of the Vanishing Fields
The original poster described a situation where fields in a multi-column form were randomly missing. These weren't simply hidden fields; they were completely absent from the page source. The problem persisted whether the form was embedded using shortcodes or the WordPress add-on. Oddly, the fields appeared correctly in the design view but not in the HubSpot preview.
Progressive Profiling: The Prime Suspect
One respondent suggested that the issue might be related to progressive fields and pre-population. Progressive fields are designed to show different fields to a contact based on what information you already have about them. If a contact has already filled out a particular field, that field won't be displayed again. This is a useful feature, but it can be confusing if you're not expecting it.
The respondent recommended testing the form in incognito mode. This prevents HubSpot from recognizing you as a known contact. If the fields appear in incognito mode, it's a strong indication that progressive profiling is the culprit. The HubSpot Knowledge Base article on troubleshooting forms (https://knowledge.hubspot.com/forms/troubleshoot-hubspot-forms) provides more details on this.
The article states: If some fields are still not being displayed on your form when you add it to a page, it's likely that the form has progressive fields and HubSpot remembers the visitor from previous interactions or testing. Progressive fields are hidden if the visitor has previously filled in the field or if the contact already has a value for the property.
New Editor, Same Rules (Mostly)
The original poster was using the new HubSpot form editor and believed that progressive fields weren't available in that editor. While the new editor simplifies the process, HubSpot may still hide fields if a contact already has a value for the corresponding property in your CRM. Even if you simply drag and drop fields onto the form, HubSpot will check if the contact already has that data.
The CRM Connection
The key takeaway is that HubSpot's behavior is tied to the data in your CRM. If a contact record already contains a value for a field, that field might not appear on the form, even if you expect it to. To diagnose the issue, check the contact record in your CRM and see if the missing fields already have values. This is especially relevant if you're seeing all the fields when using the shared form link in an incognito window.
Actionable Steps to Troubleshoot Missing Form Fields
- Test in Incognito Mode: Open the form in an incognito browser window to see if the missing fields appear.
- Check Contact Records: Examine the contact record in your CRM to see if the missing fields already have values.
- Review Progressive Fields: Even if you're using the new editor, be aware of how progressive profiling might be affecting your form's behavior.
ESHOPMAN Team Comment
This HubSpot Community discussion highlights a common frustration with form behavior. The progressive profiling feature, while powerful, can be confusing if not understood. We at ESHOPMAN often see users struggle with this, and we recommend always testing forms thoroughly in incognito mode and checking CRM data to avoid unexpected field omissions. Clear communication about progressive profiling in HubSpot's documentation would definitely help!
By understanding how HubSpot handles pre-population and progressive fields, you can prevent the mystery of the disappearing form fields and ensure a smooth lead capture process. Keep experimenting and testing, and you'll master those HubSpot forms in no time!