Forms 2.0: Capture hidden form fields when using Known Visitor functionality

Forms 2.0: Capture hidden form fields when using Known Visitor functionality

Forms 2.0 added the handy feature of being able to override the form for known leads, and give them a direct download button instead of needing to fill out a form again. 

The problem, though, is that hidden form fields, namely those that set their value from URL parameter, don't get captured when you use this functionality. We use these URL parameters across our campaigns, and need leads to be updated with the most current information. (we have two sets of these fields, one for original source info that blocks field updates, and the other for most recent source, which can change all the time) Here's the scenario:

Your form has hidden values for utm_medium, utm_source, and utm_campaign. Any new leads who come through this form will have those values populated by the URL they came in from (eg utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=ggl&utm_campaign=branded+terms). 

For existing leads who come to this form from a tagged URL (eg. utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=best+practices+whitepaper), they'll see the custom HTML you've set as "Welcome back {{lead.first name}}, with a direct download button to whatever asset you want them to look at. When the lead clicks the submit button, the activity log will show the form submission event, but Marketo won't capture those URL parameters in the hidden form fields as it would if they were actually filling out the form. This may be a feature limitation or actually a bug, but it hurts our ability to leverage the known lead form functionality.

This causes problems for situations where you want to track First Touch (FT) and Last Touch (LT) campaign activity, because your URL parameter fields will conceivably not get updated for known leads. 

I'd like to be able to use the custom HTML option for known leads on my forms, and not lose the ability to capture hidden form field values. 
6 Comments
Edward_Masson
Level 10
Well said Jeff!
This must be a bug, can't understand why this would be as designed, URL tracking is very important. Just because Marketo has established the known record to then stop orignal URL source tracking!
Anonymous
Not applicable
Forgive me if this isn't the case, but I read "Maybe one day" as "probably not going to happen". That's alright - I know I have a lot of ideas that I submit that are probably not going to make it natively into the product. It's disappointing to see that assign to this. This strikes me as a big "gotcha" to anyone using the known lead functionality on forms. Perhaps a case is a better way to file this - I really consider this to be a bug rather than a feature request anyway. I'll try my luck there!

 
Edward_Masson
Level 10
Please keep us informed what happens Jeff! This is disapointing.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi there, any news on this? We are having the exact same problem. Tracking UTM values is super important for us in combination with the Known Visitors feature.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Finding this bug out the hard way on deadline isn't fun. I'm thinking up a work around right now. If I am successful I will return with the info.

kh-lschutte
Community Manager
Status changed to: Open Ideas