Sync Advanced Forms ACF Submissions to Sheets
Advanced Forms turns ACF field groups into standalone forms with email notifications and custom actions. LeadToSheet adds Google Sheets as a destination for every submission, fitting into the developer-focused workflow.
CMS: WordPress
Overview
Advanced Forms is a developer-oriented plugin that transforms ACF field groups into functional forms with email notifications, redirect actions, and custom PHP hooks. LeadToSheet extends this by streaming every submission to Google Sheets, making form data accessible to non-technical team members without building custom admin pages or export scripts.
Implementation checklist
- 1
Install the LeadToSheet SDK on your WordPress site
Add the snippet to your theme footer. Advanced Forms renders standard HTML forms using ACF field markup, so the SDK captures them natively.
LeadToSheet snippet
<script>(function(w,d,s,u,k,e){if(w.__formsync){return}w.__formsync={q:[],k:k,endpoint:e};var js=d.createElement(s);js.src=u;js.async=1;js.onload=function(){w.__formsync.init&&w.__formsync.init({ clientKey:k })};d.head.appendChild(js);})(window,document,'script','https://www.leadtosheet.com/sdk.min.js','YOUR_CLIENT_KEY','https://www.leadtosheet.com/api/ingest');</script> - 2
Register your form and map ACF field groups
In Advanced Forms, create a form and assign one or more ACF field groups. Submit a test entry to create the column structure in your Google Sheet based on the ACF field names.
Tip: Advanced Forms uses ACF field keys internally but renders field names in the HTML. LeadToSheet captures the `name` attribute, which corresponds to your ACF field name.
- 3
Verify custom success actions
If you have custom PHP actions hooked to the form submission, ensure they do not prevent the default form submit event from firing. LeadToSheet needs the browser submission event to capture data.
Customization ideas
Combine with Advanced Forms' email notifications
Keep your email notifications active in Advanced Forms for instant alerts, while LeadToSheet provides the persistent spreadsheet record for reporting and analysis.
Capture ACF field types with full fidelity
Select fields, checkbox groups, date pickers, and color pickers all submit structured values. LeadToSheet preserves the format so your sheet columns are immediately usable for filtering and sorting.
Build submission dashboards for clients
Share the Google Sheet with clients or stakeholders who need to review form submissions but should not have WordPress admin access. Use Sheets permissions to control visibility.
Troubleshooting
Form submission redirects before capture completes
Advanced Forms supports redirect-on-success actions. If the redirect fires too quickly, LeadToSheet may not finish transmitting the data. Add a small delay to the redirect action or use the LeadToSheet webhook as a backup.
ACF WYSIWYG fields contain HTML markup in the sheet
WYSIWYG fields submit rich HTML content. LeadToSheet stores the raw value. If you prefer plain text, use the LeadToSheet dashboard to enable HTML stripping for specific columns.
Multiple forms on the same page conflict
If you render multiple Advanced Forms on one page, each form has a unique ID. LeadToSheet captures them independently. If submissions are mixed up, verify each form has a distinct `form` attribute in the shortcode.
Resources
Frequently asked questions
- Does it work with Advanced Forms Pro?
- Yes. Both the free and Pro versions of Advanced Forms are supported. Pro features like calculated fields and repeater entries are captured with full fidelity.
- Can I use LeadToSheet alongside Advanced Forms' built-in actions?
- Yes. LeadToSheet runs in the browser and does not interfere with server-side actions like email, redirect, or custom PHP hooks. Both systems operate independently.
- How are conditional ACF fields handled?
- Conditional fields hidden at submission time are not included in the form payload. Only visible, submitted fields appear in your sheet, matching the data the user actually provided.