Why Automate Forms?
Automating forms helps reduce manual work by triggering actions when a form is submitted.
You can automatically create tasks, assign requests, or notify teams via email or Slack based on the submitted responses.
Step 1: Open Automation Settings
Go to the project that contains the form you want to automate. Then, open the Forms tab to get started.
Select the form you want to automate.
Click Automations, then + Add Automation to configure the rules.
Step 2: Set Up Automation Rules
1) Confirm the trigger by clicking Save (e.g., "When a response to this form is submitted...").
2) (Optional) Add conditions by selecting Check if.
This lets you refine when the automation runs. You can add multiple conditions, a single condition, or skip this step entirely.
Example: Only trigger the automation if the Urgency field is set to High Priority.
3) Choose an action by selecting Then, such as:
Send a Slack message
Send an email
Create a new task
When configuring actions, you can use dynamic fields to pull in responses from the form, such as:
Answers from specific form questions
The user who submitted the form (triggered the automation)
The related company or project
The form title and response ID
The link to the form responses (leads to the Form Responses screen)
Task Creation: Additional Options
If your automation creates a task, you can:
Attach submitted files: Any uploaded files from the form will be added as task attachments.
Prefill custom fields: If your form includes custom fields, check the Use Form Response box to auto-fill them in the new task.
Here’s an example of the automation setup using dynamic fields (form responses) to build a structured task.
Tip: You'll receive an automation notification once an automation has been successfully completed. Clicking on it will take you to the resulting task or milestone.
Step 3: Save and Activate
1) Click Save in the upper-right corner to confirm the automation setup.
2) Add a name and clear description for the rule.
3) The automation will be accessible from:
The project and form you created it for (Automations tab)
In Settings > Automations, alongside all other automations
Testing the Automation
Test your automation by submitting a form and verifying that the action runs as expected:
1) Open the form in the project.
2) Access the sharing options and click the responder link to open the form submission in a new tab.
3) Fill out and submit the form.
4) Check if the expected action occurred through inbox notifications or by clicking Show Runs in the three-dot menu.
Next Steps
1) Managing Forms Efficiently
Learn how to edit, track, and archive forms in the next article: How to Manage Forms?
2) Learn More About Automations in Productive
Discover how to automate actions beyond form submissions, including task, deal, budget, and invoice updates, as well as scheduled automations like daily, weekly, or monthly Slack reminders in Automations: General overview.