Contact Form 7 is a fantastic, free plugin that makes it super easy to create and manage contact forms on your WordPress website. You can whip up simple or complex forms in minutes, making it a go-to solution for many website owners.
However, one of the default behaviors of Contact Form 7 is that it primarily sends form submissions to your designated email address. While this is essential, what happens if an email gets lost in spam, or you simply want a centralized place to manage all your inquiries?
That's where saving Contact Form 7 entries directly in your WordPress backend comes in handy! Having these submissions stored within your WordPress database ensures you never miss a potential lead or important message.
So, how do you achieve this? Thankfully, there are excellent plugins that seamlessly integrate with Contact Form 7 to provide this functionality. Let's explore a couple of popular options:
Option 1: The Simplicity of Flamingo
Developed by the same team behind Contact Form 7, Flamingo is a straightforward and reliable solution.
How it Works: Once you install and activate Flamingo, it automatically starts capturing and saving all submissions from your Contact Form 7 forms. You don't need to configure anything extra!
Where to Find Your Entries: You can find all the saved messages in your WordPress dashboard under the aptly named "Flamingo" menu. Here, you'll see "Inbound Messages" containing the form submissions and an "Address Book" that compiles the contact details.
Why Choose Flamingo?
- Ease of Use: It works right out of the box with no complex setup.
- Reliability: Coming from the same developers, it integrates perfectly with Contact Form 7.
- Free: It's a completely free plugin.
How to Install Flamingo:
- Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress admin area.
- Search for "Flamingo".
- Click Install Now and then Activate.
Option 2: Feature-Rich with CFDB7 (Contact Form 7 Database Addon)
Another popular choice is the Contact Form 7 Database Addon - CFDB7. This plugin also automatically saves your form submissions to the WordPress database.
How it Works: Similar to Flamingo, once activated, CFDB7 silently works in the background, storing your Contact Form 7 entries.
Where to Find Your Entries: After activation, you'll find a new menu item called "CFDB7" in your WordPress dashboard. Clicking on this will take you to a page where you can view all your submitted data.
Why Choose CFDB7?
- Automatic Saving: No extra configuration needed to start saving submissions.
- Lightweight: It's designed to be efficient and not bog down your site.
- Export to CSV: A useful feature for exporting your form data.
How to Install CFDB7:
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for "Contact Form 7 Database Addon - CFDB7".
- Click Install Now and then Activate.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both Flamingo and CFDB7 are excellent options.
- If you're looking for a simple, no-fuss solution directly from the Contact Form 7 team, Flamingo is a great choice.
- If you want a slightly more feature-rich option with the ability to easily export data, CFDB7 might be a better fit.
In Conclusion:
Saving your Contact Form 7 entries in your WordPress backend is a smart way to ensure you never lose important communications. By using plugins like Flamingo or CFDB7, you can easily manage and review your form submissions directly from your WordPress dashboard.
Do you currently use Contact Form 7? Which method of saving entries do you prefer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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