What Are Forms in Catalyzer?

At its heart, the Catalyzer Forms tool is a form builder built directly into the Catalyzer CRM—similar to tools like Typeform or Google Forms.

What makes Catalyzer forms different is how they integrate with the rest of the platform. Through property mapping and connections to other Catalyzer tools, forms can be used to:

• Create new clients
• Update information for existing clients and their businesses
• Attribute and verify economic impact data
• Collect e-signatures and files
• Accept event registrations
• Run and manage intake for different programs
• Survey cohorts immediately after they end and on a recurring basis
• Create waitlists for programs with limited capacity

Forms are one of the primary ways data enters Catalyzer, which makes thoughtful form design especially important.

Common Types of Forms

Before creating a form, it’s helpful to be clear about what you want the form to accomplish. Consider questions like:

• Will this form be used as an application that requires review or decisions?
• Is this a follow-up or survey for existing clients?
• Should someone who submits this form automatically be added as a client?

In Catalyzer, there are two main form “modes,” though both are highly flexible.

1. Basic forms are simple questionnaires that can be shared via a public link. Questions can be mapped to CRM properties, and you can choose whether submissions automatically create clients.
2. Applications are designed for intake workflows that require review. Application submissions do not automatically create clients—they must be accepted first. Applications can also be assigned to other users for review.

If you’re collecting information without needing a decision or workflow, use a basic form. If the form requires review or approval, use an application.

Creating a New Form

To create a new form, navigate to the Forms tool in the left-hand navigation. This opens the Forms List Page, where all forms in your hub are stored.

Click “New Form” in the top right to open the form builder. A single question—“Your Email”—is automatically created.

Email address is the only required field on all Catalyzer forms. It is used to identify which client a submission belongs to and to determine whether a new client should be created or an existing client should be updated.

Even if no other questions are mapped, collecting email ensures submissions are always connected to the correct client record.

Question and Data Types

To add additional questions, click “New Question.” You can select a question type from the dropdown. Available question types include:

• Text
• Number
• Date
• Currency
• Address
• Email
• Phone
• Website
• Radio
• Checkbox
• Dropdown
• Yes/No
• Signature
• File Upload

Required Questions

Questions can be marked as required using the three-dot menu on the question card. Required questions must be answered before the form can be submitted.

The email address question cannot be made optional, as it is required for data mapping.

Mapping Questions to CRM Properties

Form questions can be mapped to client or business properties in your Catalyzer hub.

Mapping connects form responses directly to your CRM, so information collected through forms can be used for filtering, reporting, and exports without manual cleanup.

Unmapped questions will still collect responses, but they will not update CRM properties.

To map a question, open the three-dot menu and select “Map to Property.” You’ll see a list of available properties. Properties already mapped within the same form will not appear, since a property can only be mapped once per form.

When a question is mapped:

• The question type locks to match the property type
• For multi-option properties, the question’s options are inherited from the property
• Options and question type cannot be changed without unmapping

These rules ensure consistency and clean data across the system.

Publishing Your Form

Forms are automatically saved as drafts until published. Drafts appear alongside published forms on the Forms List Page.

When ready, click “Publish” to generate a public link that can be shared anywhere—on your website, in emails, or directly with clients.

To copy the link, click “Share” and select “Copy link.”

💡  You can also configure a redirect URL in the form’s settings to send submitters to another resource—such as a meeting scheduler or resource library—after submission.

How Forms Create and Update Client Records

How Forms Create Clients

When a form is submitted, Catalyzer checks whether the submitted email address already exists in your client list.

If no matching client is found (and the form’s settings allow it), a new client is created. Any mapped questions populate the corresponding client or business properties.

Forms are often the fastest way to populate your client list—especially for intake, pre-screening, or event registration.

How Forms Update Existing Clients

If the submitted email address matches an existing client, mapped responses overwrite the existing property values.

This allows your CRM data to stay current without needing to track down the most recent submission manually.

Viewing Form Submissions

Form submissions can be viewed in two places:

1. On the Client Record Page, under the Forms tab
2. In the Forms tool, under the Responses tab for each form

The Responses tab displays submissions in a toggle view, with a list on the left and the full response shown in the main panel.

Basic Form Submissions

For basic forms, submissions include actions such as Refer and New Session.

If a basic form is configured not to auto-create clients, submissions from non-clients will include an “Add to Clients” button. Once added, the standard actions become available.

Application Submissions

Applications include additional workflow features.

Each submission has a status: Pending, Assigned for Review, Accepted, or Declined. New submissions are pending by default.

Available actions include Accept, Decline, and Assign for Review, each of which updates the submission’s status.

New Submissions

Unviewed submissions display a “New” tag until opened by a user.

Overdue Submissions

Applications can have deadlines for pending or in-review submissions. Once overdue, a flag appears until the submission is accepted, declined, or reassigned.

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