Create an anonymous Form

An anonymous form allows users to submit form entries anonymously. There is no record of which user submitted an entry on an anonymous form.

Certain types of forms or surveys may get more open, honest and complete responses when submitted anonymously. Anonymous forms could be used for an employee survey, training survey, or suggestion box.

Submitter names are not recorded or displayed

The form entry submitter's name does not appear anywhere in the workflow, user interface, exported reports or forms API. Anywhere in the interface that would normally show the form entry submitter's name is replaced with "Anonymous User" for an anonymous form or entry. No one can can see who submitted an anonymous form entry; this includes form viewers, reviewers, owners, managers, and even intranet administrators. In the Forms database, when someone submits an entry on an anonymous form, their user id is replaced with a value that represents all anonymous users. The database does not store which user submitted an anonymous form.

How to make a form anonymous

1. Create or edit a form.
2. When editing the form, select the Permissions tab.
3. Under the Submitters heading, select the checkbox Make submissions anonymous.
4. Click Save.

Effects of making a form anonymous

Because the identity of the form entry submitter is not stored for an anonymous form, certain options become unavailable when you make a form anonymous. Submitters will not receive confirmation emails when they submit an anonymous form entry. Submitters will only be able to view entries for the anonymous form if view permission is given to all submitters on the form.

When a user is filling out an anonymous form entry, this message shows at the top of the form, "This form is anonymous. Your name and personal information will not be collected."

The following options become unavailable when a form is anonymous because the submitter cannot be identified:

• Form > People lookup field: Default value is Submitter's name.
• Permissions > Submitters: Allow submitters to edit their form entries after they've been submitted.
• Permissions > Submitters: Limit the number of times a person can submit the form.
• Permissions > Reviewers: Set submitter's manager as a reviewer.
• Notifications > Confirmation: Send email confirmation to submitter when they submit a form entry.
• Notifications > Workflow: final status: Notify submitter when their form entry is changed to a final status.

Tip: Making an existing form anonymous

When you make a form anonymous, this option only affects new entry submissions. If the form has existing submitted entries, making the form anonymous will not make those entries anonymous. Existing entries will continue to display submitter names. It is best to make a final decision about anonymity before launching a form for the first time.