Online web forms integrated with your Blackbaud® eTapestry® database can be designed to collect donations, email newsletter subscriptions, contact us inquiries, event registrations, volunteer registrations, surveys, and other types of information from website visitors.

The flexibility and efficiency of integrated eTapestry web forms make them powerful fundraising tools by streamlining data collection and saving your organization time. There are multiple ways to integrate online web forms with your eTapestry database. Let’s explore each type.

1. eTapestry DIY Forms (Template)
2. eTapestry DIY Forms (Embed)
3. Custom eTapestry API Forms
4. Forms with eTapestry Import
5. Automated eTapestry Form Integrations  <— NEW

1 – eTapestry DIY Forms (Template)

The first two options in this post use the eTapestry DIY (“Do-It-Yourself”) form editor, which can build template and embeddable forms for donations, memberships, volunteer registrations, and event registrations.

DIY template forms come in a variety of themes. Pick a theme and then customize the form’s “look and feel.”  You can change colors, images, and the layout of the form fields. DIY forms may contain any data field in your eTapestry database including user-defined fields (UDFs).

Template DIY forms are standalone web pages hosted by Blackbaud. You must link to the form from your website, email, or another online channel.

DIY template forms provide eTapestry users easy-to-implement web form capabilities and are commonly used to process online donations.

Advantages:

• Part of your Blackbaud eTapestry subscription
• Easy to create and edit with the eTapestry DIY form editor
• Send users automated email communications following a form submission; use eTapestry communication templates to save time and effort
• Don’t need HTML expertise in order to build and deploy forms
• Easy to implement and are generally time and cost effective

Disadvantages:

• Only moderate customization available and may not match the exact “look and feel” of your brand, marketing materials, or website
• Users navigate away from your website in order to complete the form and users aren’t redirected back to your website when the form is submitted
• Minimal form and page analytics available
• Customization is limited to fields in the eTapestry database; cannot make formulas, if/then statements, or form logic
• Forms must contain required fields (a disadvantage if you want to streamline the user experience)
• All form submissions are automatically entered in eTapestry regardless of data quality

2 – eTapestry DIY Forms (Embed)

DIY embeddable forms are created, edited, and published the same way as DIY template forms. Instead of linking to a form that is external to your website, you can copy and paste the embeddable code of the form in an existing page on your website.

With an embeddable form, the web form user remains on your website and within your website’s domain instead of navigating away like with template DIY forms.

Advantages:

• Part of your Blackbaud eTapestry subscription
• Easy to create and edit with the eTapestry DIY form editor
• Send users automated email communications following a form submission; use eTapestry communication templates to save time and effort
• Embed the forms in a page on your existing website so the form header, footer, and layout will match your website
• Users stay on your website (no redirects or navigation away from your site)
• Website analytics loaded on your website can capture basic page data for the page the form is embedded on
• Don’t need HTML expertise in order to build forms
• Easy to implement and are generally time and cost effective

Disadvantages:

• May not match the exact “look and feel” of your website (especially the field text)
• Users aren’t redirected to another page when the form is completed (they remain on the form page)
• Requires minor web design and HTML knowledge in order to deploy the form embed code on your existing website
• Customization is limited to fields in the eTapestry database; cannot make formulas, if/then statements, or form logic
• Forms must contain required fields (a disadvantage if you want to streamline the user experience)
• All form submissions are automatically entered in eTapestry regardless of data quality

3 – Custom eTapestry API Forms

API stands for “application protocol interface.” The Blackbaud eTapestry API connects to your organization’s eTapestry database and the eTapestry API allows custom eTapestry integrations to access, create, and modify data in your eTapestry database.

The eTapestry API is free to use. Integrates created with the Blackbaud eTapestry API require custom programming knowledge and expertise, but the API allows for near unlimited customization of web forms.

The user experience for an eTapestry API integrated web form will vary depending on the use case. You can create any type, style, or format of web form with the eTapestry API, making eTapestry API forms flexible and scalable.

Advantages:

• Fully customizable and embeddable to match the specific “look and feel” of your website
• Use different payment processors than those integrated with eTapestry
• Send users automated email communications following a form submission
• Integrate with your website analytics software to capture large quantities of visitor data
• Expansive form customization options including field formulas, if/then statements, and form logic
• Create page flows or steps of form completion (i.e. Step 1 = Gift Amount, Step 2 = Contact Information, Step 3 = Payment Information)
• Integrate with any third-party web form service that has an API
• Filter information before import into eTapestry (i.e. manage the quality of data, like rules, import clearinghouse, etc.)
• Custom redirect form users to new web pages when the form is completed

Disadvantages:

• Requires HTML and API programming knowledge in order to build, integrate, edit, and modify web forms
• Forms are not a part of the eTapestry subscription and may require external consulting, expertise, or resources to complete

Looking for a custom eTapestry web form?  We may be able to help!  Contact us to see if your project is a good fit.

4 – Forms with eTapestry Import

Some organizations use special web form software like Clover Donations, Network for Good, PayPal, Wufoo, Formstack, TypeForm, or even custom web forms built with plugins and widgets in WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and other website CMS platforms.

eTapestry makes it easy to import data from outside web form software. Imports are inexpensive and straightforward to implement. Users only need moderate training to import data using the eTapestry import utility.

Imports are brought into eTapestry with a CSV data file.

It is important to create disciplined data management policies when integrating external forms with eTapestry via imports.

• When will you transfer data?
• How will you transfer data?
• What will the data look like?
• Who is responsible for imports?

A clearly defined import process is the only way to guarantee a consistent, accurate, and clean import.

Advantages:

• Import utility is a part of your eTapestry subscription
• Intuitive import interface is easy to learn and use
• Integrate with any external web form service that exports data to CSV files (or exports to Excel which can be converted to CSV)
• Filter information before import into eTapestry (i.e. manage the quality of data)

Disadvantages:

• Requires manual import of data via CSV files
• Increases risk of potential data inaccuracy
• Time consuming and challenging, depending on skill level
• Can be cumbersome and messy if large quantities of data are being managed

5 – Automated eTapestry Form Integrations

Most eTapestry users struggle with the trade-offs between DIY forms and external forms that aren’t connected to eTapestry, even when imports are a viable option.

• While DIY forms offer pure integration with your eTapestry database, they don’t always offer the best user experience or the best look and feel.
• While external forms look and function great, they don’t offer pure integration to your eTapestry database (requiring imports or manual data entry).

Is there a solution that is the best of both worlds?

We’ve developed automated integrations with common web form platforms that offer this capability.

With our integrations, you can seamlessly transfer submissions from external web form software and payment processors to your eTapestry database. We have integrations for the following software, processors, and applications.

• PayPal
• Stripe
• Wufoo
• Formstack
• Google Forms
• Donately
• Eventbrite
• Shopify

Ready to start with eTapestry integrations? It is easy to get started and we take care of setup, hosting, and maintenance. Contact us to set up your integration or to learn more. 

Web form integrations and eTapestry 

Web forms that integrate with eTapestry are one of the best ways to automate website interactions and capture data from website visitors.

The eTapestry integration and web form option you select will depend on your organization’s requirements because each option has advantages and disadvantages.  Align your organization’s requirements with the pros and cons of each option to find the one that is the best fit for you.