How the Plugin Works

Overview

Database Entries Form 7 automatically captures form submissions and stores them in your WordPress database. When a visitor fills out a form and clicks Submit, the plugin saves the field values, metadata (such as IP address and browser), and submission timestamp - then makes everything available in your Entries Form 7 admin dashboard.

Why Understand the Flow?

Knowing how the plugin works helps you:

• Confirm entries are being captured correctly after setup

• Understand what data is stored and where to find it

• Troubleshoot missing entries quickly

• Explain the workflow to your team with confidence

Before You Begin

This guide assumes you have already:

• Installed and activated Database Entries Form 7

• Installed at least one supported form plugin

• Created at least one form

You do not need to finish all configuration before reading this page. It is an overview of how the plugin behaves once it is set up.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Part 1 - What Happens Automatically on Activation

1. Database tables are created. On activation, the plugin creates custom tables in your WordPress database to store submissions and field details.

2. Form submission hooks are registered. The plugin listens for successful form submissions from Contact Form 7, WPForms, and Elementor Pro.

3. Admin menus are added. The Entries Form 7 and Settings screens become available in your WordPress dashboard.

No per-form configuration is required. All supported forms are captured automatically.

Part 2 - What Happens When a Visitor Submits a Form

1. A visitor fills out a form on your website and clicks Submit.

2. The form plugin validates the submission as usual - showing success or error messages based on your form rules.

3. Database Entries Form 7 intercepts the submission data at the appropriate hook for each form builder.

4. The plugin stores two layers of data:

   • Submission record - form ID, plugin name, status, read/unread state, IP address, browser, operating system, submission URL, and timestamp

   • Field details - each form field's name, value, type, and options

5. The entry appears in Entries Form 7 with a default Unread status.

6. The form plugin continues its normal behavior - sending emails, redirecting, or running any other actions you have configured. The database capture runs in addition to your existing form setup.

Part 3 - What You See in WordPress

1. Go to Entries Form 7 to see all captured submissions.

2. Use the form dropdown to filter entries by a specific form. Forms are grouped by plugin type (Contact Form 7, WPForms, Elementor Pro).

3. Use status tabs to organize entries:

   • All - every non-trashed entry

   • Read - entries you have already viewed

   • Unread - new entries not yet opened

   • Trash - soft-deleted entries

4. Click the View (eye) icon on any entry to open the full Entry Detail page.

5. Use Export to download filtered entries as CSV.

6. Go to Settings to control IP address and user agent collection.

Part 4 - Supported Form Plugins and How They Connect

Contact Form 7 - Data is captured before the form email is sent via the wpcf7_before_send_mail hook.

WPForms - Data is captured after form processing completes via the wpforms_process_complete hook. WPForms entries are stored with a wpforms- prefixed form ID.

Elementor Pro - Data is captured when an Elementor form is successfully processed. Elementor entries are stored with an elementor- prefixed form ID.

Part 5 - How Data Is Organized in the Database

The plugin uses dedicated WordPress database tables:

• fe_submissions - Main submission records (form ID, status, IP, browser, date, etc.)

• fe_submissions_detail - Individual field values for each submission

You do not need to access these tables directly. All data is managed through the WordPress admin interface.

Part 6 - What Metadata Is Captured

For each submission, the plugin can store:

• Entry ID - unique identifier

• Form name and ID - which form was used

• IP Address - visitor IP (with optional country lookup on the detail page)

• Browser and operating system - detected from the user agent

• Submission URL - the page where the form was submitted

• Submitted date and time

You can disable IP address and user agent collection from Entries Form 7 → Settings for GDPR compliance.

Example

James runs a real estate website with a Contact Form 7 "Property Inquiry" form and a WPForms "Schedule a Viewing" form. A visitor submits a property inquiry.

The plugin captures the submission before the inquiry email reaches James's inbox. The entry appears as Unread in Entries Form 7 under the Contact Form 7 group. James opens it, reviews the details, and marks it as Read. The original email notification still arrives as configured in Contact Form 7.

Tips

💡 Entries are captured on successful submission only. If the form shows a validation error, no entry is saved.

💡 Opening an entry marks it as Read. Viewing the Entry Detail page automatically updates the read status.

💡 Trashed entries are soft-deleted. They can be restored unless permanently deleted.

💡 Use Settings to disable tracking if your privacy policy requires limiting IP or browser data collection.

Notes

Your form plugin must remain active. If Contact Form 7, WPForms, or Elementor Pro is deactivated, new submissions from that plugin will not be captured.

The plugin does not replace your form builder. Your forms continue to work exactly as before, with database storage added on top.

No data is stored without a form submission. The plugin only saves data when a visitor successfully submits a form.

File uploads are stored as URLs. Uploaded file paths are saved and displayed as links or image previews on the Entry Detail page.

You are responsible for compliance. When storing personal data, ensure your site complies with applicable privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA, etc.) and that your privacy policy informs visitors.