Pre-fill forms with User Data

Overview

Pre-populating form fields means that when a user opens a form, fields like their name, address, email, or account number are already filled in — pulled from a data source you've connected to the form. Users can confirm the details are correct rather than typing them from scratch.

In CX Platform, pre-population is configured at the field level inside the Form Designer. Each field that you want to pre-fill has its own Data tab where you set up the mapping. This gives you precise control over which fields are pre-populated and where the data comes from.

‍Private forms required: Pre-population from supplied data requires the form's Access mode to be set to Private. If your form is currently set to Public, you'll need to update the access settings in the Details tab first. See the Publishing and Hosting Forms guide for more detail.

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Open the field you want to pre-fill

In the Receive module, open your form template and go to the Template tab.
Select Form Designer to open the form canvas.
Click Edit on the field or question you want to pre-populate.
In the field editor, click the Data tab. This is where all pre-population settings live.

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Configure pre-population

Tick Prefill field from supplied data? to enable pre-population for this field. This option requires the form to be set to Private.
Select or enter the appropriate value in the Address pre-population field dropdown to map this field to the correct data variable from your integration or external data source.
If your form has multiple address blocks (for example, Mailing and Residential), fill in the Address pre-population group field to distinguish between them.
Enter a Value name if this field maps to a specific variable or data feed coming from your integration logic. This is the key name CX Platform will use to match the incoming data to the field.

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Advanced data options

Once pre-population is set up, a couple of additional options give you more control over how data is handled and displayed.

Option	What it does
Redact data on viewing	The field value is stored in the form response as normal, but is hidden when viewing responses in the Receive module. Use this for sensitive data that needs to be captured and retained — such as a Tax File Number (TFN) — but shouldn't be visible to team members reviewing submissions in CX Platform. The data is submitted and stored; it's the display in the response view that's redacted, not the data itself.
Is authentication field?	Marks this field as one that the user must fill in correctly to authenticate into the form. The field can have a pre-populated value set against it — and the user must enter that same value to pass authentication. For example, if surname and date of birth are set as authentication fields and pre-populated with the member's known details, the user must enter their surname and date of birth correctly before the form proceeds. Requires Authentication mode to be set to Match to prefill data in the form's Details tab.
Default value	A fallback value shown in the field if no pre-filled data is supplied. Handy for ensuring the field isn't left blank if the data feed doesn't return a value for a particular user.
Use display values in title	Shows the pre-populated data in the field label as well as the input, so the context is clear to the user at a glance.

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Apply and save

Click Apply to preview the settings in context, or click OK to confirm and close the field editor.
Repeat the process for each field you want to pre-populate.
Click Save in the Form Designer to save all changes to the template.
Use Test Form to verify that pre-populated fields display the correct values before publishing.

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Before you go live

Pre-populate fields you consistently know — names, email addresses, account numbers, and addresses are good candidates. Avoid pre-populating fields where the data might be stale or incorrect.
Verify your data sources are secure and current — pre-populated data is only as reliable as the source it comes from. Check that your integration is returning up-to-date values.
Combine pre-population with authentication for sensitive forms — if the form contains personal or financial data, mark fields like surname and date of birth as authentication fields and set Authentication mode to Match to prefill data in the Details tab. Users must correctly enter those pre-populated values to authenticate before the form proceeds or any other pre-filled data is revealed.

Once your pre-population settings are in place and tested, users will open the form with their known details already filled in — less typing for them, cleaner data for you.

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