Prefill Create Forms from a URL

Share a link that opens an Add New Item form and fills selected fields automatically — no custom JavaScript.

This guide walks through builder configuration with screenshots from a real Create Form (Submit Service Request), then shows how to share and test the published link.

Scope (current release) Works on Create Form screens only (not Update Form). Supported field types: Text, Long text, Number, Toggle, Single-select (Dropdown), Date, Multi-select (including People), and Relation (Page Selector).

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What you get

After you map fields to URL parameter names and publish, a link like this:

https://your-app.notionapps.com/submit-service-request?name=Alvin&impact=Major&priority=High

will:

1. Open the Create Form whose screen name slugifies to submit-service-request

2. Prefill Request summary with Alvin, Impact with Major, and Priority with High

Users can still edit any unlocked field after the form loads.

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Before you start

You need:

• A Create Form (Add Item) screen in the builder

• At least one supported field on that form (text, long text, number, toggle, single-select, date, multi-select/people, or relation)

• Permission to Publish the app so end users see the mapping

Slug tip The path segment comes from the screen’s navigation / screen name (for example, Submit Service Request → submit-service-request). Keep Create Form names unique. If two forms would share the same slug, use ?form=<screenId> instead (see Disambiguate with form=).

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Step 1 — Open the Create Form in the builder

1. Open your application in the NotionApps builder.

2. Select the Create Form screen you want to share (for example, Submit Service Request).

3. Confirm the right panel shows Form (Add Item) / Create Form behaviour settings.

Create Form open in the builder with mobile preview

Create Form overview — fields listed in Logic and Behaviour

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Step 2 — Map a field to a URL parameter

For each field you want to fill from the link:

1. In the Logic list (right panel), select the field (or click it in the preview).

2. Turn Default Value On.

3. Set Default value source to From URL parameter.

4. Enter the URL parameter name (for example, name for ?name=Alvin).

5. Optionally leave a Static value as a fallback when that query param is missing.

6. Optionally turn on Disable Changes if the prefilled value should be locked.

Naming recommendation Use short, lowercase names without spaces: name, impact, priority, source. These become the keys in your shareable URL.

Example mappings for this form

Form field	Field type	URL parameter	Example in link
Request summary	Text	name	name=Alvin
Impact	Dropdown	impact	impact=Major
Priority	Dropdown	priority	priority=High

Select the field in the preview or Logic list:

Select Request summary (or the matching Logic row) to edit defaults

Map additional dropdown fields the same way:

Map Impact to a URL parameter such as impact

Map Priority to a URL parameter such as priority

How values are interpreted

Field type	Accepted query values	If the value is invalid
Text / Long text	Any string	Used as-is
Number	A finite number (for example 42, 3.5)	Field keeps static fallback or stays blank
Toggle	true / 1 / yes / on (and false equivalents) — case-insensitive	Field keeps static fallback or stays blank
Single-select	Option label (case-insensitive), or option index	Field keeps static fallback or stays blank
Date	YYYY-MM-DD, or ISO / YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm (time used when the field shows time)	Field keeps static fallback or stays blank
Multi-select / People	Comma-separated option labels or values (emails for People)	Unmatched tokens skipped
Relation (Page Selector)	Comma-separated related record ids	Invalid ids skipped

Priority If the URL contains the mapped parameter → that value wins on first load. If the parameter is omitted → static default (if any) is used. After load, user edits are not overwritten.

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Step 3 — Copy the form link from Behaviour

With the Create Form screen selected (not a single field):

1. Scroll the right panel to the Behaviour section.

2. Click Copy form link.

3. Paste the link somewhere temporary (notes, browser address bar).

The copied link uses your published app origin, the screen-name slug, and empty placeholders for every mapped parameter — ready for you to fill in.

Copy form link button on Create Form Behaviour settings

Example shape after copying (parameters empty until you fill them):

https://your-app.notionapps.com/submit-service-request?name=&impact=&priority=

Fill in values:

https://your-app.notionapps.com/submit-service-request?name=Alvin&impact=Major&priority=High

Publish required Mappings are saved with the app. End users only see them after you Publish. Builder preview alone is not enough for shareable Path B links.

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Step 4 — Publish and test in the live app

1. Click Publish in the builder top bar.

2. Open the filled link in a private/incognito window (or a different browser).

3. Sign in if the app is private.

4. Confirm the Create Form opens with the expected fields filled.

Published app: Create Form opened from the URL with fields prefilled

In this example:

• Request summary → Alvin

• Impact → Major

• Priority → High

• Other fields stay empty (or use their static defaults) because they were not in the URL

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URL reference

Path (open the form)

Style	Example	When to use
Screen-name slug	/submit-service-request?...	Default; friendly shareable links
Explicit form id	/?form=<screenId>&... or /anything?form=<screenId>&...	Two Create Forms would collide on the same slug

Query parameters (prefill)

Only parameters you mapped in the builder are applied. These reserved keys are never used as field values:

• form

• screenId

• recordId

• title, showTitle, selectionMode

• Live-demo auth keys (live_demo_email, live_demo_code)

• Other navigation keys (primary, referenceAutoLinkInfo)

Disambiguate with form=

If slug matching is ambiguous or you prefer IDs:

https://your-app.notionapps.com/?form=64f1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b9c0d1&name=Alvin&impact=Major

You can also pass the slug in form when it uniquely matches:

https://your-app.notionapps.com/?form=submit-service-request&name=Alvin

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End-to-end example (makers)

Goal: Email a vendor a link that opens “Submit Service Request” with summary and impact already set.

1. Open the Submit Service Request Create Form.

2. Map Request summary → URL parameter name.

3. Map Impact → URL parameter impact.

4. Click Copy form link, then fill values:

https://acme.notionapps.com/submit-service-request?name=HVAC%20inspection&impact=Major

1. Publish.

2. Send the link. Recipients land on the Add form with those fields filled; they complete the rest and submit.

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Checklist

• Fields use From URL parameter with clear param names

• Optional static fallbacks set where useful

• Disable Changes set only when the value must stay locked

• Create Form screen name is unique (or you use ?form=)

• App is Published after mapping

• Tested on desktop and mobile published shells

• Invalid select/toggle/number values fall back safely (spot-check once)

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Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	What to do
Link opens the app but not the form	Slug does not match any Create Form, or collision	Check screen name slug; use ?form=<screenId>
Form opens but fields are empty	Mapping not published, wrong param names, or reserved key used	Re-check param names; publish again; avoid reserved keys
Select stays blank	Label in URL does not match an option	Use the exact option label (case-insensitive) or a valid index
Private app shows login first	Expected	User signs in, then the same URL should open and prefill
Update Form / list not affected	Out of scope for this release	Use Create Form only

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Related notes for makers

• Prefill counts like a normal user input for visibility / personalization rules that depend on user input.

• Works on desktop and mobile published apps.

• No custom code is required; do not paste query parsing into Custom JavaScript for this use case.

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Related

• Organize Create Forms with Sections and an Optional Stepper

• 20 Jul 2026 Release

Annotated builder screenshots

Annotated builder screenshot: Create Form builder

Annotated builder screenshot: Logic / fields

Annotated builder screenshot: Behaviour

Complete Builder Options Reference

These options live on Form (Add Item). Full screen inventory: Form (Add Item).

URL Prefill mapping (field Behaviour / field inspector)

Prefill from URL / Parameter name

What it does: Maps a query parameter to this field when the Create Form opens via link. How to use it: Open the field → set a short parameter name (for example priority). Publish, then share ?priority=High. Why / recommended default: Use stable lowercase names. Prefer ?form=<screenId> when two forms share a slug.

Supported field types

What it does: Limits which fields accept URL values (text, long text, number, toggle, single-select, date, multi-select/people, relation). How to use it: Only map supported types; unsupported fields ignore the param. Why / recommended default: Keep mappings to fields users are allowed to edit.

Related Create Form options

Public access

What it does: Lets guests open the form without signing in. How to use it: Enable when the prefilled link is for public intake. Why / recommended default: Off unless guests must submit.

Success Message / Actions

What it does: Controls post-submit UX. How to use it: Keep success copy short; add redirect Actions only when the next screen is intentional. Why / recommended default: Simple success message; avoid surprising redirects on public forms.