How to add hidden fields in Google Forms?

"There is one question that I don't want them to see."- Google Docs Editors Community

You send each person a prefilled link, and one answer is for you: a customer ID, where they came from, the branch that sent them. They shouldn't see it or change it, and 162 people on Google's forum have asked how to hide it. Every question in Google Forms is shown, and moving it to a page they skip didn't work for the person who asked. With Formfacade, you set any question's Appearance to Hidden. It isn't on the form, and its value is still recorded with the response.

Below are two ways to hide a field in Google Forms, and where each one falls short.

2 ways to hide a field in Google Forms

1. Put the question in a section people skip

Add a section for the question, set the section before it to submit the form so people never reach it, and prefill the question's value in the link.
Where it falls short: People on Google's forum who tried it report that it didn't work for them: the value wasn't recorded, or the question still showed. The value is also in the link, where anyone can read it.

2. Formfacade: set the Appearance to Hidden

Any question type can be hidden. It isn't on the form, and its value is recorded with the response.

How to hide a field?

  • Click Create your form, name your form, click Create form and click Proceed.
  • In the Prefill & email dialog that asks "Do you want to prefill this form and send them as email to your contacts?", click No.
The Prefill and email dialog asking Do you want to prefill this form and send them as email to your contacts?, with No marked
  • On the Edit tab, click the field, then the gear icon
  • Click Answer, change the Appearance to Hidden and click Save
The Answer tab of a field, with Answer, Appearance set to Hidden and Save marked

How to create a link with the value?

  • Click the Share tab
The tabs Edit, Preview, Share and Responses, with Share marked
  • Under More options, click Create prefill links
The More options panel on the Share page, with Create prefill links marked
  • Click + Create new prefill
The Prefill links page saying No prefilled links yet, with + Create new prefill marked
  • Enter a unique name for the link
  • Enter the value for the hidden field
  • Click Create prefill link
The Create prefill link dialog with renewal-0417 under Link name, and Maria Lopez, maria@example.com and C-20417 filled in on the Policy renewal form, with Link name and Create prefill link marked
When your customer opens the link, the field isn't on the form. Its value is recorded with the response.
Hidden keeps a value off the form, not out of the page, so don't use it for anything private. For patient details, use a HIPAA form.

Summary

Google Forms shows every question, so a value meant only for you, such as an ID or a source, is one people can see and change. With Formfacade, you set the question's Appearance to Hidden and its value is recorded with the response without showing on the form. Create your form and complete the steps above. If you have any questions, write to support.

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