Email Gate (Email Verification)

The email gate feature requires prospective families to verify their email address before they can access and fill out an application form. This prevents spam submissions and ensures you have valid contact information for every applicant.

How the Email Gate Works

When email gate is enabled on a form, the applicant experience follows these steps:

1. Email entry -- the applicant visits the form URL and sees a verification screen instead of the form itself.
2. Verification code -- the applicant enters their email address and clicks Continue. The system sends a verification code to that email.
3. Code entry -- the applicant checks their email, returns to the form, and enters the 6-digit verification code.
4. Form access -- upon successful verification, the applicant gains access to the full form and can begin filling it out.

TIP

The verified email address is automatically pre-filled in the parent email field of the form, saving the applicant from entering it again and ensuring consistency.

Enabling Email Gate

1. Open the form in the Form Builder.
2. Go to the Settings tab.
3. Find the Email Verification or Email Gate setting.
4. Toggle it on.
5. Save the form.

Applicant-Facing Screens

Step 1: Email Entry

The verification screen displays:

• A title: "Verify your email address"
• A description explaining why verification is required
• An email input field
• A Continue button

Step 2: Code Verification

After submitting their email:

• A title: "Enter verification code"
• A description mentioning which email address the code was sent to
• A code input field
• A Verify button
• A Resend Code link (in case the email was not received)
• A Use a Different Email link (to restart the process)

Session Persistence

Once an applicant verifies their email:

• The verification status is maintained for the duration of their session.
• If they navigate away and return, they may not need to re-verify (depending on session duration).
• The gate email is associated with their form progress.

Benefits of Email Gate

Benefit	Description
Spam prevention	Bots and spam submissions are blocked because they cannot verify an email.
Valid contact data	Every submission has a verified, reachable email address.
Deduplication	The verified email helps the system identify returning families and prevent duplicate submissions.
Follow-up ability	You can be confident that follow-up emails will reach the applicant.

Email Gate vs. Standard Forms

Feature	Standard Form	Email Gate Form
Immediate access	Yes	No (verification required)
Email validation	Format only	Verified via code
Spam resistance	Low	High
Local progress saving	Automatic	Tied to email session
Pre-filled parent email	No	Yes

WARNING

Enabling the email gate adds an extra step for applicants, which may slightly reduce form completion rates. Use it when data quality and spam prevention are priorities. For short enquiry forms where you want maximum submissions, consider leaving it disabled.

Resending Verification Codes

If an applicant does not receive the verification email:

1. They can click the Resend Code link on the verification screen.
2. A new code is sent to the same email address.
3. The previous code is invalidated.

TIP

Advise applicants to check their spam/junk folder if they do not see the verification email. The email is sent from your school's configured sender address.

Changing Email Address

If an applicant entered the wrong email address:

1. On the code verification screen, click Use a Different Email.
2. The system returns to the email entry screen.
3. The applicant can enter a different email address and start the verification process again.

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