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Plan a short contact form with Tally #
This original example is for a small design studio. It asks only what the team needs to respond: who is writing, where to reply, what the request concerns, and the message itself. Follow Tally's editor instructions and input-block reference for the controls below.
Don't ask for a phone number, budget, or attachment unless the first response actually needs it. A shorter form is easier to maintain and gives the recipient less information to sort through before replying.
1. Start a blank form and write the introduction #
Create a blank form in Tally. Enter Contact the studio as its title and add a short description: Tell us what you need help with and where we can reply.
The editor works like a text document. Use the + control or type / to open the block list. You should see the title and description followed by space for the first question.
The example makes no promise about response time. Add a reply-time statement only if the team can meet it and someone owns the incoming queue.
2. Add the name and email fields #
Type /short and choose Short answer for Your name. Add Email with /email, then label it Your email.
Open each block's settings through the :: control, shown as a handle beside the question, and mark the required fields required. Tally's help also depicts that handle as a ⋮⋮ icon.
The email block matters because it validates the type of answer expected. A generic short-answer field can accept text that doesn't work as a reply address. At this stage the form should show one name field and one email field with their required indicators.
3. Add the request type and message #
Insert Multiple choice using /multiple. Label it What is this about? and add New project, Existing project, and Something else as the options.
Insert Long answer with /long and label it How can we help?. Make the message required. Keep the request-type options short enough to distinguish the destination without asking visitors to understand your internal departments.
The sample now has four fields. Someone receiving the response should be able to identify the person, reply address, category, and message without opening another system.
4. Add bot protection near submission #
Use the + block list or type / and choose the reCAPTCHA block. Tally's official pages show /recaptcha and /bot as entry commands. Place the block immediately above the submission button.
The reCAPTCHA instructions describe the free reCAPTCHA v2 option. On a multi-page form, placing it at the beginning can let validation expire before the visitor reaches the end. Keep it close to submission.
Bot protection reduces unwanted submissions; it doesn't make every incoming message genuine. The owner still needs to read inquiries before following links or opening files.
5. Publish and copy the hosted link #
Select Publish, then open Share. Copy the form's hosted link. This is the simplest version to place on a website while the form's owner-notification workflow is being set up.
For an embedded version, the Share tab offers Standard, Popup, and Full page. Choose the intended option, then use Get the code or Copy embed link as appropriate for your website editor.
Keep the hosted link in the maintenance notes even if the website uses an embed. It gives the owner a direct route to the form when investigating a page-specific problem.
6. Enable notifications to the owner #
Open form settings and its Email notifications section, then enable Self email notifications. The default To address is the form creator's account email. Set or add the owner/team recipients who should receive completed inquiries.
The self-notification help explains that these are owner alerts. Keep the default answers body for the first setup so the recipient receives the fields together. Custom notification styling and sender options can require Pro.
This setting is separate from Respondent email notifications, which sends a message to the person who submitted the form and is a paid feature. Don't put the respondent email field into the owner-alert To setting.
7. Choose where the team will handle answers #
The form dashboard holds submissions. If the team already handles inquiries elsewhere, open Integrations and choose the documented destination, such as Google Sheets, Notion, or Airtable.
For this studio example, a spreadsheet can hold the incoming fields plus the team's follow-up status. Decide who owns each response and where a finished inquiry is marked complete. Keep the form's questions stable after connecting them so field-name changes don't create confusion in the destination.
The desired outcome is one obvious place for the team to review and respond, with the email alert prompting that review.
Known problems and fixes #
Responses arrive but owner emails stop
A July 2025 Tally discussion described this problem, and Tally's status incident documented an email-provider outage. For an individual account, check the notification toggle, To address, and spam folder. The official help also explains that a previously bounced address can need removal from a suppression list by support.
The form receives spam
A Tally feedback request asks for a separate place to review likely spam. Add the documented CAPTCHA block near submission and review incoming messages. Use duplicate-prevention settings only when their identifier matches the form's purpose; a person may legitimately need to send a second inquiry.
An embed doesn't show your own duplicate-response screen
An iframe feedback report describes the parent page not receiving a duplicate-rejection message. Use the hosted form link when that response display matters and you don't want a custom integration. Don't assume the parent site's success screen can detect every iframe state.
Troubleshooting #
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Owner email is missing | Toggle, address, spam, or suppression | Review Self email notifications and mailbox; contact support if suppressed |
| Reply address accepts arbitrary text | Generic answer field used | Use the Email block |
| CAPTCHA asks again on a long form | Validation expired early | Move it near Submit |
| Embedded form is hard to use | Wrong embed mode or page layout | Try Standard or the direct hosted link |
| A file won't upload | Free per-file allowance exceeded | Accept a smaller file or compare Pro |
| Team overlooks inquiries | No assigned owner/destination | Choose one review queue and responsibility |
Variations #
Add a screenshot field
Use File upload with /file, set allowed file types in block settings, and explain the maximum size beside it. Free allows 10 MB per file. Make the attachment optional unless the inquiry genuinely can't be handled without it.
Split a longer inquiry into pages
Insert a page break with /page. Group related questions together and keep CAPTCHA near the final submission. A basic contact form usually doesn't need multiple pages, so add them only when the questions justify the extra step.
Send a respondent confirmation
Respondent email notifications are a Pro feature. In that separate notification's To field, use @ to choose the form's email input. Keep the confirmation factual and set a Reply to address the team monitors.
Completion checklist #
- The four fields have clear labels and the intended required settings.
- The reply address uses an Email block.
- CAPTCHA sits near submission.
- The published hosted link is saved.
- Self email notifications go to the owner/team address.
- The team has one place and one process for handling completed inquiries.
Next steps #
Compare Tally vs Google Forms and the free form-builder shortlist. The Tally page, Tally alternatives, and Fillout page cover other form workflows.
