Why Jotform prefilled data sometimes fails?

Hi

I use Jotform's prepopulate tool on most of my forms. The links are used in iframes on our website. Most of the time it works great but from time to time it doesn't prefill the data (the field is left blank) so the response gets missed. Any ideas why this might happen? 

Here is an example of an embedded form:

https://www.examiner.com.au/story/5034590/got-a-story-to-tell-were-all-ears/?cs=6053

This is the URL of the form:

https://form.jotform.co/72049046717862?masthead=The%20Examiner

I have one user who always has problems but others seem random. Members of the public are sending us the information so it is hard to track what is going on.

The prepoluate tool has been fantastic thank you. We get thousands of submissions a month through our various forms. I am about to increase their use so need to work on a fix for the ones that don't work.

Thanks

Are you embedding the form like this?

(This screenshot is just a sample)

Perhaps the form is not fully loaded when they open the webpage? I'm not sure why, but the prefill URL is correct and it should populate the field.

You can try embedding the form using the stripped iframe embed code, get the iFrame embed of your form and replicate my screenshot above.

Guide: Getting-the-Form-iFrame-Code

Our website requires far less coding for iframes. This is what I use:

<iframe src="https://form.jotform.co/81267504917865?masthead=Ballarat%20Courier" height="1200px"></iframe>

Our system won't let us add much more coding. Height, width, that is it. But is there a line in your code above that might help? I could try adding that line.

It works 98% of the time, just those odd ones slip through. 

Yes, please try the stripped iFrame embed code.

Here's the embed code of your form with prefill URL.

    <iframe
      id="JotFormIFrame-72049046717862"
      title="What is your story?"
      onDISABLEDload="window.parent.scrollTo(0,0)"
      allowtransparency="true"
      allowfullscreen="true"
      allow="geolocation; microphone; camera"
      src="https://form.jotform.co/72049046717862?masthead=The%20Examiner"
      frameborder="0"
      style="width: 1px;
      min-width: 100%;
      height:1200px;
      border:none;"
      scrolling="no"
    >
    </iframe>

Please try this and let us know if the issue you mentioned occurs again.

None of that coding works with our iframe element. 

What about script embed code? Does it work for you?

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://form.jotform.co/jsform/72049046717862?masthead=The%20Examiner"></script>

Can you please try it as well? If this embed code does not work, you can use the embed code you are using and let us know if the issue you mentioned is still occurring.

Since the Masthead field is hidden, please go to your form SETTINGS and set the "Clear Hidden Field Values" to Don't Clear.

Perhaps, that's the reason why the field is sometimes empty because it is being cleared upon submitting the form.

Thanks I will try that. 

Also with the prepopulate tool I have been selecting "secure" to get the link. What does that do?

The secure link is another domain for jotform so it's okay if you use the default form URL or the secure URL. If you notice and if you load the form using https://secure.jotform.com/formID it will also work.