Notifications, submissions, and retention

POM Forms can route different emails according to submitted values and can store entries when authorized users need a reviewable record. Configure email, storage, uploads, and retention as one data-handling decision.

Administrator notifications

Administrator routes notify the people or teams responsible for the submission.

For each route, review:

• recipient, CC, and BCC addresses;
• From name and authorized From address;
• Reply-To behavior;
• subject and message;
• whether submitted data is included;
• whether approved local uploads are attached;
• any conditions that decide when the route applies.

Use the merge-tag picker instead of typing tags from memory. A field named contact_email, for example, is available as:

{{field:contact_email}}

POM Forms also exposes contextual tags shown in the picker, including page and logged-in user information where available.

Conditional notification routes

Routes can send a submission to different recipients based on the answers.

Example: route support requests to one team and sales enquiries to another.

1. Create a choice field such as enquiry_type.
2. Create one administrator route for Support.
3. Add a condition that matches the Support option.
4. Create a second route for Sales.
5. Add a condition that matches the Sales option.
6. Choose whether the form sends the first matching route or all matching routes.
7. Test every option with real recipient mailboxes.

Make the conditions mutually exclusive when only one team should receive the message.

Submitter notifications

Client routes send a confirmation to the person who submitted the form. Choose the recipient from an Email field rather than allowing an arbitrary address.

A useful confirmation email should:

• identify the site or organization;
• confirm what was received without exposing unnecessary personal data;
• explain the next step and expected timing;
• provide a trusted contact route.

Avoid including sensitive uploads or the entire submission unless the workflow and privacy policy require it.

From and Reply-To

Mail systems are more likely to accept a message when the From address belongs to a domain authorized for the site. Use:

• From for the site's verified sender;
• Reply-To for the visitor's submitted email when the recipient should reply to them.

If messages are not delivered, check the site's outgoing mail configuration before repeatedly changing the form.

Submission storage

Site-wide defaults are under Settings → POM Theme → Forms → General. An individual form can inherit or override them from Storage/Advanced.

Enable storage when authorized users need to:

• review entries under Forms → Submissions;
• recover a submission when mail delivery fails;
• follow a managed process from the WordPress dashboard;
• keep an auditable record for an approved period.

Disable storage when email or an external destination is sufficient and retaining the data would create unnecessary risk.

Retention

Set the shortest retention period that meets the site's legitimate requirement. An empty retention value means no automatic removal, so use it only when an intentional policy covers manual review and deletion.

Retention applies to stored form data. It does not automatically remove:

• copies in recipient mailboxes;
• files sent to an external service;
• records created by a webhook;
• posts created from submissions.

Document those destinations in the site's privacy and retention process.

Upload storage and email attachments

Local upload fields can be retained with stored submissions and attached to administrator notifications when the form allows it. Review:

• the global file size and MIME-type limits;
• any stricter field-level limits;
• who can access stored submissions;
• whether attachments are actually needed in email;
• the retention period.

Google Drive uploads are remote files. Notifications can include their file information, but they are not attached as local email files.

Review submissions

1. Go to Forms → Submissions.
2. Filter or locate the form.
3. Open an entry to review its details and event history.
4. Review processing events for storage, notification, webhook, or post-creation outcomes where available.
5. Follow the site's process for responding, exporting, or deleting data.

Deleting a form preserves its stored submissions. Review entries and retention separately rather than deleting the form as a cleanup method.

Verification checklist

• [ ] Every route sends under the intended condition.
• [ ] The From address is authorized for the site.
• [ ] Reply-To resolves to the correct submitted email.
• [ ] Merge tags display readable values.
• [ ] Submitter emails do not expose unnecessary data.
• [ ] Storage matches the form's purpose.
• [ ] Retention is documented and tested.
• [ ] Upload handling covers WordPress, email, and external destinations.

Related guides

• Create your first form
• Integrations and automation
• Forms troubleshooting