Are you losing important customer messages because form notification emails fail to deliver?

This is a common issue on WordPress sites, especially when emails are blocked or flagged as spam.

Sometimes form emails end up in spam folders—or never leave your server due to misconfigured email settings. Saving form entries directly to your WordPress database is the most reliable way to prevent this. It ensures you never miss a lead or a support request again. It keeps all your data safe and organized inside your WordPress dashboard.

But, how to do so?

That’s precisely what this article will explore. In just a few actionable steps, you’ll be able to save contact form entries to your WordPress database. 

Let’s dive in.

What are Contact Form Entries?

Contact form entries are the data submitted by visitors through your website forms. This includes details like their name, email address, and their specific message or question.

Usually, when someone hits “submit,” that data is sent to you as an email. If that email fails to arrive, the submission is often lost permanently unless it’s stored in the database.

Without a database, there is no record of that message ever existing. This means you lose the chance to help a customer or close a new sale.

Why You Should Save Contact Form Entries in Your WordPress Database

Saving your form entries directly to your WordPress database is a smart move for any site owner. Here are the main reasons why you should store your entries:

• Lead Tracking: You can track every potential lead from their first message through the entire customer journey. This helps you see exactly which pages or forms are bringing in the most business.
• Reliable Backup: Emails can fail due to server issues or strict spam filters. A database record ensures you always have a reliable backup of every form submission.
• Easy Management: You can view, search, and organize all your submissions in one central place. You won’t have to dig through a messy email inbox to find an old request.
• Data Insights: Storing entries allows you to spot trends, such as which months are the busiest for your business. You can then use this data to plan your marketing better.

How to Save Contact Form Entries to Your WordPress Database

By default, WordPress does not store contact form submissions in the database.

This feature is actually quite rare among popular plugins. Even Contact Form 7 (CF7), one of the most widely used form plugins, does not store entries in the database by default.

To keep your data safe, you must use a dedicated plugin designed for this task. Gutena Forms is a reliable solution for saving contact form entries directly inside WordPress.

Key Features of Gutena Forms

Gutena Forms is more than just a simple contact form tool. It is a powerful builder designed to work perfectly with the WordPress block editor.

Here are the key features that make it the best choice for your website:

• Build with WP Editor: You can create forms directly inside the WordPress block editor. This means you don’t have to learn a new system to build beautiful forms.
• Entry Management: This feature saves all your submissions to your site’s database. It also gives you tools to analyze your data right from your dashboard.
• Integrations: You can connect your forms to popular email tools like Mailchimp, Active Campaign, and Brevo. 
• Advanced Filter for Entries: This system helps you find specific messages quickly. You can search through hundreds of entries in just a few seconds.
• Responsive and Mobile Friendly: Your forms will look great and work perfectly on phones, tablets, and computers.
• No jQuery Dependency: Gutena Forms avoids jQuery, keeping the plugin lightweight and performance-friendly.
• Tags Management: You can add labels or tags to your entries to keep them organized, making reporting much easier for your business.
• User Access Management: You can control who can view your form data. This helps keep your customer information private and secure.
• Google reCAPTCHA: This tool stops robots from sending you fake messages. It keeps your database clean and free from spam.

And much more! Check out the complete features list. 

3 Easy Steps to Save Contact Form Entries to Your WordPress Dashboard

Now that you see why Gutena Forms is so powerful, it is time to set it up. You can start saving your data in just a few minutes.

Follow these steps to start saving form entries in WordPress:

Step 1: Install and Activate Gutena Forms

First, you need to add the plugin to your website. This process is very fast and follows the standard WordPress way.

1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plugins and then click Add Plugin.
3. Type “Gutena Forms” into the search bar at the top right.
4. Click the Install Now button next to the plugin.
5. Once the button changes, click Activate.

Step 2: Create a Form and Paste it on a Page/Post

Once the plugin is active, it automatically enables form entry storage. Now, let’s create a form and paste it on the required post or page. Follow the steps to learn how to do so:

1. Go to the Gutena Forms tab and then Add New Form.

2. You will find yourself on the following screen; select the form variation you want to start with.

3. Edit the fields—delete or add them, change colors, add security, and you can do much more. We already have a detailed article about creating and adding a form in WordPress.

To learn more about this, check out the detailed guide below on How to Create and Add a Contact Form in WordPress: 3 Easy Steps

4. Once done, publish the form using the Publish button in the top right corner. And you are good to go.

Alternatively, if you want to add it to an existing post or page, you can do so via a Gutenberg block. Just navigate to where you want to add the form and add the “Form” block.

Next, choose the variation and start creating your form.

Regardless of the method, once you are done with the form creation, you are already done with the contact form entries. Gutena Forms automatically saves contact form entries. That takes us to the third step…

Step 3: Test Contact Form Entries

Go back to the created form.

Fill in the input boxes with the appropriate information, then click Submit.

Return to the Gutena Forms from the admin menu, and go to the Entries tab, where you can view all saved contact form entries stored in your WordPress database.

Click on the entry to reveal further necessary information. For example, our form asked for the name, last name, and email address. You can change these settings and customize fields according to your needs or interests.

You also have two quick actions: you can quickly view the entry and dispose of it in the trash with a single click. Click Quick view to see the entry.

[Optional] Step 4: Prevent Bot Entries with Google reCAPTCHA

The internet is full of automated bots that spend all day filling out forms with “spam” or fake messages. These bot submissions are more than just annoying—they can actively harm your business. Spam entries fill up your database with useless data, making it harder to find real customer messages. Even worse, bots often include dangerous links or try to find security holes in your website.

To keep your data clean and safe, you should use Google reCAPTCHA.

reCAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is a security system that tells the difference between a real human and a computer program.

Gutena Forms has a built-in integration for this tool. Turning it on ensures that only real people can submit your forms. This keeps your WordPress database organized and protects your site from unwanted spam.

Select the entire form. To do so, click any block in the form and then click Select parent block: Field Group.

The entire form will be selected. Navigate to Google reCAPTCHA from the right-hand side menu.

Enable the feature using the toggle button, then enter your site and secret key, which you can get after registering your site on reCAPTCHA’s website.

That’s it—you’ve now secured your form entries and protected your database from spam. You not only saved contact form entries to your WordPress database but also ensured no bots have access to send malicious entries through your forms.

Ready to Secure Your Lead Data with Gutena Forms?

Losing a customer message can mean losing a sale. Since WordPress does not save form entries by default, you need a reliable system in place. Using a database-driven tool like Gutena Forms ensures every lead is captured safely.

By following the steps above, you can turn your website into a powerful lead-tracking machine. It is fast, lightweight, and keeps your data organized in one spot. Stop worrying about missed emails and start managing your submissions with ease. Try Gutena Forms today and take full control of your WordPress form submissions and lead data.