How to Capture Partial Survey Submissions as Contacts in Sparkforge

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Sparkforge surveys can create a contact record as soon as a respondent finishes the first slide and clicks Next, capturing lead data even when the survey is abandoned partway through.

By default, a survey only creates a contact when the respondent completes the whole thing. Partial completion changes that: the contact is saved as soon as the first slide containing identity fields is submitted, so abandoned surveys still produce leads.

How partial completion works

Progressive capture. Each slide writes to the contact record as it's completed.
Slide logic compatible. If a respondent skips ahead based on conditional logic, contact creation still fires (with some logic-path limitations).
First-slide trigger. The contact is created when the respondent finishes the slide containing identity fields and clicks Next.

Enable partial submission

Open the survey builder. Sites → Survey → Builder → Add Survey, or open an existing survey.
Open Options. In the builder, expand the Options panel.
Toggle the setting. Turn on Create Contact on Partial Submission.
Put identity fields on slide one. The contact record needs at least name, email, or phone to be created. Move those fields to the first slide.

Once enabled, the respondent fills out slide one, clicks Next, and the contact is created in Sparkforge before the rest of the survey is finished.

What this is good for

Long surveys, qualification flows, and lead-magnet questionnaires all benefit. You stop losing leads who quit halfway, and you can trigger follow-up sequences based on the partial data instead of waiting for completion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the minimum data needed to create a contact from a partial survey?

At least one identity field — name, email, or phone — must be on the first slide so Sparkforge has something to create the contact record with.

Does partial completion work with slide logic?

Yes, with limitations. Contact creation still fires when respondents skip slides based on conditional logic, though some complex paths may behave differently.

What happens if the respondent finishes the survey after starting?

The contact record is updated with the additional answers. You don't end up with duplicate contacts.

Where do I enable this setting?

In the survey builder, open Options and toggle on Create Contact on Partial Submission.

Can I run automations off partial submissions?

Yes. Once the contact is created, any automation triggered on contact creation or survey-field updates can fire — even if the respondent never finishes.