Testimonials and Surveys Usecase for Custom Objects

About the Testimonials Custom Objects Use Case

Applies to: ONTRAPORT Pro and above.

This use case shows how to set up a testimonials Custom Object. It's perfect if you want to to collect testimonials or reviews of your services or products. This can be used similarly for other one-to-many relationships, including Surveys or Multiple Appointment Custom Objects.

Why use Custom Objects for this when you can add custom fields to the existing Contact Records for this information? Custom fields would allow only one testimonial, with any new submissions overwriting the prior information. With Custom Objects, each submission will create a new record, and your contacts will be able to submit multiple testimonials. Sending recurring surveys with a Custom Object enables you to measure how the contacts are feeling throughout the client lifecycle. Using a Custom Object maintains the historical record, as each submission creates it's own record in your database.

In this use case we are creating a one-to-many relationship. One contact can submit many testimonials. You can use this use case for similar one-to-many relationships by adapting the steps below and entering your own naming conventions.

Testimonials Relationship:

• One-to-many with Contacts
• Testimonials Object as Child

Create the Testimonials Object

Create the Testimonials Object

1. Navigate to Profile Icon > Administration > Data Tab > Custom Objects
   
   
2. Click the + New Object button.
   
   
3. In the name new object field, type the new object name such as “Testimonials” and add in the same word in the Singular field. Subsequent fields will populate. Ensure that the names are correct.
   
   
4. Click the Next button in the upper right corner.

Add or Create Fields in the New Object

1. The Field Editor is the next screen you will see for the new object. In the Field Editor, click on the + ADD NEW SECTION button
   
   
2. Click on where it says “UNTITLED” and rename the section to “TESTIMONIAL DETAILS”. The section name will appear once complete.
3. Click the + Add Field link to create fields for the object. You can always return to the object's field editor to add more fields in the future.
   
   
4. The fields we added include:
   • Client or Employee Testimonial (dropdown with the two choices)
   • Client Name (short text)
   • Testimonial Content (long text)
   • Who the Testimonial is for (short text)

In this use case we collect both client and employee testimonials so our team members can acknowledge each other. The fields we added to the Custom Object reflect that design choice.

This step allows you to add whatever fields you'd like in the Object. You might want to add a "Product Rating" dropdown field with values from 1 to 5, or a checkbox field named "Permission to Use Name on Website". All of these fields can be presented on a Smart Form for your contacts to complete.

Click the Next button in the upper right hand corner to proceed.

Create the Relationship

This is where you relate the Testimonial object back to Contacts. This step allows ONTRAPORT to keep track of which contacts submitted Testimonials. Keep in mind that the “What should we call this relationship” fields are going to be what the Relational Fields are named in the records.

1. Click on + New Relationship
2. Create the Relationship between Contacts and Testimonials by selecting Contacts from the Testimonial is related to dropdown menu. Select the relationship type as one to many in the second dropdown menu. Setup the remaining items like this:
   
   

Here's what each of those questions means:

Testimonial is related to: Indicates what object the new object related to. In this case, Contacts.

Relationship Type: There can be multiple testimonials submitted by one Contact. Thus, one to many.

This Testimonial is: Testimonial is the "many" side of the one-to-many relationship. Thus, it is a Child of the Contacts (e.g. the 'one' side) object.

Where should we put the other object in the Testimonial's record? Asks what tab should the new Object information (a.k.a. mini collection) live.

Where should we put the Testimonial in the other object's record? Asks what tab should the relational field live in the contact object.

What should we call this relationship in the Testimonial record? Asks what the header will appear as in the Testimonial record.

What should we call this relationship in the Contact record? Asks what the header will appear as in the Contact record.

Configure the Object Settings

1. Create the settings for how you would like the object to display when you click on the object record. For reference, Contacts display as “[First Name] [Last Name] ([Email])” but in this case you are able to choose how the label will show.
2. You can use the “Insert Merge Field” tool to insert merge fields. We suggest setting it up something like this:
   
   
   
   If you used the above information, when clicking on a testimonial object record, the dropdown field settings created above would appear like this.
   
   
3. In the Navigation settings panel, add the Testimonials object to the Navigation Menu. Select the icon and color associated with the object. Use the up/down arrows to move the location of the object into the desired location.
   
   

Create a Testimonial Form

This section covers how we gather testimonials from our team members. If you want to gather testimonials from your customers, your custom fields might be slightly different but the concept is the same.

1. Navigate to Testimonials > Forms
2. Click the + New Form button
3. Select an ONTRAform or Smart Form and press + Create New button. The example below uses an ONTRAform.
   
   
4. If a Smart Form block does not already exist on your ONTRAform, click + Add Block and select it from the Palette menu. If the Smart Form block already exists, skip to step 5.
   
   
5. Click on the Smart Form Block from the Palette or by clicking Edit in the Smart Form block from the Canvas. If the block has multiple elements (e.g. text, form), you may need to click once more on the Form element.
   
   
6. Click the +Add button to add fields to the form. Some horizontal forms have a maximum of 3 - 5 fields; choose another design to include more fields.
   
   Add the fields for the Testimonial such as Client or Employee?, Testimonial Content, Testimonial For? and Client Name.
   
   
7. Add the Related Object field for Testimonials >> Email. Adding this field relates the submission back to a Contact Record, so we can keep track of who submitted each Testimonial.
   
   
8. Publish the form and place it on your website. For specific instructions, see this page for more details. To learn how to place your ONTRAform on an ONTRApage, you'll want to use a custom HTML block in ONTRApages. See this article for more details.
9. Test the form by filling it out.
10. Once the form is submitted, the Testimonials will look like this in the Contact Record.
    
    
    
    Clicking on any item in the Testimonial record will direct you to the Testimonial object record. Click the plus symbol to add other columns from the testimonial object. As with Contacts, long text fields are unable to be added to list views.

Articles in this section

• Introduction to Custom Objects
• Events Usecase for Custom Objects
• Testimonials and Surveys Usecase for Custom Objects
• Accounts and Opportunities Usecase for Custom Objects