Looking to create a repeater field in WordPress? This guide will show you exactly how to create a WordPress form with repeatable fields today!
Approximate read time: 5 minutes
Having a repeater field in WordPress is great for customizing your form for each visitor.
Not only do they make your form look great, but it’s also more functional. But how do you create a repeater field in WordPress for your website?
This guide will show you how to do that and more in three simple steps! Let’s get into it.
What is a repeater field in WordPress?
Repeater fields are form fields where you can add or remove an unlimited number as you need.
Typically, a user will click an Add or + button to add more fields. For example, if you were listing your pets and had more than one, you could use it like this:
You’ll see a repeater field in WordPress go by many names — repeating, repeatable, and repeater fields, to name a few.
But they all refer to the same things, so don’t worry.
Repeaters are important because they help your form in various ways:
- Increase form conversion
- Decrease form load time
- Improves data flexibility
- Saves time
- Looks better
But you may wonder how you'd use a repeater field in WordPress. Here are some of the most common examples.
Ways to use a WordPress repeater field
Event planners aren’t the only ones who can use repeater fields.
In fact, there are tons of ways you could use them on your website. Here are a few:
- Testimonials page where users can add repeater fields for different product or service reviews
- Contact page to add contact information for different teams or departments in your business.
- User-submitted news site where visitors can add as many stories as they’d like
- Job application for applicants to add additional fields for job history or education
- Pair with Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) to upgrade your field functions, create a Custom Fields repeater (ACF repeater) or nested repeater, and much more
No matter the industry, a form, and a repeater field can give your forms more power.
So, now that you know what repeaters are and why you'd use them, let’s learn how to create one for your form ?.
How to create a repeater field in WordPress
The first thing you need is Formidable Forms.
Formidable is the most advanced form builder for WordPress, and it comes with Repeater fields (and plenty of other features) in its Basic plan.
So, head to Formidable Forms, get it installed and activated, and we’ll be ready.
It’s three easy steps to create your repeater field in WordPress form:
- Create a form
- Add repeater fields
- Customize form layout (optional)
Step 1: Create a form
For our example, we’ll be creating a wedding RSVP form for our wedding planning website, Married Memories.
So, let’s start with our form. We’ll head to our WordPress dashboard, go to Formidable → Forms and click Add New in the top left.
We could start with a Blank form, but since we’re using Repeaters, we have access to 50+ templates included with Formidable’s Basic Plan, like contact forms, registration forms, and more.
And one of those happens to be a Wedding RSVP Form Template!
So, we’ll find the template, give it a name, then click Create.
The plugin will take us to its drag-and-drop form builder, which makes it super simple to get our form up and running in no time.
And, since we have the Wedding RSVP Form Template, most fields are already created.
We just want to make one change before adding our Repeaters. And that’s to ask if the guest is bringing a gift to the wedding.
So, we’ll add a Radio field and change the label to Are you bringing gifts? and the radio buttons to Yes and No. We’ll also make it a required field.
Now, let’s get to our repeater fields.
Step 2: Add repeater fields
So, we want to add two sets of repeater fields to our form.
Once for the guests (because our customers don’t mind a big party) and one for the gifts if they bring more than one.
So, first, let’s delete the Guest Name field.
Next, we’ll replace it with a Repeater field, adding a Name and Radio field. This way, we can collect guests’ names and preferred meal selections. Then, there’s a nice Add Button and Remove Button. The add row button allows you to easily add rows of data about the guest, no matter the field type.
Then, we’ll update the labels and radio field options to match the form.
Also, we want to add a repeater field to the gifts, so we’ll drag another Repeater field group beneath the Are you bringing gifts? field.
A simple description will do, so we’ll add a Text field so guests can enter the type of gift.
Now our form is ready to go. However, when we checked the Preview, it was a bit bloated. So, we’d like to simplify things for the guest.
Step 3: Customize the form’s layout (optional)
Keeping things simple is best with your online forms.
So, we want to adjust a few settings on our form so that it’s customized to the guest even more. And for this, we’ll use Conditional Logic. Another amazing feature you get with Formidable’s Basic Plan.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s an easy way to show or hide different fields based on a user’s selections, like this:
First, we’re adding Conditional Logic to both Repeaters, so the repeater field won’t show unless the guest selects Yes.
Also, we’ll add Conditional Logic to the main fields to only display if the guest decides they are coming to the wedding. Otherwise, it’ll remain blank.
All of this is easily done by selecting the field and choosing Add Conditional Logic in the field settings.
So, for our main fields, we set up the conditional logic like this:
And, for our repeater fields, it looks like this:
So, now our form has a much cleaner look based on the guest's settings, making it much easier for the guest to complete.
If the guest chooses they’re coming, the form will show more options for them.
This way, we keep things simplified unless we need more information.
And if they choose to bring a guest or gift, the repeater fields will show.
Then, guests can add as many additional guests and gifts as they want.
There are plenty more customization options within Formidable Forms, but this guide helped give you the basics.
Are you ready to get your repeater field WordPress plugin?
And there you have it.
WordPress form repeatable fields are powerful tools you can use in various ways. And we’re excited to see what you come up with.
If you use Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) and want an easy way to update your repeater fields, check out this guide on ACF repeater fields.
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Read more about repeaters!
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testmypatience says
One of my most favorite features. It was going to cost over a 1000 dollars to pay someone to build just this feature into a custom plugin for formidable forms. Then you folks got around to putting it in. Just so awesome of a forms plugin you folks have.
Jamie says
I love having it too. It's useful in so many situations!
Mike says
Do the plugin support nested repeaters?
srwells says
Hey, Thanks for your question. At this time, the plugin does not support nested repeaters. Sorry for the limitation!
Lisa Olsen says
I was using the Repeater field to group and duplicate questions with the same conditional logic but have realized that there isn't any way to remove the Add/Remove buttons. I don't want users to be prompted to enter the same data twice. Is there another way to group and duplicate form fields/questions?
Steve says
Hi Lisa, Thanks for using Formidable Forms. Unfortunately, we can't provide support like this on our blog, but if you would like to reach out to our support team, we'd be happy to assist you with this.