How to Reset Forminator Form Submission IDs and Manage Sequential Numbering

Many users of the Forminator Forms plugin encounter a common scenario: after testing forms or clearing out old entries, they want to reset the submission counter to start from 1 or implement a custom sequential numbering system. This article explains why this happens and explores the available solutions.

The Core Issue: How Forminator Tracks Submissions

The sequential ID number assigned to each form submission (e.g., #207) is not a simple counter per form. Instead, Forminator uses a single, site-wide database table to store all entries from every form. This table, typically named wp_frmt_form_entry (where wp_ is your database prefix), uses a database AUTO_INCREMENT value to assign each new entry a unique ID. This is a standard database practice to ensure data integrity and prevent conflicts.

This is why simply deleting old submissions from the WordPress admin area does not reset the counter. The AUTO_INCREMENT value in the database remains at the last used number plus one. The next submission will therefore continue the sequence.

Common User Goals

Based on community queries, users typically want to:

1. Reset the counter after testing: Start from #1 on a live site after deleting test entries.
2. Create custom sequential references: Generate ticket numbers like 900001, 900002, or unique IDs like TAS-1052.
3. Format existing IDs: Change the display of an ID from #5 to #0005.

Available Solutions and Workarounds

1. Resetting the Submission ID Counter (Advanced)

Important Warning: Directly modifying your website's database can break your site if done incorrectly. Always create a complete backup before proceeding.

To truly reset the submission counter for all forms, you must modify the database's AUTO_INCREMENT value. This requires access to a tool like phpMyAdmin, which is often available through your web hosting control panel.

Steps:

1. Back up your database.
2. Access your database via phpMyAdmin.
3. Find the Forminator entries table (e.g., wp_frmt_form_entry).
4. Truncate or empty the table to delete all submission data. (Note: This will delete every submission for every form on your site).
5. Find the table's "Operations" tab in phpMyAdmin.
6. Locate the AUTO_INCREMENT field and change its value to 1.
7. Save the changes.

After this process, the next form submission will be assigned ID #1.

2. Implementing Custom Sequential Numbering

A frequently asked question is whether Forminator can natively create auto-incrementing custom numbers like ticket IDs. Based on analysis of support threads, the Forminator Forms team consistently states that this is not a built-in feature of the plugin, either in its free or Pro versions.

Achieving this—such as generating a number like 900001 that increments with each submission—requires custom PHP code. This code would need to:

• Calculate the next number in the sequence (often by checking the last used value).
• Store that value somewhere (e.g., in the WordPress options table).
• Use a Forminator hook to populate a hidden field with the generated number before the form is submitted or displayed.

Writing such code is a complex task that falls outside the scope of standard plugin support. Users seeking this functionality are typically advised to consult with a professional WordPress developer.

3. Formatting the Display of IDs

If your goal is not to change the underlying ID number but to simply format its display (e.g., show #0007 instead of #7), this can often be achieved by modifying the template or notification email where the ID is shown. This would involve using PHP's sprintf() or str_pad() functions to format the number. However, this also requires custom coding tailored to your specific theme or setup.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Managing Forminator's submission IDs reveals a distinction between the plugin's user-friendly interface and the underlying database structure. While resetting the counter is a technical process, it is possible with direct database access.

For tasks involving custom sequential numbering or advanced formatting, custom development is the required path. Websites like the WordPress Jobs board can be a resource for finding qualified developers who can write the necessary secure and efficient code for your project.