Link Sharing

Clappia offers multiple ways to give people access to your apps. If you want to collect data from users without asking them to sign up or log in, the Link Sharing option is the simplest method.

Whether you're collecting event registrations, feedback, or external survey responses, Link Sharing allows you to create a public web link that anyone can use to open and submit the app.

How to Enable Link Sharing

To enable Link Sharing for your app:

1. Click on your desired app from your workplace to be shared.
   
2. Go to the Design App section.

3. Click on the Distribute tab.
   
4. Click on Link Sharing. On the right-hand panel, enable the Link Sharing toggle.

5. Copy the URL generated, you can now share this link with anyone to let them access your app.
   

Anyone with this link can open the app in their browser and submit data, even if they don’t have a Clappia account.

What the End User Sees

When someone opens a link-shared app, they’ll see a simplified version of the app with just the App Home tab. They can:

• View the app fields and enter information
  
• Submit the form
  
• Submit multiple entries by clicking Submit Another

However, they will not be able to:

• View their past submissions
  
• Edit any data after submitting
  
• Access other app tabs like Submissions or Reports
  

This makes Link Sharing a one-way flow and is suitable when you just need to collect data without ongoing user interaction.

Important Notes About Link Sharing

Each of the points below should be understood before you decide to use Link Sharing in your app:

Offline Mode is Not Supported

Apps accessed through link sharing require an internet connection to open and use.
They do not work in offline mode, even if the user is on a mobile device.
Offline access is only supported through the Clappia mobile app, which cannot be used with link sharing (explained further below).

Users Cannot View or Edit Submissions

Since link-shared users don’t have Clappia accounts, they don’t have access to the Submissions tab. This means:

• They cannot see what they submitted earlier
  
• They cannot change or correct their submissions later
  
• Status updates made internally by admins cannot be seen or interacted with by the user
  

If a submission needs to be corrected, the user would need to fill and submit the form again.

Submissions Are Anonymous (Unless You Ask for Details)

Clappia does not automatically track who submitted a form through link sharing.
If you need details like name, phone number, or email, you must include those as fields inside your app.
Even then, the system will only capture what the user enters, there is no account-level tracking unless they’re signed in Clappia users.

GPS Location is Fixed (Without Full API Integration)

You can include a GPS Location field in link-shared apps, and it will capture the user's current coordinates.
However, advanced options such as:

• Allowing users to change the map pin
  
• Drag-to-set location
  
• Using geofencing rules
  

...do not work by default in link sharing.

To enable full location control, you need to provide your own Google Maps API key under Third-Party Integrations in the app’s Configuration tab.

Click here to learn how to set up your own API key.

Clappia Mobile App Cannot Be Used

Users accessing an app via link sharing cannot use the Clappia mobile app.

The mobile app only works for users who are:

• Logged in to Clappia
  
• Given explicit access to the app

As a result, link-shared users must access the app using a browser. This is also why Live Tracking and Offline Mode are unavailable when using link sharing.

Limited Interaction with Workflows

Clappia workflows can still be triggered through link-shared apps, for example:

• Sending confirmation emails
  
• Sending alerts to admins
  
• Triggering logic when submissions are made
  

However, users cannot interact with workflows that require logging in.
For instance, if your app uses statuses, users will not be able to:

• See the current status of their submission
  
• Approve or reject submissions
  
• Perform any actions from the Submissions tab
  

They can still receive emails if they’ve entered their email ID in a form field but they cannot access the submission itself to take further action.

When to Use Link Sharing

Use link sharing when you:

• Want to collect data from the public or unregistered users
  
• Don’t require users to see or edit submissions
  
• Don’t need to assign workflows, statuses, or offline access
  

Common use cases include:

• Feedback forms
  
• Event registrations
  
• External surveys
  
• Referral or inquiry forms
  

When Not to Use Link Sharing

Avoid link sharing if you:

• Need users to track, approve, or edit submissions
  
• Want to enforce role-based access
  
• Need offline submissions or live tracking
  
• Rely on workflows that involve back-and-forth actions with the user
  

In such cases, you should use the User Access option instead, where users are added to your workplace and given permission to use the app through the Clappia platform.