This is How to Fix Plus Calculation Using jQuery in Contact Form 7
One of the most common use cases for contact forms on websites is collecting information that requires some form of calculation. Whether it's a quote generator, order form, or even a simple donation calculator, being able to quickly add up values entered by your users is a crucial feature.
Contact Form 7 is one of the most popular contact form plugins for WordPress, used on over 5 million websites. It comes with a built-in "plus" calculation feature that allows you to add up the values of different form fields. However, many users have reported issues with this functionality, finding it unreliable or difficult to implement.
In this article, we'll show you a step-by-step solution for fixing plus calculation using jQuery in Contact Form 7, even if you can't find a satisfactory answer online.
Understanding the Problem with Contact Form 7's Built-in Plus Calculation
The built-in plus calculation feature in Contact Form 7 works by using a special syntax in the form field names. For example, if you have three fields that need to be added up, you would name them like this:
your-field-1[add-me]
your-field-2[add-me]
your-field-3[add-me]
The [add-me]
part of the field name tells Contact Form 7 to include that field in the calculation.
However, this approach has a few drawbacks:
- Lack of Flexibility: You're limited to a single calculation, and you can't perform more complex operations like multiplication or division.
- Difficulty Targeting Specific Fields: If you have multiple calculations on the same form, it can be challenging to target the right fields for each one.
- Unreliable Functionality: Many users report issues with the built-in plus calculation, such as it not working correctly or producing unexpected results.
To overcome these limitations, we'll use jQuery to create a more robust and flexible calculation solution.
Implementing Plus Calculation Using jQuery in Contact Form 7
To get started, you'll need to have a basic understanding of jQuery and how to add custom JavaScript code to your WordPress site. If you're not comfortable with these tasks, you may want to reach out to a WordPress developer for assistance.
Here's a step-by-step guide to implementing plus calculation using jQuery in Contact Form 7:
- Enqueue the jQuery Library: First, you'll need to enqueue the jQuery library in your WordPress theme or plugin. You can do this by adding the following code to your
functions.php
file:
function my_custom_scripts() {
wp_enqueue_script( 'jquery' );
}
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'my_custom_scripts' );
- Create a Custom jQuery Script: Next, create a new file in your theme or plugin's
js
directory, and name it something like contact-form-7-calculation.js
. In this file, add the following code:
jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
// Select the form you want to add the calculation to
var form = $('form.wpcf7-form');
// Select the fields you want to add up
var field1 = $('input[name="your-field-1"]');
var field2 = $('input[name="your-field-2"]');
var field3 = $('input[name="your-field-3"]');
// Add a change event listener to the fields
field1.add(field2).add(field3).on('input', function() {
// Calculate the total
var total = parseFloat(field1.val() || 0) + parseFloat(field2.val() || 0) + parseFloat(field3.val() || 0);
// Update the result field
$('input[name="your-result-field"]').val(total.toFixed(2));
});
});
In this script, we're doing the following:
- Selecting the form we want to add the calculation to using
$('form.wpcf7-form')
.
- Selecting the input fields we want to add up using their names (
your-field-1
, your-field-2
, and your-field-3
).
- Adding a change event listener to those fields, so that whenever the user updates the values, the calculation is performed.
- Calculating the total by parsing the field values as floats and adding them together.
- Updating the value of the result field (
your-result-field
) with the calculated total.
- Enqueue the Custom jQuery Script: Finally, you'll need to enqueue the custom jQuery script you just created. You can do this by adding the following code to your
functions.php
file:
function my_custom_scripts() {
wp_enqueue_script( 'jquery' );
wp_enqueue_script( 'contact-form-7-calculation', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/js/contact-form-7-calculation.js', array( 'jquery' ), '1.0.0', true );
}
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'my_custom_scripts' );
This code will load the contact-form-7-calculation.js
script on all pages of your WordPress site, and it will depend on the jQuery library.
Putting It All Together: Using the Calculation in Contact Form 7
Now that you've set up the jQuery-based calculation, you can use it in your Contact Form 7 form. Here's how:
- Create the form fields you want to include in the calculation, and name them according to the script you wrote earlier (e.g.,
your-field-1
, your-field-2
, your-field-3
).
- Create an additional field for the result, and name it
your-result-field
.
- In the Contact Form 7 form editor, add the following shortcode to display the calculated result:
[your-result-field]
That's it! When your users start entering values into the calculation fields, the total will be automatically updated in the result field.
Real-World Example and Proof
To illustrate how this solution works in a real-world scenario, let's consider an example of a donation calculator for a non-profit organization.
Suppose the organization wants to allow donors to enter the number of hours they've volunteered and the hourly rate they'd like to use for their donation. The total donation amount should be calculated and displayed in the form.
Using the jQuery-based calculation solution we described, the form fields would look like this:
[text* hours-volunteered "Hours Volunteered"]
[text* hourly-rate "Hourly Rate"]
[text your-donation-amount "Total Donation Amount"]
The JavaScript code would then look like this:
jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
// Select the form you want to add the calculation to
var form = $('form.wpcf7-form');
// Select the fields you want to add up
var hoursVolunteered = $('input[name="hours-volunteered"]');
var hourlyRate = $('input[name="hourly-rate"]');
// Add a change event listener to the fields
hoursVolunteered.add(hourlyRate).on('input', function() {
// Calculate the total
var total = parseFloat(hoursVolunteered.val() || 0) * parseFloat(hourlyRate.val() || 0);
// Update the result field
$('input[name="your-donation-amount"]').val(total.toFixed(2));
});
});
In this example, the total donation amount is calculated by multiplying the number of hours volunteered by the hourly rate. The result is then displayed in the your-donation-amount
field.
Implementing this solution has been proven to be effective for many Flowpoint.ai customers who have used it to improve the user experience and conversion rates of their donation forms and other calculation-based contact forms. By providing a reliable and flexible calculation feature, Flowpoint.ai has helped these customers increase the accuracy and usability of their forms, leading to more successful interactions with their website visitors.
If you're facing similar challenges with Contact Form 7's built-in plus calculation, give this jQuery-based solution a try. It should help you overcome the limitations of the default functionality and provide a more robust and customizable calculation experience for your users.
For more information on how Flowpoint.ai can help you optimize the technical and user experience aspects of your website, please visit Flowpoint.ai
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