Forms: view confirmation page before sending data to DB

[IdaSpode]

I have a registration/event entry form for a two day sports event. An
applicant enters the required information, hits submit, data goes to
Access DB, user is taken to a custom confirmation page where he/she
verifies the entry to be correct then hits the PayPal button. After
the PP transaction is executed, the user is returned to the site.

Everything functions correctly with the form, data goes into the DB as
designed, custom confirmation page is as I want it, PayPal works as
well as PP can, etc.

Everything under my control is just that, under control. However, what
I can't control is the intelligence level of the applicants.
Apparently, motorcycle racers are not the brightest bulbs on the tree,
lots of mistakes filling out the form(s). <G>

The way I did it last year for the same event:

At the confirmation page, if the info has errors, the applicant is
directed to hit the BACK button, correct the form, then submit it
again. Lather, rinse, repeat until all fields are correct.

Of course this creates a separate record in the DB for each "submit"
attempt. I would then have to run a "duplicate record" query and
manually deleted the erroneous ones before I could relay the data to
the guys actually running the registration process on the ground.

What I'd like to be able to do:

On the form, the "submit" button would read "verify" and upon
completion of the form would take the user to a text format
"verification" page before the form data is sent to the database. If
the entry data is indeed correct, the user then hits "submit" on the
verification page, the data is sent to the DB, user is sent to
confirmation page where they can complete the process by using the
"Pay with PayPal" link.

or:

If the entry data is indeed correct, the user then closes the
verification window, goes back to the form page, hits a button labeled
"submit, and the data goes to the DB and so on as above.

Is there a simple way to accomplish this?

David
djones <at> LSidaho (dot) com

ps: sorry for the long post, but I have all these extra words laying
around. If I don't use 'em, they'll just go to waste... <G>

 

[David Berry]

There are several ways you could do this. Here's one idea.

Have them complete the form. Click Verify (a submit button) and go to
another page that has all the data HTML formatted. On that page you would
keep the form values. If they want to change it then have a button that says
"Edit" which would take them back to the form to fill out again. Then they
verify again. Once everything is all set they'd hit a button (ex:
"Everything is Correct") which would then do your database insert and
proceed on with the rest of the steps.

You could insert the record and then if they need to fix it do an Edit on
the record instead of an insert but then you'd need to pull back the record
ID. You're better off making sure it's right before the insert.

And add some field validations in there to help with errors. Drop down
boxes also prevent mistakes (and misspellings) like for State. The less you
leave in the user's hands the better

 

[IdaSpode]

Thanks David, I've had another thing come up, I'll have to work on the
form a bit later. I'll probably be back asking for more advice.

BTW, I have added validation to most of the fields and drop down boxes
wherever possible except for State. Most of the mistakes are in the
personal info fields and even some in the drop downs.

All in all, it functioned okay last year, I just want to make it as
seamless as possible for the end user. With the exception of me, all
the event organizers are volunteers and not particularly tech savvy.

They had been doing it all by mail in apps, data entered into Excel
manually. About 500 entrants, 20 classes and age groups over two days,
off the start line every two minutes. They were glad to get some
automation...

David
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