Installation
SmartRoute for Gravity Forms is a WordPress plugin. Installing it takes less than 2 minutes.
2
Upload to WordPress
In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin and select the ZIP file you downloaded.
3
Activate the plugin
Click Activate Plugin. SmartRoute will appear in your WordPress admin menu.
4
Enter your license key
Go to SmartRoute → Settings → License and enter your license key to unlock all premium features.
💡 The free version of SmartRoute is also available on WordPress.org. It includes 1 form, 2 rules and 1 group.
License activation
Your license key is available in your customer account under the "Licenses" section.
How to activate
- Go to SmartRoute → Settings → License in your WordPress admin
- Paste your license key in the field
- Click Activate license
- A green confirmation message will appear if activation is successful
⚠ Each license key can only be activated on a limited number of sites depending on your plan. Single = 1 site, Unlimited = unlimited sites.
Renewing your license
Licenses are billed annually. You will receive a reminder email 7 days before expiry. You can manage your renewal from your customer account.
Requirements
- WordPress 6.0 or higher
- Gravity Forms 2.7 or higher (any license)
- PHP 7.4 or higher
SmartRoute works with any WordPress theme and is fully compatible with Elementor, Divi, and other page builders.
CSV contact file
SmartRoute uses a CSV file to map form answers to specific email recipients. This is the heart of the routing logic.
CSV format
Your CSV file must have at least one column. The column names become the variables you can use in your routing rules. Example:
region,city,email,name
North,Paris,paris@agency.com,Paris Office
South,Lyon,lyon@agency.com,Lyon Office
East,Strasbourg,stras@agency.com,Strasbourg Office
💡 The first row must be the column headers. SmartRoute will automatically detect all columns and make them available in your rules.
Uploading your CSV
1
Go to SmartRoute → Settings → CSV
Select your form from the dropdown.
2
Upload your file
Click "Upload CSV" and select your file. SmartRoute will parse it and show you the detected columns.
3
Confirm and save
Verify the column preview and click Save. Your CSV is now ready to use in your routing rules.
Routing rules
Routing rules define how SmartRoute matches a form submission to the right contact in your CSV.
How rules work
Each rule has one or more criteria. A criterion links a form field to a CSV column. When all criteria in a rule are satisfied, SmartRoute routes the notification to the matching contact.
Creating a rule
1
Go to SmartRoute → Mapping
Select your form and click "Add rule".
2
Add criteria
Select a form field, an operator (equals, contains, etc.) and a CSV column to match against.
3
Save all
Click "Save all rules" to apply your changes. Rules are applied in order — the first match wins.
💡 If no rule matches, the original Gravity Forms notification is sent as usual.
Operators
SmartRoute supports the following operators for matching criteria:
| Operator |
Description |
Example |
| equals |
Exact match (case insensitive) |
Paris = Paris |
| not equals |
Does not match |
Paris ≠ Lyon |
| contains |
Field value contains the CSV value |
"North Paris" contains "Paris" |
| contains any of |
Matches any value in a comma-separated list |
"Paris" in "Paris,Lyon,Lille" |
| starts with |
Field value starts with the CSV value |
"Paris 75" starts with "Paris" |
Rule groups
Rule groups let you organise your rules by form or by topic. Each group is evaluated independently and the first matching rule within any group is used.
💡 On the free plan, you are limited to 1 group. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited groups.
Activity log
The activity log records every routing decision made by SmartRoute. For each form submission, you can see:
- Which form was submitted
- Which rule matched (or if no rule matched)
- Which contact was notified
- The date and time of the submission
Go to SmartRoute → Activity log to view the full history.
Stats Premium
The stats dashboard gives you a visual overview of your routing activity over time.
- Total submissions routed
- Submissions per form
- Most active rules
- Routing success rate
Go to SmartRoute → Stats to access the dashboard. You can also export your stats as an Excel file.
💡 Stats are available on Premium plans only (Single and Agency).
Import / Export rules
You can export your routing rules as a JSON file and import them on another site — useful for agencies managing multiple installations.
Export
Go to SmartRoute → Mapping and click Export rules. A JSON file will be downloaded.
Import
Click Import rules and select your JSON file. The rules will be loaded into the editor — review them and click Save all to apply.
⚠ Importing rules does not automatically save them. You must click "Save all rules" to confirm.
Troubleshooting
No notification is being sent after form submission
Check that your Gravity Forms notifications are active. SmartRoute routes existing GF notifications — it does not create new ones. Also verify that at least one routing rule is configured and saved.
My routing rules don't seem to match
Check the Activity log — it shows exactly which rule was evaluated and why it matched or didn't. Common issues: case sensitivity, trailing spaces in CSV values, or mismatched field IDs.
CSV import fails or shows no columns
Make sure your CSV file uses commas as delimiters and UTF-8 encoding. The first row must contain column headers. Files with semicolons or tabs as separators are not supported.
I see "Upgrade needed" even after purchasing
Make sure your license key is activated under SmartRoute → Settings → License. If activation fails, check that your server can reach the Freemius license validation servers (api.freemius.com)
The plugin stops routing after I exceed the free plan limits
The free plan supports 1 form, 2 rules and 1 group. If you exceed these limits, SmartRoute will fall back to the default GF notification. Upgrade to Premium to remove all limits.
I need help with something not covered here
Open a support ticket from the
support page — Premium users get priority responses within 1 business day.
