> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.hoopai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# External tracking

> Install a tracking script on external websites to capture form submissions, page views, and attribution data directly into the HoopAI Platform.

External Tracking is a simple integration tool that records user activity — such as page views and form submissions — from websites hosted externally. After placing a small tracking script on your site, data is automatically collected and matched to contact records. This ensures every lead submission is properly attributed and available for automation or follow-up actions.

Navigate to **Settings > External Tracking** to get started.

## Key benefits

* **Use existing forms** — capture leads directly from your current third-party forms without rebuilding them
* **Seamless contact sync** — each submission automatically creates or updates a contact record for immediate follow-up
* **Attribution insights** — UTM parameters and traffic source data are captured for easy campaign tracking

***

## Form compatibility requirements

Your external form must meet the following requirements before installing the tracking script:

* Uses a `<form>` tag
* Includes an email input field
* Includes a submit button
* Is not embedded within an `<iframe>`
* Does not block submission with custom JavaScript

**Minimal compatible form example:**

```html theme={null}
<form action="#" method="post">
  <input type="email" name="email" placeholder="email@example.com" required />
  <button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>
```

***

## Setting up external tracking

<Steps>
  <Step title="Copy the tracking script">
    Go to **Settings > External Tracking**. Under the **Installation** tab, click **Copy Script**.

    <Frame caption="Copy the tracking script">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hoopai-84ec0cdc/hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ/images/settings-external-tracking-copy-script.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ&q=85&s=66dcc26b286ceaa4782158fa97e130d0" alt="Copy script" width="1580" height="826" data-path="images/settings-external-tracking-copy-script.png" />
    </Frame>

    The script will resemble:

    ```html theme={null}
    <script
      src="https://link.example.com/js/external-tracking.js"
      data-tracking-id="tk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx">
    </script>
    ```

    <Note>
      Do not modify the `data-tracking-id` — it is unique to your account.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the script to your website">
    Paste the script in your website's footer, immediately before the closing `</body>` tag.

    **Custom HTML site:**

    ```html theme={null}
    <!-- Paste tracking script here -->
    <script
      src="https://link.example.com/js/external-tracking.js"
      data-tracking-id="tk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx">
    </script>
    </body>
    </html>
    ```

    **WordPress:** Go to **Appearance > Theme Settings > Footer** or use a plugin such as Insert Headers and Footers and paste it into the Footer Scripts box.

    **Wix / Squarespace / Webflow:** Navigate to **Site Settings > Custom Code > Footer Code Injection** and paste the script.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test the installation">
    Load your website and submit a test form. Then check **Settings > External Tracking** to verify the submission was captured.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Viewing submissions

After installation, go to **Forms > Submissions** to review captured data.

<Frame caption="Form submissions list">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hoopai-84ec0cdc/hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ/images/settings-external-tracking-submissions.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ&q=85&s=5a7097554ea1861cf4e29b2a97828e84" alt="Submissions" width="1602" height="471" data-path="images/settings-external-tracking-submissions.png" />
</Frame>

Use the filter `External: "Form Name"` to find submissions from your external forms.

<Frame caption="Filtering by external form">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hoopai-84ec0cdc/hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ/images/settings-external-tracking-external.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ&q=85&s=b2174f9bef66a3f59b555041f332f5ac" alt="External filter" width="1300" height="396" data-path="images/settings-external-tracking-external.png" />
</Frame>

Each captured submission includes:

* **Timeline events** — page visits and form submissions appear as timestamped events on the contact record
* **Activity details** — field data, page titles, URLs, and medium/source information
* **Tagging** — contacts can be automatically tagged with the external form name for easier segmentation

***

## Viewing analytics

Use the **External Tracking** filter in the Analytics Dashboard to monitor page views, form views, responses, and completion rates.

<Frame caption="Analytics dashboard with external tracking filter">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hoopai-84ec0cdc/hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ/images/settings-external-tracking-analytics.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ&q=85&s=9d17c2c25806b1f4241945e34819664a" alt="Analytics" width="1141" height="437" data-path="images/settings-external-tracking-analytics.png" />
</Frame>

<Note>
  The External Tracking option appears in the analytics dropdown only when the tracking script is connected.
</Note>

Apply additional filters to target a specific domain, page, or form.

<Frame caption="Filtering analytics by domain or form">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hoopai-84ec0cdc/hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ/images/settings-external-tracking-filter.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=hD-ppANqjXRzmsAJ&q=85&s=7ce2f92d3a64cc8d4e5dfc653f468c1e" alt="Analytics filter" width="570" height="441" data-path="images/settings-external-tracking-filter.png" />
</Frame>

***

## Example form with additional fields

The tracking script captures any standard named input fields. Here is an example form with full contact data:

```html theme={null}
<form name="abc">
  <label for="first_name">First Name</label>
  <input type="text" name="first_name" id="first_name" />

  <label for="last_name">Last Name</label>
  <input type="text" name="last_name" id="last_name" />

  <label for="email">Email</label>
  <input type="email" name="email" id="email" />

  <label for="phone">Phone</label>
  <input type="tel" name="phone" id="phone" />

  <label for="company_name">Company Name</label>
  <input type="text" name="company_name" id="company_name" />

  <input type="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>
```

***

## Troubleshooting

### Enable debug mode

If form submissions or tracking data are not appearing, add `data-debug="true"` to your script:

```html theme={null}
<script
  src="https://link.example.com/js/external-tracking.js"
  data-tracking-id="tk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
  data-debug="true">
</script>
```

Reload your page, open the browser console (`Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + J`), and look for logs beginning with `[LC Tracking]`, such as:

* `Tracker initialized successfully`
* `Event sent successfully: external_script_page_view`

If no logs appear, confirm the script is on the page, verify your `data-tracking-id`, and check for ad blockers or Content Security Policy (CSP) restrictions.

### Network and API checks

Open the Network tab in your browser developer tools and confirm:

* Page view requests return a 2xx success status
* No CORS errors appear
* Responses show successful acknowledgements

### Cookies and sessions

The script uses a session cookie to track users. Check under **Application > Storage > Cookies** to confirm it exists. If missing, review browser privacy settings or iframe policies.

### Common issues

| Issue              | Possible cause           | Solution                                          |
| ------------------ | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- |
| No console logs    | Debug mode not enabled   | Add `data-debug="true"` to the script             |
| CORS errors        | Endpoint restrictions    | Update CORS policy or verify domain permissions   |
| Form not tracked   | Incorrect HTML structure | Ensure a valid `<form>` tag and email input exist |
| Tracking ID errors | Invalid or missing ID    | Verify script includes correct `data-tracking-id` |
| SPA route changes  | Dynamic page loads       | Add manual route-change tracking if needed        |

***

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need to rebuild my existing forms?">
    No. External Tracking works with compatible forms already on your website. As long as your form uses a standard `<form>` tag, includes an email input, and is not inside an `<iframe>`, you can install the tracking script without any form changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How can I automate follow-ups?">
    Use the **Form Submitted** workflow trigger in Automation to send notifications, apply tags, enroll contacts in sequences, or start campaigns automatically when someone submits your tracked form.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why are UTMs missing for some contacts?">
    Attribution depends on cookies and URL parameters. Strict browser privacy settings, ad blockers, or missing UTM parameters in the source URL may limit visibility. Ensure your ad and campaign links include `utm_source`, `utm_medium`, and `utm_campaign` parameters.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which form types are supported?">
    External Tracking works with standard HTML forms and Formspree-hosted forms. Forms must use a `<form>` tag, include an email field, include a submit button, and not be embedded in an `<iframe>` or blocked by custom JavaScript.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related articles

* [Integrations](/settings/integrations)
* [Private integrations](/settings/private-integrations)
* [Ads reporting](/reporting/ads-reporting)
* [Domains & URL redirects](/settings/domains-url-redirects)