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Web-to-Case

A Salesforce feature that automatically creates case records from customer submissions on a web form, capturing the form field values and routing the new case to a queue or assignment rule for handling.

§ 01

Definition

A Salesforce feature that automatically creates case records from customer submissions on a web form, capturing the form field values and routing the new case to a queue or assignment rule for handling.

§ 02

In plain English

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Web-to-Case is a Salesforce feature that automatically creates case records from customer submissions on a web form. It captures the form field values and routes the new case to the right queue or agent for resolution.

§ 03

Worked example

scenario · real-world use

Silverlake Software's help center has a contact form on their public website that asks the customer for name, email, product name, and question. When a customer submits, the form fields POST through Web-to-Case to the company's Salesforce org and a new Case record is created instantly with status "New," assigned via the active assignment rule to the Tier-1 support queue. The customer receives an auto-reply email with a Case number; an agent picks up the Case from the queue within minutes. No human at Silverlake re-types the customer's submission into Salesforce, and no Cases are lost when an inbox is flooded.

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Why Web-to-Case matters

Web-to-Case is a Salesforce feature that automatically creates case records from customer submissions on a web form, capturing the form field values and routing the new case to assignment rules for appropriate handling. It's one of the simplest ways to let customers submit support requests through your website.

Web-to-Case is a standard customer intake channel that requires minimal setup: generate the HTML form in Setup, embed it on your website, and cases start flowing in. For higher-volume or more sophisticated intake, Email-to-Case and Experience Cloud self-service provide additional capabilities.

§ 05

How to set up Web-to-Case

Web-to-Case is the Service-Cloud sibling of Web-to-Lead — generates an HTML form for support requests that creates Case records in Salesforce. Same daily limits, same gotchas; pairs well with Email-to-Case for orgs with public support portals.

  1. Open Setup → Web-to-Case

    Setup → Quick Find: Web-to-Case → Web-to-Case.

  2. Tick Web-to-Case Enabled

    Plus pick a Default Case Origin and Default Response Template.

  3. Set Default Case Origin

    What origin (Web, Email, Phone) inbound cases get tagged with. Pick "Web" so reports can split web cases from email cases.

  4. Set Default Response Template

    Auto-emailed to the customer on submission. Uses Email Templates.

  5. Click Generate Web-to-Case HTML Form

    The wizard builds the HTML.

  6. Pick fields

    Subject, Description, Email at minimum. Don't ask for Status — admins set that.

  7. Set Return URL

    Where the user is redirected post-submit. Your support-thanks page.

  8. Embed and test

    Paste the HTML into your support page. Submit a test case from the live page and confirm it lands in Salesforce.

Key options
Default Case Originremember

What Origin field gets stamped (Web, Email, Phone).

Default Response Templateremember

Auto-email to the customer on case creation.

reCAPTCHA enabledremember

Block bots. Highly recommended.

Hidden orgid fieldremember

Required on the form. Don't strip.

Return URLremember

Post-submit redirect.

Gotchas
  • Web-to-Case is rate-limited at 5,000 per day per org. Higher volume requires a custom API integration or moving to Email-to-Case.
  • Validation rules apply. A required field the form doesn't ask for silently drops submissions into the Daily Case Submission Log instead of creating a case.
  • The Origin field defaults to your configured value, but if the form sends a different Origin in the hidden field, that overrides. Don't expose Origin as a user-editable field.
§ 06

How organizations use Web-to-Case

CloudNine Solutions

Uses Web-to-Case for customer support request intake from their website.

ShieldGuard Security

Routes Web-to-Case submissions through assignment rules to the right support queues.

BrightEdge Solutions

Combines Web-to-Case with assignment rules for automated case routing.

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Trust & references

Official documentation

Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Web-to-Case.

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Test your knowledge

Q1. What is Web-to-Case?

Q2. How do you set it up?

Q3. What handles routing?

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