Gravity Forms File Renamer

If you receive documents through forms and files arrive as IMG_4032.jpg, this is for you

Someone uploads a scanned ID, a résumé or an invoice, and on the server it shows up as "scan(2)-final.pdf". When dozens of submissions come in, finding one person's file means opening them one by one. Gravity Forms File Renamer solves exactly that: it names each file according to a template as soon as the form is submitted.

It suits you if you already use Gravity Forms and regularly receive documents, for example in legal or HR forms. It is not for you if you don't have Gravity Forms yet, because it is an add-on that does not work on its own. Nor is it for you if you need to include the entry ID or post ID in a file in a way the plugin does not allow (the specific limits are below).

A name template built from real submission data

In the upload field, under the Perks tab, you write a template combining fixed text and merge tags. You can include the first and last name the person entered in the form, the entry ID or any other value from the submission. The result is a name that someone on your team recognizes without opening the file.

Some of the plugin's own tags:

• {filename}: returns the original name, useful for keeping it and adding text before or after (for example {filename}-reviewed).
• {dedup}: controls where in the name the number goes when two files match. The plugin already handles duplicates on its own; this tag decides where the number goes.
• {i}: numbers files according to upload order. It works best in multi-file upload fields and with names that are unique per entry, for example by including the entry ID. It is not combined with {dedup}.

Folders per submission with a simple slash

If you put a slash (/) in the template, what comes before it becomes a subfolder. With something like {entry_id}/{filename}, all the files from one submission are grouped in a folder named after the entry ID.

It also helps create SEO-optimized media filenames.

Where File Renamer works and what it plays well with

It works in Gravity Forms' File Upload, Multi-file Upload and Post Image fields. It supports any language or character set in filenames.

It integrates with other Gravity Wiz add-ons:

• File Upload Pro: renames on form submission. If you use {i}, the person can sort their files and that order sets the numbering.
• Unique ID: you insert its merge tag in the template and get sequential numbers or unique alphanumeric identifiers in the name.
• Media Library: files are renamed before they enter the media library, so they already appear there with your template's name.

For finer adjustments there is the gpfr_filename hook, which allows a global template for all forms or one limited to a specific form or field. That requires touching code, as do tweaks such as lowercasing everything or removing spaces and dashes.

Limits worth knowing before you build the workflow

• You cannot include the post ID in the name: posts are created after files are renamed.
• Files are uploaded first and renamed afterward. If files had already been uploaded before activating the plugin, Gravity Forms may have changed some names to avoid duplicates before File Renamer acts.
• Custom folder paths do not work together with the Media Library add-on.
• Renaming is not retroactive on what you already have stored.

Frequently asked questions

Does it work without Gravity Forms?

No. It is a Gravity Forms add-on and acts on its upload fields.

Can I keep the original name and just add something?

Yes. Put {filename} in the template and add the text before or after it.

What happens if two people upload a file with the same name?

The plugin handles duplicates automatically. With {dedup} you decide where the number that tells them apart appears.

Can I apply the same template to all my forms?

Yes, through the gpfr_filename hook, although it requires adding a code snippet.

Does it help organize files into folders?

Yes, by using a slash in the template, for example with the entry ID as the folder name.