Applications let potential buyers apply for animals through a form you create and share via a public link. When someone submits an application, BreederPro automatically creates a contact record for them.

How It Works

Create a form for one of your breeding programs with the fields you want (name, email, experience questions, etc.)
Activate it -- new forms start Inactive so nobody can open a half-built form. Once it has its questions, click Activate in the form builder (or switch it on in the forms list)
Generate a public link -- share it on your website, social media, or directly with interested buyers
Review submissions as they come in and update their status

Application Forms

Each form is tied to a specific breeding program. You can have multiple forms per program (for example, one for your general waitlist and one for a specific litter).

Form Fields

Forms include system fields that automatically map to contact information:

First Name (required)
Last Name (required)
Email (required)
Phone (optional)
Address (optional)

Applicants see an inline message under any required field they skipped, and under an Email that isn't a valid address.

Every question needs a label: it's the text applicants see above the answer box. The builder won't save a question with a blank label and highlights the ones that need one. (Section headings and info text don't need one.)

Active and Inactive

A new form is Inactive: its public links show "Form Not Found" until you activate it. The builder shows an Activate button while the form is inactive (if you have unsaved changes it saves them first), and a Deactivate button once it's live. You can also switch a form on or off from the forms list. A form needs at least one question before it can be activated.

You can also add custom fields with these types:

Text -- Short text input
Textarea -- Longer free-form text
Number -- Numeric input
Checkbox -- Yes/no toggle
Radio -- Single choice from options
Select -- Dropdown selection
Yes/No -- Simple yes or no

Public Links

Each form can have one or more public links (tokens). Links come in two modes:

General -- Always-open link for your program waitlist
Litter-specific -- Tied to a specific litter, lets applicants select a preferred animal

Links can optionally have an expiration date. You can revoke a link at any time without affecting already-submitted applications.

Application Statuses

Submitted -- New application, not yet reviewed
Reviewing -- You're actively considering this applicant
Approved -- Applicant accepted (ready to send a contract)
Waitlisted -- On the waitlist for a future opening
Declined -- Application not accepted

Contact Auto-Creation

When someone submits an application, BreederPro checks if a contact with that email already exists in your account. If so, the application is linked to the existing contact. If not, a new contact is created from the system fields (name, email, phone) and the application is linked to it.

If the form doesn't collect a first name, last name and email, no contact is created at submission. Approving or waitlisting the application creates (or finds, by email) the contact and links it then.

The application page shows the linked contact under Contact; click the name to open it. The contact's page lists everything connected to that person: their Applications, Waitlist entries, Contracts and Invoices, each linking to the full record.

Reviewing Answers

Each answer is shown under the question it belongs to, in the order the form asks them. If you edit a form after someone has applied, renamed questions show their new wording. Answers to questions you've since removed still appear at the end, under the question's internal id (such as f7) with a note that the question was removed from the form.

Approving and the Waitlist

When you move an application to Approved or Waitlisted, a dialog shows a preview of the exact email the applicant will get and lets you choose whether to send it and, if your plan includes the waitlist, whether to Add to the [program] waitlist. The waitlist box is ticked by default for Waitlisted and unticked for Approved. If the applicant is already on that program's waitlist, nothing changes and the page tells you so. After you confirm, a notification says whether the email went out and to which address.

Email Notifications

New application alert (to you) -- when someone submits an application, you receive an email with the applicant's name, email, and a link to review the submission.
Approved or waitlisted (to the applicant) -- when you move an application to Approved or Waitlisted, the applicant gets a short status email. An Email the applicant checkbox is ticked by default; untick it to change the status without sending anything (for example, when you've already called them).
Declined -- declining never emails the applicant. It's a private status for your own records. If you want to let the applicant know, you can send a closing note (see below).

Handling Declines Kindly

Telling someone "no" is often the hardest part of reviewing applications, and a decline email that explains too much tends to start a back-and-forth. BreederPro keeps declines quiet by default and gives you one gentle, final message you can choose to send.

Send a closing note

Open a declined application and click Send closing note. You'll see the exact email before it goes out. The default note says:

Hi Jane,

Thank you so much for applying to Lake View Coons. We've given every application careful thought, and we won't be moving forward with yours at this time.

We wish you all the very best in finding your new companion.

Warm wishes, Lake View Coons

It doesn't give a reason, doesn't ask the applicant to get in touch, and comes from BreederPro's no-reply address. You can add one sentence of your own, such as "It was lovely to meet you at the spring show." A closing note can be sent once per application, and the application shows Closing note sent with the date afterwards.

Write your own note

To change the wording for a program, open the program, go to Advanced, and edit Application closing note. Use {program} where the program name should appear. The greeting and sign-off are added for you. Reset to default brings back the standard text.

Close out a litter

When a litter is fully placed, click Close remaining on the Applications page. Pick the program (and optionally the litter), then choose whether to send the closing note to everyone, or to no one. Every application still marked Submitted or Reviewing is moved to Declined. Approved and Waitlisted applications are left alone.

Tips

If you'd rather say no in your own words, decline the application and write to them yourself. BreederPro won't send anything on top of your message.
Keep your reasons in Breeder Notes. They're private and never shown to the applicant.

Breeder Notes

Each application has a private notes field visible only to you -- use it to track your evaluation, interview notes, or follow-up reminders.