There’s a component from the Joomla Extension Gallery called perForms which helps you create custom forms for your Joomla powered Web sites. I’ll list below the simple steps to install perForms.

The first thing to know is that perForms is a Joomla Component, so you’ll need to download the Zip file for perForms and then use the Joomla Component Installer to get it up and running. Installing is easy:

1. fire up you admin
2. select Installers => Components
3. browse for the ZIP file (com_performs.zip)
4. select Upload File & Install

You should now see a confirmation screen letting you know the install was successful. Adding to the menu can be done for each new form you create. I don’t believe you’d need to link the actual component for anything.

*Note: there may be a bug in which the mainmenu will try and publish the component url. You can disable this error message (seen at the foot of the menu), by going to Modules => Site Modules, select perForms Module, select None in the Menu Item Link(s) menu.

*Note: there seems to be a bug in my case atleast where, if you put in the Form field under Email Form the mail does not go through.

I’m going to walk through creating a simple contact form, which includes name, email, and comment fields. Once this is walked through, creating even more complex forms with select lists, radio buttons, and checkboxes is just a logical extension of the tools.

So, to create your first simple comment form:

1. fire up your admin
2. select Components => perForms
3. select New
4. add Title
5. add text to initial screen (form page)
6. add Missing field text
7. add Thanks Text
8. select Buttons tab
9. select Yes for Include Submit Button
10. select E-Mails tab
11. select Yes for Email Form
12. add From
13. add your email to To
14. add E-mail Subject
15. select Save

Now the foundation of your form is created. What’s next is adding the input and textarea fields:

1. select Edit Items at your new form
2. select New Item
3. add Caption
4. add and/or edit Name
5. select Type : Text
6. select Check : Name
7. add Help Text (optional)
8. add Error Message
9. select Display tab
10. select Save

You’ve now added the name field. You can follow the same steps to add your email and comments fields. You’ll just need to select the appropriate options.

Your next step is to link your new form to your menu. The first thing you’ll need to do is to copy the “Link” of your new form at the perForms main screen. With the link copied proceed:

1. select Menu => mainmenu
2. select New
3. select Link - Url
4. select Next
5. add Name
6. add/paste Link
7. select Save

That’s it. You should now be able to visit your site, click the link to your new form, submit and recieve it at whatever email you had assigned.

Here’s a great tutorial from jext.info:

http://jext.info/content/view/9/20/