When your team needs to collect data – whether it’s a simple request for information, a meeting request, or access to services – it’s tempting to reach for whatever tool is already available. If you’re working in Salesforce and have access to OmniStudio, you might wonder: Why not just use that?
But here’s the catch: just because OmniStudio is powerful doesn’t mean it’s always the right fit. In fact, for many day-to-day data collection needs, using a dedicated form tool like FormAssembly can save time, reduce maintenance headaches, and empower more people across your team to manage forms independently.
During our annual virtual user conference, FormFest 2025, Jamie Loeb and Tom Kelleher from Attain Partners led a session titled “Forms vs. OmniStudio.” Their goal was to help attendees understand when to use a dedicated form tool like FormAssembly versus when Salesforce’s OmniStudio might be more appropriate.
- Jamie Loeb is a Service Delivery Manager at Attain Partners with a background in nonprofits. She acted as the session’s guide and MC.
- Tom Kelleher is a Senior Consultant at Attain Partners and the session’s higher ed expert. He has over 15 years of experience in Salesforce consulting, particularly in higher education.
You can watch the clip below from their FormFest presentation, or you can read on for an overview of what they discussed, including a real-world use case.
Use Case: Basic Request Forms
The scenario:
A common form is a basic one that allows someone to submit a request – maybe for more information, a service, or a meeting. Simply put, a few fields need to be filled out, that data needs to be sent to Salesforce, and a notification or workflow might need to be triggered.
At first glance, this sounds simple enough. But as guest experts Jamie Loeb and Tom Kelleher discussed during their FormFest session, the decision between using a form tool or OmniStudio isn’t just about what’s technically possible – it’s about scalability, usability, and long-term maintenance.
OmniStudio vs. Form Tool: A Sliding Scale of Complexity
Tom framed the decision as a “sliding scale of complexity.” If you’re only collecting basic data, such as name, email, and maybe a few details to populate a lead or contact in Salesforce, a form tool is likely your best bet. It’s fast, efficient, and accessible to users without deep technical knowledge.
But what about OmniStudio?
OmniStudio is not just a form builder. It’s a declarative development platform (originally known as Vlocity) and is deeply integrated into Salesforce’s industry clouds. It lets you build rich, dynamic experiences, but that comes with added weight:
- You need someone who understands JSON, integration procedures, and data mapping.
- You need to build not just the form (via OmniScript), but also the logic that connects it to your data (via Integration Procedures and Data Mappers).
- And most importantly, you need to maintain it long-term.
If this responsibility lands on what Jamie calls the “accidental admin” (someone without a deep technical background), OmniStudio can quickly become a bottleneck.
Key Questions to Ask
To help teams decide between a form tool and OmniStudio, Jamie and Tom shared several critical questions to guide the decision:
- How complex is the data you’re collecting?
- How many systems does it need to connect to?
- Is there complex business logic involved?
- Do you need multiple pages or steps?
- Are there compliance considerations (like FERPA or HIPAA)?
- Will documents need to be uploaded or signed?
- Do you need to call external APIs?
If the answers point to simplicity and low maintenance, a form tool like FormAssembly is likely the better choice. But as the data complexity increases, or if strict compliance, integrations, or document handling is required, OmniStudio could become a more viable option, so long as you have the right technical support in place.
The Verdict: Start Simple, Stay Scalable
In this first use case showdown, the winner is clearly a form tool, with one important caveat: what starts as a simple form can evolve over time. If your requirements grow in complexity, or if you’re working in a regulated environment, you may eventually need the power that OmniStudio provides.
For most basic data collection needs, a well-chosen form tool will offer the flexibility, ease of use, and lower barrier to entry your team needs to move fast, without sacrificing quality or security.
Pro Tip: Before diving into development, evaluate your internal resources. If you don’t have a team member who’s comfortable building and maintaining in OmniStudio, choosing a form tool can save you from a future maintenance mess.
