What options do I have when customizing an entry form?

The default entry form for a chat box is ready to go with all the basics. With zero additional configuration, the basic entry form collects the guest's name, email, and question -- no configuration needed. You can also go on to add all sorts of customizations.

Let's look at the options you have available to you when setting up an entry form...

• Look and feel
  • ​The background color of the entry form is shared with the chat box. You'll set the shared background color for both under the Branding tab.
  • The color of the text in the entry form is shared with the title text of the chat box. You'll set the shared text color for both under the Branding tab.
  • If you would like to add advanced styling to your entry form, you may do so under the "Wicked CSS Hacks" tab. You'll find a section for entry form customizations there.
  • If you would like to add custom JavaScript to your entry form, you may do so under the "Custom JavaScript" tab. You'll find a section for entry form customizations there.
• Title text: By default, the title text for an entry form is shared with the chat box. You'll set the shared title for both under the Branding tab.  If you want the chat box and the entry form to have distinct titles, you can do that with classes and CSS.
• Instructions: There is an area between the title and entry form fields that you may optionally use to provide instructions to the guest or to insert any sort of free-form text you would like. 
• Form Fields: By default, all entry forms start with three form fields -- name, email, and question. From there, you may customize entry forms to add or remove fields if desired. 
  • Form fields can be required or optional for the guest to complete.
    • The "question" form field is a special case and is always required. It represents the first message from the guest and will initiate the chat.
  • Form fields can be hidden. If a form field is hidden, you can set the value for the form field to a constant value or set it dynamically as a URL query parameter when the form is loaded.
    • If a query parameter value is expected but that value's data is not submitted with the form, then the form data will show as "not provided."
  • Custom form fields can be text (single or multi-line) or choice.
  • Drag and drop fields to re-arrange their order in the form.
• "Start chat" button: If desired, you may customize the wording of the "Start chat" button. If you opt to customize this wording, your customization will not be automatically localized for the guest.
• Safety Net: As a safety net, a guest's question will be forwarded via email should chat become unavailable before the entry form is submitted. The guest will receive a customized auto-response directly in the entry form.
  • You will need to specify an e-mail address for the safety net. This e-mail address is NOT shown to the guest. The content of the entry form is forwarded to this email address when chat is not available.
  • A default auto-response is provided and you may customize as desired.

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