Pre-Chat Form

Collect visitor information before they start chatting.

Overview

The pre-chat form appears when a visitor opens the widget for the first time:

┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ Before we start...              │
│                                 │
│ Name                            │
│ [________________________]      │
│                                 │
│ Email*                          │
│ [________________________]      │
│                                 │
│ How can we help?                │
│ [________________________]      │
│                                 │
│ [Start Chat]                    │
└─────────────────────────────────┘

When to Use

Pre-chat forms are useful when:

• You need contact info for follow-up
• Routing conversations by topic
• Lead generation
• Compliance requirements (GDPR consent)

Configuration

Enable Pre-Chat Form

Go to Settings → Widget → Forms → Pre-Chat Form:

Enable: Yes/No
Show for: All visitors / New visitors / Returning without contact

Form Fields

Standard Fields

Field	Type	Description
Name	Text	Visitor's name
Email	Email	Email address
Phone	Phone	Phone number
Message	Textarea	Initial message

Custom Fields

Add custom fields for your needs:

Type	Example
Text	Company name
Select	Department dropdown
Radio	Inquiry type
Checkbox	Newsletter opt-in

Field Settings

For each field:

Setting	Options
Label	Display text
Placeholder	Input placeholder
Required	Yes/No
Validation	Email format, phone format
Default Value	Pre-filled value

Validation

Built-in Validation

Field Type	Validation
Email	Valid email format
Phone	Valid phone format
Required	Field not empty

Custom Validation

Add custom validation rules:

{
  field: 'email',
  rule: 'domain',
  value: '@company.com',
  message: 'Please use your company email'
}

Error Display

Validation errors appear inline:

Email*
[invalid@email]
⚠️ Please enter a valid email address

Data Handling

Where Data Goes

Collected information is:

• Attached to the conversation
• Available in customer profile
• Synced to CRM (if connected)
• Available to AI agents

Privacy Compliance

For GDPR compliance:

✓ Show privacy notice
✓ Require consent checkbox
✓ Link to privacy policy

Skip Conditions

When to Skip Form

Skip the form when:

Condition	Description
Returning Customer	Already have their info
Logged In	User is authenticated
API Identified	Fyncall.identify() was called

JavaScript Control

Skip form programmatically:

// Pre-identify user to skip form
Fyncall.identify({
  email: 'known@customer.com',
  name: 'Known Customer'
});

Styling

Form Theme

The form inherits widget theme:

• Background matches widget
• Primary color for buttons
• Consistent typography

Custom Styling

Enterprise plans can customize:

.fyncall-prechat-form {
  /* Custom styles */
}

Best Practices

Keep It Short

• Only ask for essential info
• 2-3 fields maximum
• Required fields only when necessary

Clear Purpose

• Explain why you need info
• Show privacy notice
• Be transparent about data use

Easy to Complete

• Use appropriate field types
• Provide clear labels
• Show inline validation

Respect Privacy

• Don't require more than needed
• Offer anonymous option if possible
• Follow GDPR/CCPA guidelines

Examples

Lead Generation Form

Name*
Email*
Company
I'm interested in: [Dropdown: Sales, Support, Partnership]

Support Form

Name
Email*
Order Number (optional)
Describe your issue:

Minimal Form

Email*
[Start Chat]

Analytics

Track form performance:

Metric	Description
Form Views	Times form was shown
Completions	Successful submissions
Abandonment	Started but not completed
Conversion Rate	Completions / Views