Adding Custom Fields in the Chat Widget Contact Form

Chat Widget is expanding its user experience with mind-blowing support with custom fields in contact form used in SMS/Email and WhatsApp chat. This will allow amazing customizations in Contact form.

What does this include -

• Custom Field Addition: Users can now add custom fields in contact within the chat widget builder, in addition to the standard fields. These custom fields allow businesses to collect additional information during interactions with customers using SMS/Email and WhatsApp Chat Widget type.
• Standard Fields: The chat widget will continue to support the following standard fields:
• Supported Custom Field Types: The widget supports the following custom field data types:
• Field Limitations: Users can add a total of up to 5 fields, which includes both the standard and custom fields. [Either Phone or Email are mandatory]
• Field Validation & Mandatory Fields:
• Standard fields (Name, Phone, Email, and Message) are mandatory when added.
• You can mark custom contact fields as required in the contact form.
• Required fields display an asterisk (*) in the widget.
• Visitors cannot submit the form until they complete all required fields.
• Required field enforcement applies when:
• A visitor starts a conversation through the widget contact form.
• An agent requests contact details during an active conversation.
• Input validation applies for custom fields:
• Phone fields validate based on country code.
• Email fields validate for correct email format.
• Existing widgets remain unchanged unless you mark fields as required.
• Phone Field Internationalization: If two or more phone number fields are added, the chat widget allows the user to select a country code for international phone number formatting. However, only one country flag can be selected for all phone fields. If a user changes the country flag in one field, it will automatically update the flag in the other phone field(s).

Before you begin

“Adding Custom Fields in the Chat Widget Contact Form” is part of the Contacts → All Contacts area in Adaptive AI. Create and manage complete contact records. Conversation, phone, SMS, chat, and messaging changes affect customer contact and consent. Test routing in both directions and confirm that messages land on the correct record and owner. The objective is not merely to save a setting; it is to confirm the result works for the staff member or customer who will depend on it.

• Confirm the phone number, inbox, social account, personal inbox, or chat channel is connected and assigned to the intended business.
• Verify user permissions, routing rules, forwarding destinations, business hours, voicemail behavior, and notification settings.
• Use an internal test contact with permission to receive the chosen channel and with do-not-disturb status set appropriately.
• Prepare the exact test message or call scenario, including the expected owner, reply, disposition, and follow-up action.
• Review registration, template, consent, opt-out, and service-window requirements before testing SMS or regulated messaging channels.

Verify the result

After completing the instructions in this guide, use a controlled test before treating the setup as finished. A saved screen or success message confirms configuration, but only an end-to-end test confirms the business outcome.

1. 1Initiate the test from the same direction a customer would use and confirm it appears in the correct conversation thread.
2. 2Verify assignment, notifications, sender identity, timestamps, contact matching, and message or call status.
3. 3Reply through Adaptive AI and confirm the recipient receives the response once from the expected number or account.
4. 4Test after-hours, missed-call, voicemail, forwarding, or automated follow-up behavior when those rules are part of the setup.
5. 5Confirm opt-out or do-not-disturb behavior stops restricted communication without blocking unrelated permitted channels.

Troubleshooting checklist

If the result differs from what you expected, preserve the current state and isolate one variable at a time. Start with the checks below before deleting the configuration or rebuilding it from scratch.

• Check channel connection status, number assignment, user availability, and routing rules before changing message content.
• Compare the contact's normalized phone number or email address when activity appears in a duplicate or unexpected thread.
• Review delivery, call, forwarding, or conversation logs for the first failed handoff and its provider response.
• Confirm business hours, quiet hours, service windows, approved templates, and opt-out status when a send is blocked or delayed.
• Test without overlapping workflows to determine whether duplicate replies come from routing, automation, or a second connected channel.

Best practices

• Use clear ownership and escalation rules so every inbound conversation has one accountable responder.
• Keep automated replies transparent, concise, and able to hand the conversation to a person when the request falls outside scope.
• Honor channel consent and opt-outs immediately and preserve the conversation history needed for support or compliance review.
• Use internal test records for routing changes and avoid sending experimental messages to active customers.
• Review missed, failed, unassigned, and long-waiting conversations as an operating metric, not only when a customer complains.