Custom forms

By default, customers submit new requests via a simple open text field. Custom forms let you replace this with a structured intake form, collecting exactly the information your team needs upfront, like issue type, priority, or product area, so threads arrive in Plain ready to action.

Creating a custom form

1. Go to Help Center → Customer Inbox

2. Click into the Custom Form section

3. Add the fields you want customers to fill in

4. Click Save

Field types

When adding a field, choose from:

• Dropdown: Let customers choose from predefined options. Good for issue type, product area, or request category

• Text input: A short single-line field. Good for version number, account ID, or order reference

• Text area: A longer freeform field. Good for a detailed description of the issue

Automating actions on submission

You can configure actions that are applied to the thread automatically the moment a customer submits the form:

• Add assignee: Route the thread to a specific team member

• Add label: Tag the thread with a relevant label

• Add priority: Set the thread priority based on the request type

• Add thread fields: Populate custom thread fields with values from the form

What your team sees

When a customer submits a form:

• A new thread is created in Plain

• A timeline entry shows the values the customer submitted

• Any configured actions are applied to the thread automatically