Collect Visitor Details Before Live Chat Starts

This article explains how to collect contact information (like name, email, or phone number) from visitors before they can start chatting in your Live Chat widget. Capturing this information upfront improves contact data quality, reduces anonymous chats, and enables automation and follow-ups. * * * ## Frequently Asked Questions Q: Which fields can I mark as required in the contact form? Name is mandatory; Phone or Email is required to create a contact (at least one). You can also add supported custom contact fields within the five-field total. If you mark any custom contact fields as required in the widget builder, visitors must complete them before they can submit the form. Q: What exactly counts as an “active chat” for smart re-entry? An active chat is a session that hasn’t been manually ended and hasn’t expired due to inactivity. If it’s still active, visitors resume without filling the form again. Q: What happens if a visitor refreshes the page during a chat? The widget auto-reconnects and preserves the conversation; no messages are lost. Q: Does the contact form requirement apply to all widgets or just one? It applies to the specific widget you configure. Be sure you’ve selected the correct widget before enabling the toggle. Q: How does this interact with Business Office Hours? During off hours, the widget sends the contact details form. After submission, the chat is automatically closed. Q: Can I trigger workflows based on Contact Form submissions? Yes. You can use triggers like “Customer Replied to start automated follow-ups or task assignments. Q: Do I need to add a privacy policy link when collecting personal data? It’s recommended. You can link your Privacy Policy from the chat window text/description for compliance transparency. Q: I have multiple chat widgets on my site. Will each follow its own form rules? Yes. Each widget has its own configuration, so you can enforce the form on some widgets/pages and not others. * * * ## Related Articles - (https://help.patientcopilot.ai/support/solutions/articles/155000004356-adding-custom-fields-in-the-chat-widget-contact-form)**(https://help.patientcopilot.ai/support/solutions/articles/155000004356-adding-custom-fields-in-the-chat-widget-contact-form)[Adding Custom Fields in the Chat Widget Contact Form](https://help.patientcopilot.ai/support/solutions/articles/155000004356-adding-custom-fields-in-the-chat-widget-contact-form) (https://help.patientcopilot.ai/support/solutions/articles/155000004356-adding-custom-fields-in-the-chat-widget-contact-form) - How to Add Multiple Chat Widgets to the Same Website(https://help.patientcopilot.ai/support/solutions/articles/155000003194-how-to-add-multiple-chat-widgets-to-the-same-website)**(https://help.patientcopilot.ai/support/solutions/articles/155000003194-how-to-add-multiple-chat-widgets-to-the-same-website)