Understanding chat Field Types in BoldDesk

BoldDesk offers flexible configuration options for chat fields, allowing you to customize your chat experience. You can create dynamic, custom fields to gather additional information during a live chat session.

In addition to adding custom fields to chat, BoldDesk supports Field Display and Field Dependency configurations within the chat module:

• Field Display – Shows or hides specific fields in the chat form based on predefined conditions.
• Field Dependency – Establishes a parent-child relationship between fields, such as linking a dropdown for “Country” to dynamically display relevant “State” options. Field dependencies are not applied during automated actions or email-based interactions.

By customizing chat fields, you can ensure that the right information is collected in real time, enhancing your support workflows.

Different Types of Fields

The following are the modules in which fields and forms are supported:

• Chat Module – A collection of system and custom fields in the agent portal used to capture chat details.
• Visitor Module – Supports only system fields, which are used to capture key visitor details (users who start a conversation without submitting an email through a form).

Custom Field Types

The following custom field types are supported in BoldDesk:

Visitor Fields

Visitor Fields in BoldDesk are a set of system-defined fields used to capture essential information about visitors who interact with your Live Chat widget. These fields help identify visitors and provide context for agents during conversations. Unlike Chat Fields, Visitor Fields are fixed and cannot be customized or deleted.

What Are Visitor Fields?

Visitor Fields are default fields that store basic visitor details such as:

• Name
• Display Name
• Email
• Phone Number
• Mobile Number
• Country
• City
• Time Zone

These fields appear in the Agent Portal and are automatically populated when available. They ensure that even anonymous visitors have some identifiable data for better support.

Steps to Access Visitor Fields

• Navigate to Admin → Chat → Visitor Fields in the BoldDesk Agent Portal.

• Review the list of system fields displayed.

• Use the edit icon to change labels for internal visibility if needed.

  
  
  

Chat Fields

Chat fields are a set of default and custom fields used during a live chat interaction to collect or display information.

Types of Chat Fields

• System Fields – Predefined fields that cannot be modified or deleted, except for a few fields (e.g., Visitor Name, Email, and Chat Rating).

• Custom Fields – User-defined fields created to collect additional information during a chat session.

  
  
  

Using Chat Fields

Steps to Access Chat Fields

1. In the Agent Portal, navigate to the Admin Center.

2. Toggle to Chat.

3. Select Fields and Forms and click Chat Fields.

   
   
   

Creating a Chat Field

To create a new chat field:

1. Go to the Chat Fields page.

2. Click Add Chat Field.

   
   
   

Factors to Consider When Creating a Custom Field

• Field Type – Choose a field type from the list of supported custom fields.
• Label for Agent Portal – Name of the field displayed in the Create Chat Form and Chat Properties in the agent portal.
• API Name – A unique identifier for the field that can be used for fetching or updating data via API.
• Note Message – Provides additional information about the field.
• Note Message Display – Displays the note message below the field or as an info icon.

• Below the Field

  
  
  

• Example

  
  
  

• Info Icon

  
  
  

• Example

  
  
  

• Checkbox & Yes/No Fields – Allows setting a default value as Checked/Unchecked or Yes/No.

1. CheckBox

   
   
   

2. Yes/No

   
   
   

• Regex Fields – Supports validation using the ‘Validation Regex’ property.

  • Allows testing the value using the ‘Test Sample Value’ property.
  
  
  

Field Configuration in the Agent Portal

Dropdown Option Values

• For Dropdown-type custom fields, option values can be added as comma-separated strings.

  
  
  

Key Considerations for Dropdown Option Values

• Option values can be renamed or deleted.

• Deleted option values cannot be restored.

  
  
  

• Option values can be reordered via drag-and-drop or sorted alphabetically.

  
  
  

• A default value can be set, so it is pre-filled when the form loads in the Agent or Customer Portal.

  
  
  

• Remove as Default value

  
  
  

Managing Custom Fields

Deleting a Custom Field

• Custom fields can be edited or deleted.

• When a field is deleted, it is removed from chat fields and chat forms.

  
  
  

Activating/Deactivating a Custom Field

• Custom fields can be activated or deactivated.

• When deactivated, the field is hidden in the agent portal until reactivated.

• Deactivated fields are marked as “Inactive” and can be reactivated when needed.

  
  
  

• Activating a Custom Field

  
  
  

FAQs

Q1. Can Field Dependency be applied during automated workflow updates?
No. Dependencies are UI‑driven and not evaluated in automated actions or email‑based interactions; workflows should set values explicitly.

Q2. Which system fields in Chat can be edited?
Predefined fields are generally fixed, except a few (for example, Visitor Name, Email, and Chat Rating) that allow limited changes.

Q3. How do I validate inputs for a custom field?
Use a Regex field with Validation Regex and test the value using Test Sample Value in the field configuration.

Q4. Can I set a default value for dropdown fields?
Yes—defaults are supported for Dropdown (Single‑Select). Multi‑select does not support a default.

Q5. What happens when I deactivate a custom field?
It becomes hidden in the Agent Portal and is marked Inactive until reactivated; workflows can continue to reference it by API Name if present.

Q6. Are Visitor Fields customizable?
No. Visitor Fields are system‑defined and cannot be customized or deleted; they auto‑populate when available.

Related Articles

• How to Add a Chat Field in a Chat Form
• Update Conversation Field Based on Details Provided by Customer in Workflow