BoldDesk allows administrators to tailor the Customer Portal experience to improve ticket quality at the time of submission. One common customization is updating the placeholder text shown in the Description field on the Create Ticket page.

At present, BoldDesk does not provide a UI-based setting to modify placeholder text for system fields. However, this behavior can be customized using Advanced Customization with Custom JavaScript in the Customer Portal.

This article explains how to safely apply this customization, its supported scope, and its limitations—using only native BoldDesk workflows and settings.

Use Cases

Custom placeholder text helps guide customers before submission, improving ticket accuracy and reducing follow-up questions.

Common use cases include:

• Prompting users to include version details or screenshots
• Standardizing issue descriptions across departments
• Reducing ticket reopens caused by missing information
• Improving SLA compliance by collecting clear details upfront

Prerequisites

Before applying this customization, ensure the following:

• You have Admin access in BoldDesk
• The Customer Portal is enabled
• You have access to Advanced Customization
• You are familiar with basic JavaScript syntax

Scope of This Customization in BoldDesk

This customization applies only to the BoldDesk Customer Portal and affects the Description field placeholder text in the Customer Portal → Create Ticket → Description field.

The fields are powered by BoldDesk’s Rich Text Editor (RTE) component.

Steps to Rename the Description Placeholder Text

1. Open Advanced Customization

Navigation Path

Admin Panel → Customer Portal → Advanced Customization

• Select the required Brand
• Locate the Custom JavaScript section

For detailed steps, explore further instructions about Customizing the BoldDesk Customer Portal.

2. Add Custom JavaScript

Paste the following script into the Custom JavaScript editor:

let interval = setInterval(function () {
 var rteElement = document.querySelector("#descriptions"); 
 var rteCmts = document.querySelector("#commentsRTE");

 if (rteElement && rteElement.ej2_instances) {
     rteElement.ej2_instances[0].placeholder =
       "Please include the VA version number, module where the issue occurs, screenshot of the issue, and the step-by-step process to reproduce it";
     clearInterval(interval); 
 }
 if (rteCmts && rteCmts.ej2_instances) {
     rteCmts.ej2_instances[0].placeholder =
       "Enter your message here";
     clearInterval(interval); 
 }
}, 100); 

Save the changes after adding the script.

Customizing the Placeholder Message

To update the guidance text shown in the Description field:

• Edit the text inside the quotation marks assigned to the placeholder property
• Replace it with your preferred guidance message
• Save the changes in Advanced Customization

Example
If you want users to include logs and urgency, update the line like this:

rteElement.ej2_instances[0].placeholder =
 "Describe the issue clearly and include logs, urgency, and recent changes."; 

• No other part of the script needs to be changed
• The update takes effect after saving in Advanced Customization

Before Applying Custom JS

After Applying Custom JS

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I change the Description field placeholder text from the BoldDesk UI?
   No. BoldDesk does not currently provide a UI-based setting to change placeholder text for system fields such as the Description field. You can customize the placeholder text using Advanced Customization with Custom JavaScript in the Customer Portal.

2. Does the custom placeholder text apply to both the Customer Portal and Agent Portal?
   No. This customization applies only to the Customer Portal Create Ticket page. It does not change the Description field placeholder in the Agent Portal.

3. Can I customize the placeholder message shown in the Description field?
   Yes. You can update the message by editing the text assigned to the placeholder property in the Custom JavaScript. After updating the text, save the changes in Advanced Customization.

4. Will changing the Description placeholder affect existing tickets?
   No. The placeholder text only guides users while they are entering information in the Description field. It does not modify existing tickets, submitted ticket descriptions, or ticket field values.

Related Articles

1. Customizing the BoldDesk Customer Portal
2. Customize BoldDesk Web Forms with Custom CSS & JavaScript