Creating Your First Intake Form

Build professional intake forms to collect client information before the first session. This tutorial covers form creation, field types, and sharing with clients.

Introduction

Intake forms help you gather essential client information efficiently. They help you collect the details you need in one place and create a professional first impression.

Intake forms start on the Starter plan, which allows 3 forms. PRO allows 10, Team has no cap, and the Free plan does not include them.

Step 1: Navigate to Intake Forms

1. Click Intake forms in the left sidebar
2. You'll see the intake forms manager
3. Click the "Create Form" button
4. The form builder opens

Step 2: Name Your Form

Give your form a clear, descriptive name:

• Good: "New Client Health Questionnaire"
• Good: "Personal Training Intake Form"
• Bad: "Form 1" (not descriptive)

Step 3: Add Form Fields

Click "Add Field" to see available field types:

Text Fields

• Text: Name, short answers
• Long Text: Medical history, goals, notes
• Number: Age, weight, height
• Email: Email address (validates format)
• Phone: Phone number

Choice Fields

• Radio: Pick one option, such as preferred contact method
• Checkbox Group and Multi-Select: Pick several options, such as services interested in
• Dropdown: Country, profession, referral source

More Field Types

• Date, Time and Date & Time
• Scale and Rating: For example, pain on a scale of 1 to 10
• Address and URL
• Section Header and Paragraph: Titles and instructions that are not questions

File Upload

• File Upload: Medical clearance, ID copy, insurance card
• Accepts images, PDF and Word documents (up to 10MB per file)

Agreement

• Checkbox: Terms acceptance, consent, waiver
• Signature: Signature capture for forms that need to be signed

Step 4: Configure Field Settings

Each field has a Basic, a Validation and a Logic tab.

Basic Settings

• Label: What the field is called
• Placeholder: Example text (e.g., "john@example.com")
• Help Text: Additional instructions
• Required: Whether field must be filled (Validation tab, along with limits such as maximum length)

Conditional Logic

Show or hide a field based on other answers. Open the field's Logic tab and enable conditional logic:

IF "Have you seen a doctor?" = "Yes"
THEN show "Doctor's Name" field

Step 5: Organize with Pages and Sections

Break long forms into pages (Add Page) and label groups of questions with Section Header fields:

Page 1: Personal Information
  - Full Name (required)
  - Email (required)
  - Phone (required)
  - Birth Date

Page 2: Health & Fitness
  - Current Fitness Level
  - Medical Conditions
  - Exercise History

Page 3: Goals & Expectations
  - Primary Goals
  - Target Timeline
  - Preferred Training Days

Step 6: Design and Branding

1. Open the form "Settings" and find "Branding & Theme"
2. Choose a theme preset (Minimal, Modern, Classic, Professional or Playful)
3. Pick a primary color that matches your brand
4. Select the font family and corner style
5. Upload a logo and a cover image (optional; PNG, JPG, GIF or WebP, up to 5MB)

Step 7: Preview and Test

1. Click "Preview" in the form builder (switch between desktop and mobile)
2. Read the form as a client would
3. Check for typos, unclear questions, or missing fields
4. Check which fields are required and how they validate
5. Review the message clients see after they submit, in the form settings

File uploads are not available in preview mode.

Step 8: Share Your Form

1. Direct Link

Use "Get Link" and share the public link by email, messaging apps, social media, or your website. A link expires after a number of days (30 by default); you can change the default in the form settings.

You can also send the link by email from ClientFlow, or by WhatsApp if your WhatsApp Business account is connected.

2. QR Code

Generate a QR code and print it on business cards, flyers, or posters. Clients scan it with their phone camera. Choose a single-use link (one person submits, then it expires) or a permanent multi-use link for events and kiosks.

3. Embed on Website

Use "Embed Form" to copy an iFrame or JavaScript snippet for your own website, and set its width and height.

Best Practices

1. Keep It Short - Aim for 10-15 fields maximum
2. Use Clear Language - Avoid jargon and write plainly
3. Mobile-Friendly - Check the mobile preview
4. Privacy First - Include a privacy statement
5. Follow Up - Turn on the submitter confirmation in the form settings, or switch on the Form Submitted automation, to thank clients after they submit

Next Steps

• Share with clients - Send the link or QR code
• Set up notifications - In the form settings, choose to be notified in the app or by email about new submissions
• Create additional forms - Different forms for different services (within your plan's form limit)

Professional intake forms improve the client experience and keep what clients tell you in one place.

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Read time: ~8 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner