> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.plain.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Custom forms

> Replace the customer inbox's free-text field with a structured intake form.

By default, customers submit new requests through a single 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