Form Fields

Configure form input fields for your agents to collect structured information from users before starting a conversation.

Forms help guide users by collecting specific information upfront, making agent responses more accurate and relevant from the start.

Overview

When you set your agent's input type to Form, you can define custom input fields that users must fill out before chatting. This structured approach ensures the agent receives consistent, well-organized information for every conversation.

Forms are ideal for:

• Standardizing how users provide context to the agent
• Ensuring all required information is captured upfront
• Reducing back-and-forth clarification questions
• Creating a survey-like experience for specific use cases

Field Types

Each field type serves a different purpose. Choose the right type based on what information you need to collect.

Text

Single-line text input for short responses.

Property	Description
Best for	Names, titles, short phrases, identifiers

Example use cases:

• Customer name
• Project title
• Product SKU
• Company name

Multi-line Text

Multi-line text area for longer content.

Property	Description
Best for	Descriptions, feedback, detailed context

Example use cases:

• Detailed problem descriptions
• Feedback or suggestions
• Meeting notes for summarization
• Content to be analyzed or rewritten

Number

Numeric input field.

Property	Description
Best for	Quantities, amounts, scores, ratings

Example use cases:

• Budget amount
• Number of participants
• Priority score (1-10)
• Quantity to order

Checkbox

Boolean toggle for yes/no choices.

Property	Description
Best for	Agreements, preferences, toggles

Example use cases:

• "I agree to the terms"
• "Include detailed analysis"
• "Rush processing needed"
• "Send email notification"

File

File upload field for documents and attachments.

Property	Description
Best for	Documents, images, data files
Validation	Optional file type restrictions
Limit	One file field per form

Example use cases:

• Resume for analysis
• Document to summarize
• Image for description
• Data file for processing

For supported file types and size limits, see Supported File Types.

Select

Dropdown menu with predefined options.

Property	Description
Best for	Categories, choices from a fixed list
Validation	User must select one option

Example use cases:

• Department selection
• Priority level (Low, Medium, High)
• Language preference
• Product category

Date

Date picker for selecting specific dates.

Property	Description
Best for	Deadlines, event dates, time references
Validation	Standard date format

Example use cases:

• Project deadline
• Event date
• Report period
• Meeting date

Email

Email address input with built-in format validation.

Property	Description
Best for	Contact emails, user identification, notification routing
Validation	Must be a valid email address format

Example use cases:

• Customer contact email
• Notification recipient
• Account email for lookup
• Report delivery address

Field Properties

Every field shares common properties that control its behavior and appearance.

Common Properties

Property	Description	Required
Label	Display name shown to users	Yes
Description	Help text explaining what to enter	No
Required	Whether the field must be filled	No

Limits

Property	Limit
Maximum fields per agent	25
Field label	255 characters
Field description	512 characters
Option text (for Select fields)	255 characters
File types string	255 characters

Type-Specific Properties

File:

Property	Description
File Types	Comma-separated list of allowed extensions (e.g., .pdf, .docx, .txt)

Select:

Property	Description
Options	List of available choices for users to select from

Email:

Property	Description
Allowed Domain	Restrict accepted addresses to a specific domain (e.g. odeus.ai)

Creating a Form Input Agent

Follow these steps to create an agent with form inputs.

Step 1: Create a New Agent

1. Navigate to Agents in the sidebar
2. Click Create Agent
3. Give your agent a name and description

Step 2: Set Input Type to Form

1. In the agent configuration, find Input Type
2. Select Form instead of the default Prompt option

Step 3: Add Form Fields

1. Click Add Field to create a new input field

2. Select the field type from the dropdown

3. Configure the field properties:

   • Enter a clear, descriptive Label
   • Add helpful Description text if needed
   • Toggle Required if the field must be filled
   • Set type-specific options (file types for File fields, options for Select fields)

4. Repeat for each field you need

Step 4: Order Your Fields

Drag and drop fields to arrange them in a logical order. Place the most important or contextually first fields at the top.

Step 5: Write Instructions

In the agent's Instructions, reference the form fields to tell the agent how to use the collected information:

You are a customer support specialist. Use the following information provided by the user:

- Customer Name: Use this to personalize your responses
- Issue Category: Focus your troubleshooting on this specific area
- Problem Description: Analyze this to understand the core issue
- Priority Level: Adjust your response urgency accordingly

Always address the customer by name and provide solutions relevant to their selected category.

Step 6: Test Your Form

1. Click Chat with Agent to preview the form
2. Fill out the form as a user would
3. Verify the agent receives and uses the information correctly
4. Adjust field labels or instructions if needed

Example Configurations

Customer Support Intake

Fields:
1. Name (Text, required)
   - Label: "Your Name"

2. Email (Text, required)
   - Label: "Email Address"

3. Category (Select, required)
   - Label: "Issue Category"
   - Options: Billing, Technical, Account, Other

4. Description (Multi-line Text, required)
   - Label: "Describe Your Issue"
   - Description: "Please provide as much detail as possible"

5. Urgency (Select)
   - Label: "How urgent is this?"
   - Options: Low, Medium, High, Critical

Document Analysis

Fields:
1. Document (File, required)
   - Label: "Upload Document"
   - File Types: .pdf, .docx, .txt

2. Analysis Type (Select, required)
   - Label: "What type of analysis?"
   - Options: Summary, Key Points, Sentiment, Translation

3. Additional Context (Multi-line Text)
   - Label: "Any specific focus areas?"
   - Description: "Optional: Tell us what aspects to focus on"

Project Brief Generator

Fields:
1. Project Name (Text, required)
   - Label: "Project Name"

2. Objectives (Multi-line Text, required)
   - Label: "Project Objectives"
   - Description: "What are you trying to achieve?"

3. Budget (Number)
   - Label: "Budget (USD)"

4. Deadline (Date, required)
   - Label: "Target Completion Date"

5. Include Timeline (Checkbox)
   - Label: "Generate detailed timeline"

Best Practices

Only ask for information the agent actually needs. Every additional field increases friction and the chance users abandon the form.



Labels should clearly indicate what information is expected. Avoid jargon or internal terminology that users might not understand.



Use the description field to provide examples or clarify expectations. This reduces errors and improves the quality of inputs.



Mark fields as required only when absolutely necessary. Too many required fields frustrates users; too few may result in incomplete information.



Arrange fields in a natural flow. Start with identifying information, then move to specifics, and end with optional fields.



Explicitly tell the agent how to use each form field in your instructions. This ensures the collected information is actually utilized effectively.

Comparison: Form vs Prompt Input

Aspect	Form Input	Prompt Input
User Experience	Structured, guided	Open-ended, flexible
Information Quality	Consistent format	Varies by user
Setup Effort	More configuration	Minimal setup
Best For	Specific use cases	General conversations
Learning Curve	Lower for users	May need guidance

Choose Form input when you need specific information in a consistent format. Choose Prompt input when users need flexibility in how they communicate with the agent.

Next Steps

• Agent Configuration — Learn about all agent configuration options

• Agent Templates — Browse pre-built agent configurations

• Agent Creation Guide — Detailed guide for building effective agents

• Prompting Guide — Write better agent instructions