Support Form
What It Does
The Support Form is a contact form shortcode that creates new Help Scout conversations (or replies to existing ones), complete with file attachments, tag selection, and optional EDD integration.
How to Enable / Access
Add the shortcode to any WordPress page or post:
[hsd_form]The form also appears automatically inside the portal's "New Conversation" modal.
Shortcode Attributes
| Attribute | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
mid |
(none) | Override the default mailbox ID — send conversations to a specific Help Scout mailbox |
form |
default | Use a specific Form Builder slug to load a custom form layout |
collection_id |
(none) | A Help Scout Docs collection ID — enables inline documentation search above the form |
Examples:
[hsd_form mid="12345"]
[hsd_form form="billing-support"]
[hsd_form collection_id="67890"]Configuration Walkthrough
New Conversation Mode
When a customer visits a page with the form shortcode, they see a form to create a new conversation. The form includes:
| Field | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Yes | The topic of the conversation |
| Message | Yes | The full message body |
| File Attachments | No | Upload one or more files |
| Tag Selector | No | Choose tags to categorize the conversation |
| EDD Product/License | No (requires EDD) | Select a product or license for EDD-related support |
Reply Mode
When the form is loaded inside a conversation context (e.g., from the conversation thread view), it automatically switches to reply mode:
- The Subject field is hidden (it uses the existing conversation subject).
- The button changes to "Send Reply".
- The reply is added to the existing Help Scout conversation.
File Attachments
Customers can attach files to their conversations.
Supported file formats:
JPEG, PNG, GIF, WEBP, PDF, TXT, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX
Maximum file size: 5 MB per file
Files are uploaded securely through the Help Scout API.
Guest Handling
If a visitor is not logged in and has no email cookie saved from a previous visit:
- An email capture form appears first, asking for their email address.
- After entering their email, the full support form becomes available.
This ensures every conversation is linked to a valid email address in Help Scout.
Success and Error Messages
- Success: After a form is submitted, a configurable success message is displayed.
- Error: If something goes wrong, an error message with an alert icon appears, explaining what happened.
Security
- All form submissions are protected with a WordPress nonce to prevent cross-site request forgery.
- The customer's identity is verified against their Help Scout customer record.
Settings Reference
| Setting | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Default Mailbox | DeskPress > Integrations > API | The mailbox used when no mid attribute is specified |
| Success Message | DeskPress > Support Portal > Support Form | Message shown after successful submission |
| File Size Limit | 5 MB | Maximum file size per attachment |
| Form Layout | DeskPress > Support Portal > Support Form | Configure which fields appear |
| Tags | Help Scout | Tags available for selection come from your Help Scout account |
Tips and Common Questions
Can I have multiple forms on different pages with different mailboxes?
Yes. Use the mid attribute to direct each form to a different Help Scout mailbox:
[hsd_form mid="111"] <!-- Sales inquiries -->
[hsd_form mid="222"] <!-- Technical support -->Can guests submit tickets without logging in?
Yes. Guests are prompted to enter their email address first. The conversation will be created under that email in Help Scout.
How do I add inline documentation search above the form?
Use the collection_id attribute with a Help Scout Docs collection ID:
[hsd_form collection_id="67890"]This shows a search bar above the form where customers can search your docs before submitting a ticket — helping reduce unnecessary tickets.
Can I customize which fields appear on the form?
Yes. Use the Form Builder feature or the form attribute to load different form configurations for different pages.
Why aren't EDD fields showing up?
The EDD product and license fields require the Easy Digital Downloads plugin to be active. Make sure EDD is set up under DeskPress > Integrations > EDD.