Prefilling Appointment Form Data

This guide demonstrates a simple yet powerful trick to prefill appointment data using UChat and AirChatty, especially for scheduling via chatbots.

By automating the population of user details such as name, email, and phone number, businesses can reduce friction, minimize manual input, and ensure a smoother booking process.

This comprehensive overview covers the step-by-step process, from setting up the calendar link to automating workflows within Air Chetty, ensuring you can implement this technique effectively.

Step-by-Step Guide to Prefilling Appointment Data

1. Understanding the Core Concept

The main goal is to generate a dynamic appointment link that automatically populates user data—like name, email, and phone number—when clicked. This is achieved by:

Embedding URL parameters into the calendar booking link.
Passing user data from the chatbot to the calendar via these parameters.
Automating follow-up workflows based on the booking.

2. Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

An AirChatty account with access to Calendars and Automations.
A UChat account capable of capturing user data (email, phone, name).
Basic familiarity with URL parameters and webhooks.

3. Obtaining Your Calendar Link

Log into AirChatty.
Navigate to Calendars > Calendar Settings.
Copy your Scheduling Link — this is the URL used for booking appointments.

4. Constructing the Prefill URL

To prefill data, append URL parameters to your calendar link:

Parameter Name	Description	Example
`first_name`	User's first name	`first_name=John`
`last_name`	User's last name	`last_name=Doe`
`email`	User's email	`[email protected]`
`phone`	User's phone number	`phone=1234567890`

Note: Use an ampersand (&) to separate multiple parameters.

Example URL:

https://yourcalendarlink.com?first_name=John&last_name=Doe&[email protected]&phone=1234567890

5. Integrating with Your Chatbot

When sending the appointment link via your chatbot, dynamically insert user data into the URL parameters.
For example, in your chatbot script:

Open website: https://yourcalendarlink.com?first_name={{user_first_name}}&last_name={{user_last_name}}&email={{user_email}}&phone={{user_phone}}

Replace placeholders with actual variables captured during the conversation.

6. Testing the Prefill Functionality

Send the link to yourself or a test user.
Click the link and verify that the form fields are prepopulated with the correct data.
Ensure that the data populates correctly for different users.

7. Automating Workflow Post-Booking

Once a user schedules an appointment:

Use AirChatty's automation feature.
Create a new workflow triggered by "Customer booked appointment".
Add actions such as:
- Sending confirmation messages.
- Sending follow-up emails.
- Triggering webhooks to transfer appointment data elsewhere.

Sample Workflow for Post-Booking Automation

Step	Action	Description
1	Trigger	When an appointment is booked (`"Customer booked appointment"`).
2	Webhook	Send appointment details (date, time, user info) to your CRM or notification system.
3	Message	Confirm the appointment with the user via chatbot.
4	Follow-up	Schedule reminders or reschedule options.

Webhook Example:

{
  "start_date": "2024-05-01",
  "start_time": "10:00",
  "user_name": "John Doe",
  "user_email": "[email protected]",
  "phone": "1234567890",
  "timezone": "EST"
}

Best Practices & Tips

Ensure data privacy: Handle user data securely, especially when passing via URL parameters.
Validate inputs: Make sure the chatbot captures accurate data before generating the link.
Use URL encoding: Encode special characters in user data to prevent URL issues.
Test extensively: Verify that each variable populates correctly across different scenarios.
Customize confirmation messages: Personalize follow-up messages based on appointment details.

Summary Table: Key Steps

Step	Action	Details
1	Obtain calendar link	From Air Chatty calendar settings.
2	Append URL parameters	Use `?` for first parameter, `&` for subsequent ones.
3	Capture user data	In chatbot, store name, email, phone.
4	Generate dynamic link	Insert variables into URL parameters.
5	Send link via chatbot	Use message templates with dynamic URLs.
6	Test prefill	Confirm form fields populate correctly.
7	Automate post-booking	Use Air Chetty workflows and webhooks.

Summary

Implementing prefilled appointment links significantly enhances user experience by reducing manual input and streamlining scheduling.

By dynamically passing user data through URL parameters and automating follow-up workflows, businesses can create a seamless booking process that saves time and increases conversions.

Remember to test thoroughly, prioritize data security, and customize your messaging for best results. With these steps, you are well-equipped to optimize your appointment booking system using UChat and AirChatty.

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