A good client intake form template asks only what you need to book, serve and contact a client safely: contact details, the service they want, relevant allergies or access notes, preferences and agreement to your policies. Skip anything you don't need, keep what you collect secure, and tell clients why you're asking.
This is general information, not legal or medical advice. Privacy, consent and recordkeeping rules differ by state, province, country and profession, so check with your licensing board or a professional.
Fewer back-and-forth messages. You collect the basics once.
Safety. You spot allergies, sensitivities or access problems before you start.
A record of agreement. The client confirms they've seen your policies.
Better repeat visits. Notes and preferences are there next time.
Full name, and the name they like to be called
Phone number and email address
How they'd like to be contacted, and whether they agree to appointment reminders by text
The service they want, and what they hope to get from it
Their address, only if you go to them
An open question: "Is there anything I should know before your appointment?"
How they heard about you (optional)
These are example fields to adapt, not a legal checklist. Add only what you'll actually use.
Allergies or sensitivities to products, adhesives or latex
Any past reaction to hair dye, and the date of their last patch test
Skin or scalp concerns you should know about
Current color or treatments, and how often they usually come in
Photos of the look they want (optional)
Why ask about dye reactions? The FDA says to do a patch test on your skin every time before dyeing hair, following the label, and notes that people can have a reaction even if they've dyed their hair before without a problem.
How you'll get in: key, lockbox or someone home
Pets, and whether they need to be shut away
Rooms or items that are off-limits
Products to avoid because of allergies or delicate surfaces
Where to park
Top priorities for each visit
Keep door codes and alarm codes separate from the sheet with the client's name and address, so one lost page doesn't give away both.
Student's first name, grade and subjects
Goals, upcoming tests and what's been tried before
Anything the parent wants to share about how the student learns
Parent or guardian name and contact details
Who may pick the student up, for in-person lessons
For a minor, have the parent or guardian fill in and sign the form.
Vehicle make, model and color
Where the vehicle will be, and whether power and water are available
Existing damage or problem areas
Items in the vehicle to leave in place
"I have read the booking, deposit and cancellation policy at [link]."
"I agree to appointment reminders by [text or email]. I can opt out at any time."
"Photos: [ ] Yes, you may take before and after photos and share them online. [ ] Yes, for your records only. [ ] No photos, please."
"The information above is accurate, and I'll let you know if anything changes."
Signature and date (a parent or guardian signs for a minor)
The FTC's guide to protecting personal information sums up a sound security plan in five principles. Here's how they apply to intake forms:
Take stock. Know what personal information you have and where it lives: paper files, your phone, email and any form app.
Scale down. Keep only what you need. The FTC says that if you don't have a legitimate business need for sensitive personally identifying information, don't keep it, and if you do, keep it only as long as necessary. Don't ask for Social Security numbers on an intake form. The FTC says to use them only for required and lawful purposes, like reporting employee taxes.
Lock it. The FTC suggests keeping files with personal information in locked file cabinets. Protect your phone and form accounts with a passcode too.
Pitch it. When you no longer need old forms, shred them. The FTC says proper disposal means the information can't be read or reconstructed.
Plan ahead. Know what you'd do if your phone were stolen or an account were hacked.
HIPAA, the U.S. health privacy law, applies to "covered entities". According to HHS, those are health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers that transmit health information electronically in connection with certain standard transactions. A typical salon, cleaning service or tutor isn't one of these. That doesn't make health notes any less private. Treat allergy and medical details as sensitive, and share them only with people who need them. If you provide health care and bill health plans electronically, check HHS guidance and your licensing board.
Contact details, the service and goals, safety information like allergies, access details for home visits, agreement to your policies, and a signature with the date.
A signature, or a typed name and date on a digital form, gives you a clear record that the client agreed to your policies. Some licensing boards have their own requirements, so check yours.
Only as long as you need them, following the FTC's guidance, unless a law or your licensing board requires longer. Shred paper forms and delete digital ones when the time is up.
Either works. Paper needs a locked drawer and a shredder. A digital form needs a strong password, and you should check where the form service stores answers and who can see them.
BookingSolved: Client Booking isn't an intake form tool, and it says it keeps no client database of its own. It's a free iPhone app, with optional Pro upgrades, that turns appointment requests from texts, screenshots or the Share Sheet into Apple Calendar bookings, flags missing or unclear details like vague dates instead of guessing, and processes requests and screenshots on your device without uploading them.
Get BookingSolved free on the App Store