Intake Forms
Send pre-consultation questionnaires to clients and collect health information before the first appointment.
Intake forms let you collect detailed health information from clients before their first consultation. Instead of spending appointment time on data entry, send a link — the client fills it on their phone, and the data flows directly into their profile.
Intake forms are token-based and don't require the client to create an account. They work on any device with a browser.
How it works
Create the client
Click Add Client on the Clients page. A quick-create dialog asks for just the basics — name, email, phone. Click Create Client.
Send the intake form
After creation, the dialog shows a success screen with a Send Intake Form button. Click it to generate a shareable link. You can also send the intake form later from the client's detail page (the button is in the header).
Share the link
Copy the link, send it via WhatsApp (pre-formatted message), or preview it yourself. The client receives a link like mealstack.io/intake/abc123.
Client fills the form
The client opens the link on their phone or computer — no login required. An 8-step wizard guides them through:
- About You — name, date of birth, gender
- Body & Goals — height, weight, target weight, goal, activity level
- Diet & Preferences — dietary type, allergies, intolerances, food likes/dislikes, cuisine preferences
- Medical History — conditions, medications, supplements, foods to avoid
- Lifestyle — occupation, sleep, stress, cooking skill, eating out frequency
- Women's Health — pregnancy, breastfeeding, menstrual cycle (only shown for female clients)
- Typical Diet — what they normally eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks
- Anything Else — primary concern, motivation, expectations, previous diets
Progress is auto-saved — if the client closes the browser, they can resume where they left off.
Review the submission
When the client submits, you see an "Intake Submitted" badge on the client list and a banner on the client detail page. Review the data in the client's Profile tab — fields filled by the client show a blue "From intake" badge next to the label. Click Mark Reviewed to clear the banner.
Email delivery
When you generate an intake form link, MealStack automatically sends a branded email to the client (if they have an email address). The email includes a "Fill Out My Form" button, a summary of what's asked, and a note that it takes about 5 minutes. The email uses your practice branding (logo, colors, practitioner name).
Step customization
You can control which sections appear in the intake form from Settings → Client Portal → Intake Form Steps. Toggle individual steps on or off:
- About You — always on (name is required)
- Body & Goals — height, weight, goal, activity level
- Diet & Food — dietary type, allergies, food preferences
- Medical History — conditions, medications, supplements
- Lifestyle — sleep, stress, cooking skill
- Women's Health — pregnancy, menstrual cycle
- Typical Diet — current eating habits
- Anything Else — concerns, motivation
Changes apply to new intake form links. Existing links are not affected.
Data safety
The intake form only writes to fields that are currently empty on the client record. If you've already entered the client's height, weight, or dietary preference, the client's submission won't overwrite your data. This prevents accidental data loss when both practitioner and client are entering information.
Token expiry
Intake form links expire after 30 days. If a client tries to access an expired link, they see a friendly "Link Expired" message asking them to contact their dietitian. You can generate a new link anytime from the client detail page.
Re-editing
Clients can revisit the link and update their responses until you click Mark Reviewed. After review, the form is locked — the client sees a "Form Reviewed" message and can no longer edit.
Portal users
If a client already has portal access (Workfile ID linked), you'll see an info note when generating the intake link: "This client already has portal access." The intake form still works — it's useful for collecting detailed pre-consultation info that the portal doesn't capture.
Intake status
The intake form has three statuses:
| Status | Meaning | Client can edit? |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Link sent, client hasn't submitted yet | Yes |
| Submitted | Client completed the form | Yes (until reviewed) |
| Reviewed | Practitioner reviewed and approved | No (locked) |
The status badge appears on the client list and detail page so you can track which clients have pending intake forms at a glance.