The glossary
Consultation Form
A consultation form is a digital document completed by a client before a service appointment to capture health history, preferences, allergies, and signed consent.
A consultation form is a pre-appointment questionnaire that gives the service provider the information they need to work safely and effectively with the client. In a salon context, this typically includes allergy and sensitivity history, current medications that may affect treatment outcomes, previous chemical services, and consent for the planned treatment.
Consultation forms are not just administrative — they are a professional and legal safeguard. If a client has a reaction to a chemical service and the salon cannot demonstrate that they took a thorough history and obtained informed consent, the legal and professional consequences can be significant.
Digital consultation forms — sent to the client before they arrive — are now the standard at professional salons. They replace the clipboard and paper form that clients used to fill out in the waiting room, and they create a searchable, stored record attached to the client's profile.
Advanced consultation forms include conditional logic: if a client answers 'yes' to a medication question, relevant follow-up questions appear. If they indicate no chemical history, the allergy patch test section can be skipped. This reduces form length for straightforward clients while ensuring comprehensive data collection for those who need it.
On OpenChair, consultation forms can be triggered automatically when a specific service is booked. A client booking a colour service is sent the colour consultation form; a client booking a skin treatment is sent the appropriate skin history form. Completed forms, including the client's digital signature, are stored permanently against their profile.
See it in OpenChair
Consultation FormsCommon questions
Do I need a consultation form for every client?
For chemical services — colour, perming, keratin treatments, chemical relaxers — a consultation form with allergy history and patch test confirmation is strongly recommended on every new client and periodically for returning clients, as medical circumstances can change. For basic cuts and styling, a consultation form is less critical from a compliance standpoint, though capturing preferences and contact details is still valuable.
How long should salon consultation forms be retained?
Retention depends on the service, applicable law and your insurer's requirements. OpenChair stores completed forms with the client record while they are retained under the venue agreement, privacy policy and data processing schedule. Check the period that applies to your business and services.