One thread per client.
Nothing lost in email.

A client signs in, writes a message and reads every reply underneath it. Your team answers from a staff-only page, and the answer lands in the same thread instead of starting another email chain.

See the plugins See how it works

Guild inbox

12 messages

You · Tuesday

Can you check the grant?

Team · Tuesday

Signed letter attached

You · today

One more question

Saved in this conversation Awaiting reply

Illustrative experience

One thread per client, replies included
Searchable message history
Replies filed against the right client

The finished experience

Client communication stops living in your inbox.

Every message is an entry, so the history is searchable and nobody digs through email to find what was agreed.

A good fit for
Consultancies, agencies and schools holding the same conversations by email.

1

Log every message as an entry

Each message is an entry. Default simple sender details from the signed-in user, and set or validate the client identity on the server before storing the message.

GP Populate Anything
2

Show them the thread

This modern variation uses Entry Blocks for the thread. Filter every list and detail query to messages belonging to the authenticated client, including staff replies.

GP Entry Blocks
3

Reply into the same thread

Authorized staff open the form on a staff-only page and choose a client from your records. Validate their permitted recipient on the server, then save the reply into that client’s thread.

GP Populate Anything

Inspired by a real build

Spotlight: How to Build a Customer Messaging Platform using Gravity Forms July 2024 BrightLeaf Consulting had an aha moment about client communications: Gravity Forms can be used to create a complete one-on-one messaging system. Read the spotlight

Michelle Marin’s Marvelous Gravity-Forms-powered Customer Portal April 2024 MichelleMarin.com's customer portal provides an automated platform for project feedback, customer correspondence & collaboration, and more. Read the spotlight

What you’ll need.

Start with Gravity Forms. Add the capabilities this solution needs, then make the experience your own.

GP Entry Blocks

Publishes the thread on the client’s page and keeps the query filtered to the messages that belong to them.

Explore GP Entry Blocks

GP Populate Anything

Lets staff select client records and fills the associated details. Simple current-user defaults can use native user merge tags; sender authorization is separate.

Explore GP Populate Anything

Taking it further

Add these optional plugins when your project calls for more.

Optional

GP Read Only

Optionally displays the client field while preventing ordinary browser-form editing. Client identity and recipient routing must still be set or validated on the server.

Explore GP Read Only

Optional

GP Advanced Calculations

For an optional deadline note, calculates an exact days-left or days-late value with datediff(today(), dueDate). It is not needed for the message thread itself.

Explore GP Advanced Calculations

Optional

GP Advanced Conditional Logic

For an optional deadline message inside the form, compares the populated due date with today or a relative date. Use this instead of a numeric calculation when only a before/after state is needed.

Explore GP Advanced Conditional Logic

Before you start

User accounts, with one messaging form embedded for clients and for staff.
Require login, client-specific list and detail queries, and separate staff-only access. Set or validate client identity and recipient routing on the server; hidden or read-only fields are not authorization.
Test the Entry Blocks views and direct staff replies against your access rules.

Get this built.

A plan covers how many of our plugins you run at once, and on how many sites. Here is what this one needs.

Required

GP Entry BlocksPerks
GP Populate AnythingPerks

Optional

GP Read OnlyPerks
GP Advanced CalculationsPerks
GP Advanced Conditional LogicPerks

Gravity Perks Advanced $169 /year

2 perks need Advanced or above — on up to 3 sites.

Gravity Perks Pro $299 /year Taking all 3 optional perks too makes it 5 in all, which needs Pro.

See plans for this solution

Every plan renews at the same price, and you can upgrade any time for the difference.

Make it fit
your project.

Can clients see each other’s messages?

The portal must require login and filter every list and detail view to the authenticated client. Validate message identity when saving as well, so changing a hidden or read-only field cannot write into another client’s thread.

Do we still get an email when a message arrives?

Yes. Configure a Gravity Forms notification with a recipient that is set or validated on the server. The message stays in the thread while the team receives an alert.

The spotlight used GravityView and Gravity Flow. Do we need them?

This page describes a modern variation: Entry Blocks displays the thread, as our support team suggests in the source comments, and authorized staff reply directly through the messaging form. Configure and test the list, detail and client-access rules; this does not claim parity with every part of the historical portal.

Can we show a deadline reminder beside the conversation?

The older agency portal included due-date messaging. In a form, optional Advanced Calculations can calculate a days-left value with datediff(today(), dueDate), or Advanced Conditional Logic can show a message for a before/after deadline state. Choose the behavior you need; neither is required for the thread. Content outside the form needs its own rendering logic.