How to Set Up Inquiries in BakeSmart
Overview
This article walks through how to set up Inquiries in BakeSmart, including configuring the public Inquiry Form, assigning employee access, and defining the customer-facing options that appear on the form.
This guide covers setup only.
Once Inquiries are enabled, all inquiry review, communication, quoting, and order conversion happen inside the Inquiries Inbox.
Accessing Inquiry Settings
All Inquiry settings are managed from:
Dashboard → Settings → Orders → Inquiries
From this page, you will:
- Configure the public Inquiry Form
- Control lead times, budgets, and image uploads
- Assign which employees can manage inquiries
Customer Inquiry Form
Viewing the Public Inquiry Form
At the top of the Inquiries settings page, click the Customer Form link.
This opens the public Inquiry Form exactly as customers will see it. You may copy this link and place it on your website or other customer-facing pages.
Inquiry URL format:[subdomain].bakesmart.com/ask
Your subdomain is located under:
Settings → Company → Company Information
Customizing the Inquiry Form
Form Title
Default: Order Inquiry Form
You may update this to better match your bakery, such as:
- Custom Cake Inquiry
- Wedding Cake Request
Form Instructions
Displayed at the top of the Inquiry Form.
Use this space to explain:
- What types of requests this form is for
- What information customers should provide
- What happens after submission
Success Message
Displayed after a customer submits an inquiry.
Customize this message to confirm submission and set expectations for follow-up.
Image Upload Settings
Customers may upload inspiration images with their inquiry.
- Maximum allowed: 8 images
- You may reduce the maximum
- You cannot exceed 8 images
Budget Ranges
Budget ranges appear as selectable options on the Inquiry Form.
Default ranges:
- $0–$100
- $100–$200
- $200–$300
- $300–$400
- $400–$500
- Over $500
You may add, edit, or remove ranges.
If no custom ranges are set, the form defaults to the list above.
Inquiry Lead Times
Lead times control how far in advance customers can request fulfillment.
Default values:
- Minimum Lead Days: 1
- Maximum Lead Days: 365
- Maximum Lead Days with Weddings subscription: 1000
If Minimum Lead Days remains set to 1, customers may submit next-day requests.
When setting lead times, consider the entire inquiry workflow, including:
- Time to review the inquiry
- Time to quote and communicate
- Payment collection
- Production scheduling
Quote Expiration
Quotes created from inquiries include an expiration date.
- Default expiration: 30 days
- This value may be adjusted based on your policies
Expired quotes must be resent if the customer wishes to move forward.
Email Behavior for Inquiries
The email address entered in Inquiry Settings is used only for notifications when:
- A new inquiry is submitted
- A customer replies to an inquiry
This email does not manage the inquiry.
All communication, quoting, and order actions occur inside the BakeSmart app.
Customers are directed back to their inquiry thread for ongoing communication.
Company Branding on the Inquiry Form
The Inquiry Form automatically uses your existing company branding, including:
- Company name
- Address
- Phone number
- Logo
- Website colors
These fields cannot be edited from the Inquiries settings page.
To update branding, go to:
Settings → Company → Company Information
Assigning Employees to Inquiries
Requirements for Inquiry Access
Only certain users can be assigned to manage inquiries:
- Must be an email-based user (PIN-only users are not eligible)
- Must have Shift Supervisor permissions or higher
- All Admin users automatically have access
Assigning Additional Employees
At the bottom of the Inquiries settings page:
- Select an eligible employee from the dropdown
- Click Assign Permission
- Click Save Settings
Only assigned employees will see and access the Inquiries Inbox.
Setting Up Occasions
Occasions appear as a dropdown option on the public Inquiry Form.
Navigate to:
Dashboard → Settings → Orders → Occasions
Common examples include:
- Birthday
- Anniversary
- Wedding
- Graduation
- Baby Shower
- Corporate Event
Adding an Occasion
- Click Add Occasion
- Enter the occasion name
- Click Save
Customers will select from these options when submitting an inquiry.
Video Walkthrough
Video coming soon
Related Article
- Understanding Inquiries in BakeSmart
Keywords
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