Gift Message Form Setup Guide

A gift-message form gives the packing team the exact text to print or write on a card. This setup separates recipient, sender, and message so the buyer does not need to format the entire note. Use COLY to collect the details on the relevant gift products.

Setup tutorial · COLY · Updated 2026-09-07 · By Activory

Try the storefront example

Select Yes to show the dependent fields. Enter some text, then select No. Use Phone width to check the form on a small screen.

Storefront example

This example uses COLY storefront code with sample data and the settings below. Your theme’s fonts and available width can change the result. Example links show their destination; purchase controls use a sample cart. Use the checks below to confirm the finished setup in your store.

Build it in COLY

The images below show the COLY form code with local sample data, captured on 2026-09-07. Shopify navigation and action bars are outside the cropped area.

1. Name the form

Open COLY → Forms and create a form. Enter Gift Message Form in Form name. This name is for your admin. Set Status to Published when you are ready to save the finished setup.

COLY Form name set to Gift Message Form and Status set to Published — Use a name that helps you identify the form in COLY. Select the image to view it at full size.

2. Add and configure the fields

Open the first field card. Choose its Field type, then enter the settings below. Select Add field for each further row. Keep the fields in the listed order. Leave Placeholder blank and Display fields based on quantity off for these examples. Keep Pricing rule at None, where shown, and option price adjustments off.

Open each field below to see its full settings and screenshot.

1. Include a gift note — Radio button

Set Field type to Radio button and Label to Include a gift note.
Select Is mandatory. Clear Hide by default.
Leave Helper text blank for this example.

In Options, enter one choice per line:

Yes
No

COLY Radio button settings for Include a gift note in Gift Message Form — Match the label, helper text, and field settings shown here. Select the image to view it at full size.

2. Recipient name — Text field

Set Field type to Text field and Label to Recipient name.
Select Is mandatory. Select Hide by default.
In Helper text, enter: Name to print on the card.
Leave Minimum characters blank. Leave Maximum characters blank.

COLY Text field settings for Recipient name in Gift Message Form — Match the label, helper text, and field settings shown here. Select the image to view it at full size.

3. Sender name — Text field

Set Field type to Text field and Label to Sender name.
Clear Is mandatory. Select Hide by default.
In Helper text, enter: Leave blank for an unsigned card.
Leave Minimum characters blank. Leave Maximum characters blank.

COLY Text field settings for Sender name in Gift Message Form — Match the label, helper text, and field settings shown here. Select the image to view it at full size.

4. Gift message — Textarea

Set Field type to Textarea and Label to Gift message.
Select Is mandatory. Select Hide by default.
In Helper text, enter: Up to 250 characters. Check the spelling before you continue.
Leave Minimum characters blank. Set Maximum characters to 250.

COLY Textarea settings for Gift message in Gift Message Form — Match the label, helper text, and field settings shown here. Select the image to view it at full size.

5. Packing note — Textarea

Set Field type to Textarea and Label to Packing note.
Clear Is mandatory. Clear Hide by default.
In Helper text, enter: Packing instructions for this item.
Leave Minimum characters blank. Leave Maximum characters blank.

COLY Textarea settings for Packing note in Gift Message Form — Match the label, helper text, and field settings shown here. Select the image to view it at full size.

3. Review the field list

Select Collapse in each field card to check the labels and order. Required fields must show Is mandatory when you open them. The helper text should tell customers what to enter.

Completed COLY field list for Gift Message Form — Check all 5 fields before you set the display rules. Select the image to view it at full size.

4. Show the dependent fields after Yes

Open Field condition and select Set up conditions. This step needs a plan with conditional fields. Keep Hide by default selected on the dependent fields shown above.

Set If field to Include a gift note, Operator to equal, and Value to Yes. Set Then field to Recipient name and Then action to Show field. Select Add condition for the next rule.
Set If field to Include a gift note, Operator to equal, and Value to Yes. Set Then field to Sender name and Then action to Show field. Select Add condition for the next rule.
Set If field to Include a gift note, Operator to equal, and Value to Yes. Set Then field to Gift message and Then action to Show field.

COLY conditional rules that show the dependent fields in Gift Message Form when Include a gift note equals Yes — Check both the triggering field and the field that each rule shows. Select the image to view it at full size.

5. Choose product-page placement

Under Storefront placement, set Show this form on to Product pages. This matches the storefront example above.

COLY Storefront placement set to Product pages for Gift Message Form — Use Product pages to collect details for the item the customer is buying. Select the image to view it at full size.

6. Limit the form to your test products

In Shopify, add the product tag gift-message-form to your test product and save it. In COLY, open Display condition, set Attribute to Tagged with, then enter gift-message-form in Matches with and select the matching option. Only add this tag to products that should use this form.

COLY Display condition set to Tagged with and gift-message-form — The same tag must be present on the Shopify product and in this form rule. Select the image to view it at full size.

7. Save and check the storefront

Check the form fields and rules, then select Save in COLY. Open the test product template in the Shopify theme editor. Add Coly - Form fields near the purchase controls, keep the default field design for this example, and save the theme.

Open the tagged product in the storefront and enter test details. Select Yes and No to check that the dependent fields appear and disappear. Add the item to the cart and check its submitted details. Complete the finished setup checks before you use the form on products for sale. See the COLY setup guide for the Shopify theme controls.

Example settings

Include a gift note: Required; choices: Yes; No.
Recipient name: Required; hidden until Yes is selected. Helper text: “Name to print on the card.”
Sender name: Optional; hidden until Yes is selected. Helper text: “Leave blank for an unsigned card.”
Gift message: Required; hidden until Yes is selected; maximum 250 characters. Helper text: “Up to 250 characters. Check the spelling before you continue.”
Packing note: Optional. Helper text: “Packing instructions for this item.”

Sample data and content

Use these values for a test. Replace them with checked product data, published destinations, and offers that your store can supply.

Field label	Field type	Required setting	Configuration note
Include a gift note	Radio	Required	Yes; No
Recipient name	Text	Required when shown	Show when gift note is Yes
Sender name	Text	Optional	Leave blank for an unsigned note
Gift message	Textarea	Required when shown	Maximum 250 characters
Packing note	Textarea	Optional	Instructions for this item only

Which gift-note fields should be required?

Require the gift message and recipient only when a gift note is selected. Keep the sender optional if unsigned cards are allowed. Keep gift notes separate from shipping addresses and delivery instructions. State the card’s text limit before the buyer types.

Confirm the card format and maximum message length with the packing team. Decide how line breaks and special characters are handled.
Create a gift-note choice and show the message fields only when requested. Set the text limit in the form.
Explain that shipping details still belong in checkout. Avoid collecting a duplicate address in the note form.
Place the form on gift products and test two differently personalised items in the same cart.

Read the COLY setup guide for the full app controls and placement options.

Check the finished setup

Confirm that each cart item keeps its own recipient and message.
Test a multi-line message and compare the order value with the intended printed note.
Complete an unsigned-note order and confirm that the optional sender field does not block purchase.

Common mistakes

Do not describe packing notes as guaranteed shipping or delivery instructions.
Do not collect recipient contact details that your card-printing process does not need.

Supported use

This plan collects product order details. It does not configure fees, stock, appointments, or shipping services. Check plan access for conditional fields. Test each purchase route in your theme and verify that the intended details reach the order before you accept custom work.

COLY features, current app plans, and COLY conditional logic explain the supported setup.

Browse all COLY tutorials. Read how the examples are made or report a correction.