Manage Custom Fields for Contacts

The main Contacts feature, the ability to add custom fields enables users to manage more specific contact items than the fixed fields provide. Also, these Custom Fields (UDFs) can be used in contact reports and filters that are defined by the user.

  1. Click CRM > Contacts >Admin > Custom fields

  2. By default, no custom fields are defined for an organization. In order to add custom fields, click the Add Custom Field button on the screen.

  3. A pop-up window will appear. The user can see the display name on the next screen.

  4. Type in the name you wish to have a custom field displayed. Select the field type, more detailed description about field type is mentioned in the next section.

  5. Checkmark if you want to see the field in list screen or make it as a mandatory field. Select the section name from the dropdown.

  6. When you have finished filling in the fields, click Add to save the custom field and have it displayed in the Contacts application.

  7. If you want to edit an existing custom field, click the icon to the right of the custom field you want to edit.

  8. You can also configure a list item. To learn more details about configuring an item, click here.

Field Type

Custom fields allow you to choose from a variety of field types, each of which has a different function. You can choose the field type from the drop-down list. More information about the Field Types is described as follows:

Field

Description

Boolean

Shows a checkbox that can have two values; checked (means yes) and unchecked (means no).

Calculated Field

The calculated field is created by using a formula. The values of these fields are constant or depend on other fields. They cannot be changed from the edit screen.

Currency

The currency field holds values for the currency. It is a numeric field that allows two decimal places to be entered (i.e., 120.00).

Date

A date field shows up with a calendar icon. It can be clicked to select a date to insert into the field. Dates can also be added manually to the field using the "mm/dd/yyyy" format. Date fields are validated to ensure that an actual date is entered.

Date Time

A date/time field is similar to a date field, with the addition of a time selector drop-down list.

Email

A text field in which an email address is typed. It is validated to ensure that an email address is correctly entered.

Float

A number that contains a decimal point. This field is validated to ensure only a numeric value is entered.

Hyperlink

A field that can store a URL. When a user clicks on the URL, a new window takes the user to the site.

List

This provides a drop-down list for the user. List field types must be configured by an administrator by adding list values to the list (see Configuring List Fields, for further information).

List - Account

Shows a drop-down list that shows all the existing Accounts in the organization.

List - Lookup

A text lookup field displays with a (...) button next to it. Text can be directly added or selected from a list of values that appears when the button is clicked. The values that appear come from the corresponding field of other contacts that have been entered.

List - Multi-Select

This is a drop-down list where each list item also has a checkbox associated with it. Multiple items can be selected by clicking on these checkboxes.

List - Owner

A list that shows owners of the object.

List - Parent-Child

A parent child list is a two drop-down box. The value of the child drop-down box depends on the parent drop-down box.

List - Pick

Allows selection from a list of items.

List - User

A drop-down list that contains the current OfficeClip group users.

Number

A number-only field. This field is validated upon saving to ensure that only a numeric value is added.

Text - Short

A text field that can contain up to 30 characters.

Text

A text box that can contain up to 255 characters.

Text - Long

A text box that can contain up to 5000 characters.

Required Fields

If you wish to make certain fields mandatory when information is entered, either for a new or existing contact, check the box beside the Required? field. The fields will appear with an asterisk (*) next to them in the Contact Summary screen.

Restricting a Field Edit-ability by Role

To make certain fields editable by only certain roles in your organization:

  • Click CRM > Contacts >Admin > Custom fields
  • Click on the edit icon in the Actions column.
  • Select the role you wish to grant edit privileges from the drop-down list.

By default, the "All Users" role has edit privileges for each field. Selecting a particular role to have edit-ability privileges means that other roles will not be able to make any changes to that particular custom field. For managing roles and privileges for users, click Settings > Organization settings > Privileges > Role Privileges.

settings roles privileges

From this screen, the administrator can set up roles and privileges for various users.

To go to the next Admin screen, click on the Next button.

To go back to the Contacts list screen, click on the icon.

contacts next screen