Create Custom Fields Across User Profiles, Organisational Profiles, Stories, and Opportunities (or Activities, Sessions) and Reports

Objectives:

1. Learn the basics of the Custom Field feature
2. Learn how to add a custom field (for portal administrators only)
3. Learn how to edit the values of a custom field
4. Learn how the custom fields reflect on insights

Introduction

The Custom Fields feature allows your platform to put additional fields on the details of opportunities, users, organisations, and stories. The registration form for adding an entry of these entities would contain the custom fields. 

At the same time, custom fields would also show on the details of the existing entries of these entities and may be updated when you choose to. 

If you want to add custom fields, contact your platform administrator.

Adding a Custom Field

Note: Portal administration rights are needed to add a custom field.

All changes can be made from the Setup Panel. Click [Settings] on the left-hand sidebar.

Scroll below and select "Custom fields" under the System Settings tab.

To add a custom field, click the [Add a Custom Field] box.

Always be careful when setting up custom fields. Editing them might become problematic later on.

There are four fields you should fill out about the basic information of your custom field:

1. Field Name
   • Enter a suitable name for the field that would make it easy to identify.
2. Description
   • Provide a short explanation about the meaning of this field.
3. Type of Field
   • Tick the type you want to use. As of now, the only available option is a "Flat List". More options are coming soon.
4. Allow users to add entries on the go
   • Enable this option to give a user the chance to add his own entry or value.

The "Mapping Details Per Entity Type" lets you select which type of entity (opportunities, organisations, users, stories) the custom field would appear.

To apply the custom field on an entity, just click the appropriate slider to YES.

Note: You can select more than one type of entity you wish the custom field would appear.

This is how a custom field looks like if you enable it on all entity types (users, opportunities, organisations, stories).

Let us say we have created a custom field called "Country" which is shown on all entity types.

Custom Field on Users

Custom Field on Opportunities

Custom Field on Organisations

Custom Field on Stories

After you click a slider to YES, there are two additional options shown:

1. Required
   • This requires the user to fill out the custom field field.
2. Multiple Values Allowed
   • This provides the user to select more than one value or answer.

Once you are satisfied, click [Save].

After that, you will brought to a page where you can input values for the newly added custom field.

Note: One value per line.

Once you are done, click [Save].

Changing a Field's Values

Like adding a custom field, editing a custom field's values is done from from the Setup Panel and on the "Custom Fields" under the System Settings tab. If you are unsure how to get here, check the steps above.

As a super administrator, your access is only limited to changing the values of an existing custom field.

Note: If you want to edit an existing field or add another one, contact your platform administrator.

Click the name of the custom field to open a drop-down.

Then, click [Edit Values].

There are three actions you can take:

1. If you wish to rename an existing value, simply replace the entry under the "Value" column.

2. If you want to delete or inactivate a value, untick the box under the "Active" column.

3. You can also add new values by entering your desired value name on the New Values box.

   Note: One value per line.

Once you are satisfied with the changes, click [Save].

How Custom Fields Reflect on Insights

Custom Fields reflect on insights — specifically on the "Attendees" and "Users" reports — as filters, which help users specify and isolate data on reports.

Carrying over from the example above, the "Country" custom field is enabled on all entity types.

Custom Field on Attendees Insight

Custom Field on Users Insight

Custom fields also have an influence on your Susurate graphs. You can select to see data for projects/ beneficiaries that have a specific custom field when creating a graph. Read more about Susurate here

For more information:

• Custom Fields: Additional Fields for Additional Needs
• Create Custom Fields Across Different Entities