This article explains how to create new custom field categories, fields, and values. For information about how to edit custom fields, view Edit Categories, Custom Fields, and Values.
To understand what custom fields are, where they are used in Bloomerang CRM, and how are they are structured and organized, view Custom Field Basics.
Create Categories
Each custom field location is organized into categories. Categories contain custom fields that track related information.
To create a new category:
Click Settings.
Click Custom Data.
On the Constituents, Transactions, Interactions, or Notes tile, click Select.
Click New Category.
Name the category and click Save.
Create Custom Fields
Data fields are critical to the success of your custom field. When you create a custom field, you choose two data types:
What data is entered into the field
How that data is entered
This combination affects how useful the custom field is later. See Custom Field Basics for more details and examples.
Warning: After you click Save, you cannot change the Type settings.
To create a new custom field in a category:
Click Settings.
Click Custom Data.
On the Constituents, Transactions, Interactions, or Notes tile, click Select.
Click New Field.
Enter a descriptive Name that describes the data you're capturing.
(Optional) To require users to enter data in this field, select Required.
To keep this field active, keep the Active checkbox selected. Active fields appear on data entry screens. To deactivate this field, clear the checkbox.
From the What kind of data goes in this field list, select a data type:
Text: Any text character
Date: Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
Date (Year Only): Four-digit years
Number: Any numbers. Decimal and two decimal places are optional.
Currency: Numbers with a decimal and two decimal places.
From the How Do You Enter Data in This Field list, select a data type:
Type It In: Any value within the field's data type.
Pick 1 Value from a List: Users pick one predefined value from a menu. You set up the values.
Pick Multiple Values from a List: Users pick multiple predefined values from a list. You set up the values.
Tip: If you need to filter on a text field's data and you can set reasonable predefined values for the field, set up the field as a Pick 1 Value from a List or Pick Multiple Values from a List. If you can't predefine the values, create a policy for how freeform text should be entered. For example, should universities be entered as YU, Yale Univ, Yale, or Yale University?
Click Save.
Create Values for Custom Fields
When you create a custom field, if you select the Pick 1 Value from a List or Pick Multiple Values from a List data type, you must enter values for the list.
To create new values for a custom field:
Click Settings.
Click Custom Data.
On the Constituents tile, click Select.
Click a custom field.
In the Available Values section, click New Value.
In the Value text box, enter a name.
Click Save.
To add more values, repeat these steps.