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Configure Custom Fields

Updated

Custom fields store the information an organization captures on SmartSimple entities such as contacts, organizations, roles, and activities. Global administrators use custom fields to reach the custom fields list, find and filter existing fields, edit a field, import and export fields between entities or instances, and apply a script that changes entered text to uppercase or lowercase. For field-level definitions of every setting, see Custom Field Settings Reference.

Who: Global administrators

When to Use Custom Fields

Configure custom fields when:

  • A new entity needs fields to capture information that standard fields do not cover.
  • An existing custom field must be updated, for example to change its caption, display order, or permissions.
  • A set of fields needs to be reused on another entity or moved to a different SmartSimple instance.
  • Entered text must be standardized to uppercase or lowercase automatically.

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Access Custom Fields

Custom Fields appears under each tab in Global Settings and shows only the fields related to that tab's purpose.

To open the custom fields list from Global Settings:

  1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar, and then select Global Settings.
  2. Click the relevant tab.
    • Custom fields are located on the Organizations, User, Associations, and Transactions tabs.
  3. Click Custom Fields.
  4. Click the New Field [+] button to add a new custom field.

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Edit a Custom Field

To edit an existing custom field:

  1. Navigate to the custom fields list for the applicable entity.
  2. Click the edit [pencil] icon to the left of the custom field name.
  3. Make the necessary edits, and then click Save. See Custom Fields Settings Reference for field level definitions.

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Import and Export Custom Fields

The Import and Export features transfer or duplicate custom fields between entities or between different SmartSimple instances. Custom fields are exported and imported in XML format.

To export and then import custom fields:

  1. Navigate to the custom fields list for the applicable entity.
  2. Click the Export button at the top of the list. 
    • A User Custom Fields window displays the custom field settings in XML format.
  3. Click Copy. 
    • The block can be edited in a text editor, for example to adjust display order.
  4. Open the target custom fields list, and then click the Import button.
    • An Import Custom Fields window opens.
  5. Click the text box, paste the XML block into the text area, and then click Import.

Custom field IDs are unique within the system, so they are not copied. Newly created fields receive new IDs.

IMPORTANT  Most field settings are included in the copied fields. The following are not copied: field permissions, any field permission matrix assigned to the original custom field, any Value Stores To setting assigned to the original custom field, and the Description setting. Field permissions and field permission matrices can be assigned to the new fields using the Batch Update feature.

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Change Field Text to Uppercase or Lowercase

A script added to the Custom HTML Tag box can change the case of text a user enters in a custom field. The script runs as soon as the user enters a value and clicks outside the field, without requiring a save.

Example

To convert entered text to uppercase, add the following to the Custom HTML Tag box:

onChange="this.value=this.value.toUpperCase();"

 

Example

To convert entered text to lowercase:

onChange="this.value=this.value.toLowerCase();"

 

Example

The onBlur event can be used instead of onChange:

onblur="this.value=this.value.toUpperCase()"
  • onBlur triggers when focus moves away from the current field.
  • onChange triggers when the content of the field has changed.

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