Custom Fields
Custom Fields let you add your own data fields to BusinessHRM's records. If the built-in forms do not capture something your agency needs — a referral source, a project budget code, a T-shirt size, an account number — you can add a custom field for it. Once added, the field appears on that record's add and edit forms, and (if you choose) in list tables and exports.
The page groups your existing custom fields by the module they belong to. Each module shows how many fields it has. Click View Fields on a module to expand a table listing each field with its type, possible values, and its Required, Show in Table, and Export settings.
Which records support custom fields
Custom fields are organised by "field groups", and each group corresponds to a record type (module) in BusinessHRM. When you add a field you pick which module it belongs to from the Module dropdown. The modules available are whatever field groups your installation provides — these typically include core records such as Employees, Contacts/Clients, Projects, Tasks, Leads/Deals, Products, and similar. Only the modules offered in the dropdown can have custom fields; if a record type is not listed, it does not support them.
Field types
When creating a field you choose its type. The available types are:
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Text | A single-line text box for short free text. |
| Number | A box that accepts numeric values only. |
| Password | A masked text box that hides what is typed (useful for sensitive values). |
| Textarea | A larger multi-line text box for longer notes. |
| Select | A dropdown list. You supply the list of options to choose from. |
| Radio | A set of radio buttons where one option can be chosen. You supply the options. |
| Date | A date picker. |
| Checkbox | One or more checkbox options. You supply the options. |
| File | An upload box so users can attach a file to the record. |
The Select, Radio, and Checkbox types require you to enter the list of choices. For all other types, no value list is needed.
Adding a custom field
- On the Custom Fields page, click Add Field.
- Choose the Module the field belongs to.
- Enter a Label — the wording users will see next to the field.
- Choose whether the field is Required (Yes or No).
- Pick the field Type.
- Tick Show in Table and/or Export if you want the field to appear in list views and exported files.
- If you chose Select, Radio, or Checkbox, a Value section appears. Enter each option in its own box, and click Add Item to add more option boxes (use the Delete link to remove one).
- Click Save. The page reloads and the new field appears under its module.
Field options
| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| Module | The record type the custom field is attached to. The field will appear on that record's add and edit forms. |
| Label | The visible name of the field shown to users on the form, list table, and export. Required. |
| Required | If Yes, users must fill this field in before the record can be saved. If No, the field is optional. |
| Field Type | Controls the kind of input shown (see the field types table above). The type cannot be changed after the field is created. |
| Show in Table | If ticked, the field's value appears as a column in that module's list/table view. |
| Export | If ticked, the field's value is included when that module's records are exported. |
| Value (options) | For Select, Radio, and Checkbox types only: the list of choices users can pick from. Add one box per option; use Add Item for more and Delete to remove. |
A short machine-readable name is generated automatically from the Label, so you only need to enter the human-friendly Label.
Editing a custom field
- On the Custom Fields page, click View Fields on the module to expand its list.
- Find the field and click Edit.
- The edit window opens. You can change the Label, the Required setting, the Show in Table setting, the Export setting, and (for Select, Radio, and Checkbox fields) the list of options.
- The Module and Field Type are shown but cannot be changed — they are fixed when the field is created.
- Click Save.
If you need a different module or a different field type, delete the field and create a new one.
Deleting a custom field
- Expand the module with View Fields.
- Find the field and click Delete.
- Confirm the prompt.
The field is removed and the module's field count updates. If it was the only field in that module, the module group disappears from the list. Deleting a field removes it from the forms going forward.
Ordering of fields
Fields are listed and presented in the order they were created within each module. There is no drag-to-reorder control on this page, so add fields in the sequence you want them to appear.
Importing custom fields
If your installation includes the company-setup import tools, an Import button appears next to Add Field. This lets you bulk-load custom field definitions from a prepared file instead of adding them one at a time.
Permission
Access to this page is controlled by the Manage Custom Field Setting permission (manage_custom_field_setting). A user must have this set to "All" to open Custom Fields and to add, edit, or delete fields. Without it, the page is blocked.
Tips
- Decide the field type carefully before saving — type cannot be changed afterward, and changing it later means deleting and recreating the field (losing the older saved values for it).
- Turn on Show in Table only for the few fields you genuinely scan at a glance; too many extra columns make list views crowded.
- Turn on Export for any field you need in reports or spreadsheets pulled out of BusinessHRM.
- Use Required sparingly. A required field blocks saving the whole record until it is filled, which can frustrate quick data entry.
- For Select, Radio, and Checkbox fields, keep option wording short and consistent so the data stays easy to filter and report on.
- Use the Password type for values that should be hidden on screen, and the File type when you need a document attached rather than typed text.