Besides the fields that Operate comes preconfigured with, you can add your own custom fields, for various sections of the system.
This is a general guide on custom fields and there are several field types. To learn more about setting up each field type, please read Custom Field Types and How to Set Them Up.
To customize the fields of a particular section, go to Settings > Customize; select your desired section and then choose Custom Fields.
For the purpose of this guide, we will create a custom field for the Accounts section. Therefore, we will go to Settings > Customize > Accounts > Custom Fields.
Click New, on the right side of the screen, to start creating a new custom field.
Step 1. Choose Your Field Type
Specify the type of information that the custom field will contain. Please check the dedicated guide on Custom Field Types and How to Set Them Up, for in-depth information on eac of them.
Checkbox - Allows users to select a True (checked) or False (unchecked) value.
Currency - Allows users to enter a dollar or other currency amount and automatically formats the field as a currency amount. This can be useful if you export data to Excel or another spreadsheet.
Date - Allows users to enter a date or pick a date from a popup calendar.
Date/Time - Allows users to enter a date and time, or pick a date from a popup calendar. When users click a date in the popup, that date and the current time are entered into the Date/Time field.
Email - Allows users to enter an email address, which is validated to ensure proper format. If this field is specified for a contact or lead, users can choose the address when clicking Send an Email. Note that custom email addresses cannot be used for mass emails.
Google Maps - Allows users to set the location of something using the google map functions
HTML Editor - Allows users to edit text using an html editor
Mobile/Cell - Allows users to enter any mobile/cell number. Automatically formats it as a mobile/cell number.
Number - Allows users to enter any number. Leading zeros are removed.
Percent - Allows users to enter a percentage number, for example, '10' and automatically adds the percent sign to the number.
Phone - Allows users to enter any phone number. Automatically formats it as a phone number.
Picklist - Allows users to select a value from a list you define.
Picklist (Multi-Select) - Allows users to select multiple values from a list you define.
Text - Allows users to enter any combination of letters and numbers
Text Area - Allows users to enter up to 255 characters on separate lines.
Text Area (Encrypted) - Allows users to enter any combination of letters and numbers and store them in encrypted form.
Text Area (Long) - Allows users to enter up to 4,000 characters on separate lines.
URL - Allows users to enter any valid website address. When users click on the field, the URL will open in a separate browser window.
For this guide, we will add a Picklist field (a dropdown) which will allow you to define items and then choose from them when using the field. For example, you might want to set up a preferred communication method for the account; according to what your customer or prospect prefers. Therefore, you can set up a picklist that would contain: Phone, Email, SMS.
Once you choose your type of field, click Next, on the right side of your screen. From this point on, your setup will be different, according to the type of field you’re choosing.
Step 2. Enter the details
The next screen allows you to set the details of your field:
Enter a field label - This is the field label text that will be displayed within the system.
Picklist values - These are the values that will be displayed within your picklist and which you will be able to choose from.
Sort values alphabetically, not in the order entered. Values will be displayed alphabetically everywhere, by checking the checkbox.
Use the first value as default value - also by checking the checkbox next to the option.
Add a Field Name - This field name will be used in the back end of the system; for instance as a way to retrieve the information using merge fields.
Enter a description that will show up as a field description within Operate.
Enter a Help Text - This is a text that is being displayed as a hint on how to use the field.
Check the checkbox if you would like to make the field Required
Note - If you would like to use this custom field on a template, please ensure that you include a description as the merge fields require this to generate correctly
Click Save to save your field. The custom field will now need to add the field using Page Layout to be visible. It will NOT directly display when you want to create a new account; you will need to add it to the page layout first.
Once your fields are saved and included onto a Page Layout, you can use them in your records, as well as document or email templates, just like any other field.
Transferring Data between Custom Fields
If you would like the data that populates a custom field on a Lead to be transferred to an Opportunity upon conversion, then to a subsequent Licence, please configure Operate as follows:
Create the custom field within all modules between which you want it to transfer; e.g.: in Settings > Customize > Leads / Opportunities / Licences.
Make sure that the name of the field is identical everywhere, including capitalization. If your field includes values (e.g.: a picklist), then the values will also need to be identical, including capitalization.