Custom Fields — StudioM Platform Guide¶
Who this guide is for: Anyone who wants to capture and store additional information on contacts, deals, or companies that isn't covered by the standard fields. Time to read: Approximately 8 minutes
What Are Custom Fields?¶
The platform comes with standard fields for every contact — name, email, phone, address, and so on. But every business is different. A real estate agent needs to track property type and budget. A personal trainer needs to track fitness goals and session packages. A B2B company needs to track company size and industry.
Custom fields let you add any extra data fields you need, so your contact records hold the information that actually matters to your business.
Once created, custom fields appear on contact records, can be used to filter Smart Lists, can be included in emails and SMS via merge tags, and can be used as conditions in automated workflows.
Need StudioM Support for This? Custom field creation and management is available to account admins. If you'd like StudioM to set up custom fields for your account, contact us and we'll configure them for you.
How to Get There¶
Navigate to: Settings (gear icon, left sidebar) → Custom Fields
Where Custom Fields Apply¶
You can create custom fields for three different record types:
| Record Type | Where They Appear |
|---|---|
| Contact | On the contact record — the most common type |
| Opportunity | On deal/opportunity records in your pipeline |
| Company | On company records (if your account uses the Companies feature) |
When creating a field, choose the correct record type — contact fields only appear on contact records, and so on.
Field Types¶
Choose the right field type for the data you're capturing:
| Field Type | Best For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Single Line Text | Short text entries | Job title, suburb, referral name |
| Multi Line Text | Longer notes or descriptions | Special requirements, background notes |
| Number | Numeric values | Budget, annual revenue, number of employees |
| Decimal | Numbers with decimals | Commission rate (2.5%), square metres |
| Phone | Additional phone numbers | Work phone, mobile (secondary) |
| Additional email addresses | Work email, accounts email | |
| Date | Date values | Contract start date, renewal date, birthday |
| Date + Time | Date and time combined | Appointment preference, event time |
| Dropdown | Single choice from a list | Lead source, service tier, state/region |
| Multi-Select | Multiple choices from a list | Interests, services used, communication preferences |
| Radio Button | Single choice (displayed as radio buttons) | Yes/No, Tier 1/2/3 |
| Checkbox | True/False toggle | Opted in to newsletter, VIP client |
| File Upload | Attach documents or images | Signed agreement, ID photo |
| Monetary | Currency amounts | Deal value, budget, outstanding balance |
| Score | Numeric score | Lead score, satisfaction rating |
| Signature | Capture a signature | (Typically used in forms or documents) |
Creating a Custom Field¶
- Go to Settings → Custom Fields
- Select the record type tab: Contact, Opportunity, or Company
- Click + Add Field
- Choose the Field Type
- Enter a Field Label — this is the name that appears on the record (e.g., "Budget Range", "Renewal Date")
- For Dropdown, Multi-Select, or Radio fields: add the available options
- Optionally add a Placeholder — hint text shown inside an empty field
- Click Save
The field now appears on all records of that type.
Field Groups¶
If you have many custom fields, organise them into groups to keep records tidy.
- Field groups appear as collapsible sections on the contact record
- Create a group: Settings → Custom Fields → + Add Group
- Drag fields into the group to assign them
- Groups can be expanded or collapsed when viewing a contact
Example groups: "Lead Information", "Service Details", "Billing", "Preferences"
Using Custom Fields¶
On Contact Records¶
After creating a field, it appears on every contact record. Open any contact and scroll to the custom fields section to fill in values.
Tip: Enable Hide Empty Fields on a contact record to show only the fields that have data — useful when you have many custom fields but only a few are relevant to each contact.
In Smart List Filters¶
Filter contacts by custom field values. For example: filter by "Budget Range = $5,000–$10,000" to find all contacts in that tier.
Go to Contacts → + Add Filter → Custom Fields and select the field you want to filter by.
In Emails and SMS (Merge Tags)¶
Insert custom field values directly into message content using merge tags — the platform fills in the actual value for each contact when the message sends.
Merge tag format: {{contact.custom_field_name}}
The exact merge tag for each field is shown in Settings → Custom Fields next to the field name.
Example: A custom field called "First Appointment Date" might have the merge tag {{contact.first_appointment_date}} — use this in an email to personalise the message with that specific contact's date.
In Workflow Conditions (If/Else)¶
Use custom field values as conditions in automated workflows. For example: - If "Service Tier" = "Premium" → send premium onboarding email - If "Renewal Date" is within 30 days → trigger a renewal reminder sequence
In Forms¶
When building forms, add custom fields as form questions so the answers populate directly into the contact record — no manual data entry needed.
Editing a Custom Field¶
- Go to Settings → Custom Fields
- Find the field and click the edit (pencil) icon
- Update the label, options, or settings
- Click Save
Note: Changing a field label doesn't delete any existing data — the stored values remain, just with the new label displayed.
Reordering Custom Fields¶
Drag and drop fields within Settings → Custom Fields to change the order they appear on contact records.
Deleting a Custom Field¶
Warning: Deleting a custom field permanently removes it and all the data stored in it across every contact record. This cannot be undone.
Only delete a field if you're certain the data is no longer needed. Consider renaming or repurposing a field rather than deleting it if you're unsure.
To delete: Settings → Custom Fields → find the field → click the delete (trash) icon → confirm.
Importing Data into Custom Fields¶
When importing contacts via CSV, you can map columns in your spreadsheet to custom fields. This lets you bulk-populate custom field data for many contacts at once.
During the import process, you'll see a column-mapping step where you can match each CSV column to the appropriate field (standard or custom).
Need StudioM Support for This? If you need help setting up a CSV import that includes custom field data, contact StudioM Support and we can assist.
Best Practices¶
- Plan your fields before creating them — think about what data you actually need to store, filter by, or use in messages
- Use Dropdown or Multi-Select for consistent data — free-text fields lead to inconsistent entries ("NSW", "nsw", "New South Wales" all mean the same thing but won't filter the same way)
- Use field groups — if you have more than 5–6 custom fields, organise them into logical groups
- Name fields clearly — use names your whole team will understand ("Lead Source" not "Src")
- Don't duplicate standard fields — check whether the platform already has a built-in field before creating a custom one (e.g., there's already a built-in "Date of Birth" field)
Common Questions¶
Q: How many custom fields can I have? There's no strict limit on the number of custom fields. Keep it manageable — too many fields can make contact records hard to navigate.
Q: Can I use custom fields in automated workflows? Yes — custom field values can be used as If/Else conditions and can be updated by workflow actions ("Update Contact Field").
Q: Can I add custom fields to forms so they're filled in automatically? Yes — when building a form, custom fields appear in the field options alongside standard fields. Data submitted through the form populates the field on the contact record.
Q: If I add a new custom field, does it appear on existing contacts? Yes — the field appears on all contact records immediately, but it will be empty until data is added (manually, via import, or via form submission).
Q: What's a merge tag and how do I find the right one for my field? A merge tag is a placeholder in your message text that gets replaced with the actual field value when the message sends. Find your field's exact merge tag in Settings → Custom Fields — it's listed next to each field name.
Need Help?¶
Contact StudioM Support any time.
- Email: support@makoa.us
- Live Chat: Available inside the platform
Related guides: Contacts and CRM · Smart Lists · Workflows (Automations) · Forms and Surveys