​

Custom Fields: Organize Contacts and Send Smarter Messages

Custom fields let you save the contact details that matter. Think region, location, membership type, assigned rep, renewal month, program, or any other contact detail you need to track. That matters because once the data is on the contact, you can use it. You can filter contacts by a custom field, save that filter as a reusable list, and come back to it anytime. Then you can select that group and send the right message to the right people. Custom fields turn contact data into action.

---

​

What are custom fields?

A custom field is a contact field you create yourself. Use custom fields when the default contact fields aren’t enough for how your team works. They help you track the details you care about, keep your contacts organized, and build reusable groups for outreach. For example, you might create custom fields for:

• Region
• Store location
• Customer type
• Assigned rep
• Renewal month
• Membership status
• Campus
• Lead source

---

​

Why custom fields matter

Custom fields help you do more than store data. They help you group contacts in a way that matches your business. Once that data is saved, you can:

• filter contacts by a specific field value
• save that filter as a reusable list
• return to that list anytime
• select contacts in that list
• send a message to that group fast

That means less manual sorting, fewer mistakes, and faster outreach.

---

​

Access custom fields

1. Click your profile icon (top-right).
2. Select Settings.
3. Under Workspace Settings, click Custom Fields.

---

​

Create a custom field

1. Go to Settings → Workspace Settings → Custom Fields.
2. Click Create Custom Field.
3. Enter a name for the field (e.g., “Customer ID”, “Account Type”).
4. Select a field type (see supported types below).
5. Click Save.

---

​

Supported field types

---

​

Edit a custom field

1. Go to Settings → Workspace Settings → Custom Fields.
2. Find the field you want to update.
3. Click to edit the field name or configuration.
4. Click Save.

---

​

Delete a custom field

1. Go to Settings → Workspace Settings → Custom Fields.
2. Find the field you want to remove.
3. Click Delete.
4. Confirm the deletion.

---

​

Where custom fields appear

• Contact details — View and edit custom field values on any contact record from the Inbox or Contacts module.
• Contact filters — Use custom fields as filter conditions when filtering contacts.
• CSV import — Map CSV columns to custom fields during contact import. Values must match the field’s defined type.

---

​

Permissions

Custom fields access is controlled through roles and permissions: Users without custom fields access will see a Blocked Resource placeholder.

---

​

Example: send a message to one region

Let’s say you want to message everyone in the West region. First, create a custom field called Region. Then add a region value to each contact, like:

• West
• Midwest
• South
• Northeast

Once your contacts have a region value, go to Contacts and filter for: Region = West Save that filter as West Region. Now you have a reusable contact list. Anytime you need to send a regional update, open the West Region filter, select the contacts in that view, and send your message. That’s the real power of custom fields. You set them up once, and your team can use them again and again.

---

​

Ways to use custom fields

The best custom fields help you answer one question: Who do I need to message together later? Here are a few common ways teams use them.

​

Regional outreach

Create a custom field like Region or Territory. Use it to build saved filters for each region so you can send location-based updates, alerts, promotions, or reminders. Example:
Filter contacts where Region = West, save the filter, then use it whenever you need to send a message to that region.

---

​

Multi-location businesses

Create a custom field like Store Location, Office, or Branch. This makes it easy to group contacts by location and send updates that only matter to that site. Example:
Filter contacts where Store Location = Mesa, then send a message about that location’s hours, staffing, or appointments.

---

​

Staffing and recruiting

Create fields like Job Site, Candidate Stage, or Recruiter. This helps you organize contacts by hiring workflow and send messages to the right group at the right time. Examples:

• Filter Candidate Stage = Interview Scheduled to send reminders
• Filter Job Site = Reno to send a site-specific update
• Filter Recruiter = Alex to see and message one rep’s contacts

---

​

Membership and community groups

Create fields like Membership Type, Campus, Chapter, or Program. This helps you send targeted reminders and announcements without rebuilding lists every time. Example:
Filter Membership Type = Premium to send updates only to that group.

---

​

Sales and account management

Create fields like Assigned Rep, Renewal Month, or Customer Segment. These fields help your team stay organized and follow up faster. Examples:

• Filter Assigned Rep = Jamie so one rep can work their own book of business
• Filter Renewal Month = June to send proactive renewal reminders
• Filter Customer Segment = Enterprise to send messages to a specific account tier

---

​

Best custom fields to create first

If you’re not sure where to start, begin with fields that help you segment contacts and act on that segment later. Good first custom fields include:

• Region
• Location
• Customer type
• Status
• Assigned rep
• Renewal month
• Membership type
• Lead source

A good rule: create fields that help you group contacts for future messaging.

---

​

What makes a good custom field?

A good custom field is easy to understand, easy to keep updated, and useful for filtering.

​

Good custom field

Region Why it works:

• clear values
• easy to assign
• easy to filter
• useful for saved lists and messaging

​

Less useful custom field

Notes from trade show conversation Why it’s less useful:

• too inconsistent
• hard to filter cleanly
• not ideal for building reusable contact groups

Use custom fields for structured information you want to organize and act on. Use notes for context.

---

​

Tips for setting up custom fields

Keep your custom fields simple.

​

Use consistent values

If one contact says West and another says Western Region, your filters won’t be as useful. Pick one format and stick with it.

​

Create fields your team will actually use

Don’t create fields just because you can. Create fields that support a real workflow.

​

Think ahead to filtering

Before you create a field, ask: Will I want to group contacts by this later? If the answer is yes, it’s probably a good custom field.

​

Start small

You don’t need to create everything at once. Start with one or two fields that support your most common messaging workflows.

---

​

Common workflow: from custom field to message

Here’s a simple way to think about it: Custom field → Filter → Saved list → Message For example: Region → West → West Region → Send update to West contacts That workflow saves time because your team doesn’t need to rebuild the audience every time.

---

​

When to use custom fields vs. labels

Use custom fields when you want structured contact data that you can filter by later. Use labels when you want a more flexible way to tag or organize conversations.

​

Use a custom field when:

• the value should live on the contact record
• the field should stay consistent
• you want to filter and build reusable lists from it

​

Use a label when:

• you need something lightweight and flexible
• the grouping is temporary or less structured
• you don’t need a formal field on the contact

If you’re deciding between the two, ask whether this is a structured property of the contact. If it is, use a custom field.

---

​

FAQs

​

Can I use custom fields to build reusable contact lists?

Yes. Once contacts have values in a custom field, you can filter by that field and save the filter for quick access later.

---

​

Can I message contacts from a saved filter?

Yes. After opening a saved filter in Contacts, you can select the contacts in that filtered view and send a message to that group.

---

​

What kinds of custom fields should I create?

Create fields that help you organize contacts in a way your team can use later. Good examples include region, location, assigned rep, status, membership type, and renewal month.

---

​

Should I create a custom field for everything?

No. Start with the fields that support a real workflow. Too many fields can make your contact data harder to manage.

---

​

Do custom fields help with segmentation?

Yes. That’s one of their biggest benefits. Custom fields make it easier to group contacts, save those groups, and send more relevant messages.

---

​

Next step

Start with one simple field that supports a real messaging workflow. For most teams, Region, Location, or Assigned Rep is a good place to begin. Once that field is added to your contacts, build a saved filter from it. Then use that filter the next time you need to send a targeted message. That’s where custom fields start to pay off.