How do I set up custom fields for my trade?
Short answer
Add only the fields your team actually references when quoting or scheduling, like equipment age or property type, and use dropdowns instead of free text wherever the answers repeat. Fewer, well-structured fields beat a long list nobody fills in consistently.
Before you start
- A clear picture of the information your team uses to quote and schedule jobs.
- Access to configure custom fields on contact or job records.
- Agreement on field types, such as dropdown, date, or number.
- A list of who will actually fill in each field, and when.
Step by step
- 1
List the information you actually reference
Equipment type, property size, or vehicle make and model are common examples.
Fields that nobody looks at when quoting are just clutter.
- 2
Match the field type to the answer
Use dropdowns for repeating answers and free text only when answers truly vary.
Dropdowns keep data consistent enough to filter and report on later.
- 3
Decide where each field lives
Some fields belong on the contact, others on the specific job.
A field on the wrong record type either repeats needlessly or gets lost between jobs.
- 4
Tie fields to where they get filled in
Add the field to the intake form or job form where the answer is actually collected.
A field that exists but is never on a form never gets populated.
- 5
Keep the list lean at launch
Start with the handful of fields your team already asks about verbally.
A long list of custom fields at launch guarantees most stay empty.
- 6
Use fields to power segments and quotes
Reference custom fields in templates, pricing, or filtered lists.
Fields earn their place once they are actually used somewhere downstream.
- 7
Review usage after a quarter
Check fill rates and remove fields that stayed empty.
An unused field is a sign it was not actually needed, or nobody knew to fill it in.
What good looks like
- Records capture the specific details your trade actually needs.
- Quoting and scheduling pull from consistent, structured answers.
- Reports can filter by the details that matter, like equipment age or property type.
- The field list stays lean because unused fields get removed.
Common mistakes
The ways this goes wrong in data, and what to do instead.
Adding every field that might someday be useful›
A long list of custom fields sits mostly empty because nobody has time to fill it all in.
Do this instead: Start with the few fields your team already asks about on every job and expand from there.
Free text where answers repeat›
Property type entered as free text produces a dozen different spellings for the same answer.
Do this instead: Convert repeating answers to a dropdown so the data stays usable for filtering.
Fields not connected to any form›
A custom field exists in the system but nothing prompts anyone to fill it in.
Do this instead: Add the field to the intake or job form at the point where the answer is naturally collected.
Frequently asked
5 questions about set up custom fields for your tradeRelated guides
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