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How to Create and Update Custom Fields

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How to Create and Update Custom Fields: https://help.pm.leapevent.tech/a/829691

Fields in PatronManager track all sorts of data. But what if you need to track a custom piece of data?

Enter custom fields. You can create your own custom fields to hold new pieces of data just about anywhere you like! In this article, we'll cover how to:

  1. Plan a new field
  2. Create a new field
  3. Where to edit/update your fields
  4. Learn more about using and creating custom fields

To help set you up for success, we’ve put guidelines together to help you avoid interfering with PatronManager functionality, corrupting your data, and to prevent negative impacts to your customizations due to PatronManager product upgrades. 

1. Plan your new field

Before you create a custom field, make sure you can answer these two questions:

  1. Where in PatronManager should the field live? That is, what object should the field live on? For instance:
    • Do you want to collect data specific to Donations?
      • e.g. "Effective Fiscal Year"
    • Or, do you want to collect information on individuals (Contact), or for households (Account)?
      • e.g. "Pager Number" for Contacts
      • e.g. "Shared Estimated Income" for Accounts
  2. What kind of information do you want to capture with this custom field?

To help you answer the second question, here's a rundown of commonly-used field types:

Field Type
 When to use it
 Examples
 Good for reporting?
 Special notes
Check Box
 There are only two options, e.g. "Yes" or "No", "True" or "False"
  • "Do Not Mail"
  • "Interested in Volunteering"
 Yes
Picklist

 You have a handful of distinct options, and the options are mutually exclusive
  • "Email Status"
  • "GL Code"
 Yes
Multi Select Picklist

 You have a handful of distinct options, the options are not mutually exclusive, and you don't plan to use it for reporting
  • "Mailing List Preferences"
 No
 Difficult to use in formulas
Text
 The data you're storing varies wildly, isn't standardized, and you don't plan to use it for reporting
  • "Account description"
  • "Check memo"
 No
 Difficult to use in formula
Roll-up Field

 You want to display a summarized dollar amount, record count on a parent object from a child object, and more
  • "Lifetime Donation History (Amount)"
  • "First Donation Date"
 Yes
 Limit 25 roll-up fields per Object
Formula
 You want to display a field from a related object, display field values based on certain criteria, and more
  • "Major Donor Badge"
  • "Account Last Donation Amount" (on Contact object)
Yes

2. How to create a new custom field

In this example, we want to track how specific donations are supposed to be used. We have a list of funds donors can donate to, and that option needs to be in PatronManager.

As such, we'll create a picklist field on the Donation object called "GL Code".

Create your new custom field

1. Click on the gear and go to Setup

2. Go to the Object Manager - search for and click on Donation

Choose which object to edit and select Fields.

3. Go the the Fields & Relationships tab, and click "New"

Make sure the field you want doesn't already exist if you're not sure!

Create the new field.

4. Choose your Field Type, and click "Next"

We want to create a drop-down menu that assigns one GL Code per donation, so we'll choose "Picklist".

Select your field type.

5. Enter the field details:

Enter the field details.
  1. Field Label: Name your field
  2. Values: Select "Enter values, each separated by a new line"
  3. Values Box: Input your GL codes here, each separated by a new line
  4. Check "Restrict picklist to the values defined in the value set"
  5. Field Name: GL_Code (automatically populates based on the Field Label)
  6. Description: Let your colleagues know what the field is for - this is helpful for other administrators who might be about to create a similar field
  7. Help Text: Provide a helpful note about the field for your colleagues to reference when they enter donations
  8. Click "Next"

6. Leave this page as-is, and click "Next"

Set the Field-Level Security.

7. Select which Donation page layouts should display this field, and click "Save"

Add the field to your page layouts.

8. Organize your new field on Object page layouts (optional)

Head over here to find out how to organize your new field on the page layout.

Sit in awe of your new custom field - and start using it!

3. How to update/edit your fields

Editing a field is very similar to creating one. You'll find your custom field in Setup, then make any changes you need.

Need to add, edit, or retire picklist values?

If you want to change the name of a custom field, you can do that from here! Make sure to:

  • Only change the Field Label - and never change the API Name
  • After changing the Field Label, check your workflows, processes, and flows to make sure to update any references to the field

4. How to learn more

So far, we've introduced you to common field types and provided examples for creating and updating custom fields. The party doesn't end here, though - check out these additional resources to become a pro!

PatronManager Help Tab:

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Salesforce articles:

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Next Article Page Layouts: Change the Way Your Accounts, Contacts, and Donations Look

PatronManager Administration

Welcome to Lightning! 11
The Basics 19
Setting up Your PatronManager Account 8
Managing Users 8
Chatter: The Best Tool You're Not Using 2
Accounts and Contacts 16
Duplicate Management 5
Customizing PatronManager 39
Testing Customizations in a Sandbox: "Try Before You Buy" 8
Tasks, Events, & Activities 3
Accessibility 3
How to Troubleshoot in PatronManager 10
The PatronManager Client Community 2
Analytics and Tracking 5
Leap Merchant Services 8
Bluefin 17
Automating PatronManager 8
Still Need Help? Continue to the Client Community