Custom Fields

The Custom Fields section enables administrators to create and manage additional data fields that can be attached to core entities such as Units. Custom fields provide flexibility to capture organization-specific data that is not available in default system fields.

Prerequisites

• Custom Fields must be installed/enabled for your account before it appears in the system.
• Access to manage Custom Fields depends on permissions/settings (only authorized roles can create, edit, or delete custom fields).

Overview

Custom fields allow users to:

• Add tailored fields to existing entities
• Capture extra metadata required for reporting and filtering
• Ensure consistency in data collection across all units and objects
• Tailor the AVL system to specific business workflows

Creating a Custom Field

1. Go to Resources → Custom Fields.
2. Click Add Custom Field.
3. Fill in:
• Resource type (currently: Units only)
• Custom field type (Dropdown list, General, Date, Email, Phone)
• Custom field key
• Default value (optional)
• Measurement unit (optional)
4. Click Save.

Editing a Custom Field

1. Locate the field in the list.
2. Click Edit.
3. Update the needed values.
4. Choose whether to apply the changes:
• Retroactively (update existing records), or
• From now on (upcoming records only)
5. Click Save.

Deleting a Custom Field

To delete a custom field:

1. In the custom fields table, click the Delete icon next to the custom field.
2. Click List Trashed in the table header.
3. From the trash list:
• Permanently delete the custom field using Delete
• Restore a deleted custom field using Restore

Assigning Custom Fields to Entities

1. Go to Resources → Custom Fields.
2. Open the Custom Field tab. (Currently supports Units only.)
3. When creating or editing a Unit, scroll to the Custom Fields section.
4. Enter/select the required values.
5. Click Save.

Best Practices

• Name clearly: Use clear, descriptive labels that reflect real business meaning.
• Use Dropdowns for consistency: When possible, use dropdown or checkbox types to avoid free-text inconsistencies.
• Plan before creating: Identify which entities need custom data and plan fields accordingly.

Resources