Adding Custom Help Desk Fields

You can add new fields as per your requirements in your Zoho Desk. These fields will be available to all the agents added to your help desk. For example, you may want your customers to specify the serial number of their product while submitting tickets. This information can be collected by adding a custom field to the Add Ticket page.

Note:

• Custom fields are specific to the department in which they are created.
  
• You can rename the custom fields, but you cannot change Field Type (e.g. Single Line, Integer, Date, etc.) of the custom fields. For instance, if you create a Single Line field, you cannot change the same to Integer field.
  
• The maximum number of custom fields that you can create in each module varies. For example, a Standard Edition org can have up to 50 custom fields, while Professional and Enterprise allows 150 and 230 custom fields per module respectively. Similarly, there is also a maximum limit for each type of field that you create.
  

Here is the maximum number of fields you can create under individual Field types:

Field Type / Module	Tickets, Contacts, Accounts, Products and Activities	Contracts and Time Entry
String fields (Single Line, Pick List, Email, Phone, and URL)	100	20
Other fields (Multi-select Pick List and Multi Line)	30	5
Integer	20	5
Decimal, Percentage, and Currency	20	5
Date	20	5
Date/Time	20	5
Checkbox	20	5

Adding Custom Fields

In each module, you can add custom fields to capture relevant data specific to your business requirements by specifying some field-related information. While adding a new custom field, you need to specify the following:

• Label: Specify a name for the field.
  
• Field Properties: Specify properties of the field such as description, field values and so on.
  

As you add new fields and remove existing fields, Custom Fields Left automatically tells you how many more fields you are allowed to create based on the field limits applicable to your Zoho Desk plan.

Other specifications required for each type of field:

Field Type	Description	Fields
Single Line	To add text	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the character limit Maximum Characters: 255
Integer	To add integers	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the character limit Maximum Integers: 9
Decimal	To enter decimals figures	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the character limit (inc. decimal places) Decimal Places: Specify the number of decimal places Maximum Integers: 16
Percent	To add percentage	Label: Specify the field name
Currency	To enter currency-related data	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the character limit  Maximum Integers: 16 Rounding Option: Specify the rounding option Decimal Places: Specify the number of decimal places Precision: Specify the rounding precision
Date	To enter date	Label: Specify the field name Format: YYYY/MM/DD Note: Date format will be changed according to user's time zone settings
Date/Time	To enter date-time combinations	Label: Specify the field name Format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM Note: Date format will be changed according to user's time zone settings
Email	To add email addresses	Label: Specify a valid email address
Phone	To add phone numbers	Label: Specify a valid phone number Length: Specify the field size (Integer)
Pick List	To add pick list type fields	Label: Specify the field name Pick List Values: Specify the pick list values
Multi-select Pick List	To add pick lists with multiple selection values	Label: Specify the field name Pick List Values: Specify the pick list values
URL	To add website addresses	Label: Specify a valid web address
Multi Line	To enter long text or description	Label: Specify the field name Maximum characters: 3000
Checkbox	To specify true (checked) or false (unchecked) values	Label: Specify the field name Enable by Default: Check or uncheck to keep the field enabled by default

To create a new custom field:

1. Click the Setup icon (  ) in the top bar.
   
2. In the Setup Landing page, click Layouts and Fields under Customization.
   
3. In the Layouts page, select the desired department (when more than one exists) and the module from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click Edit Layout at the bottom of the page to open the layout editor.
   
   
   
   
5. On the Edit Layout page, do the following:
   
• From the Add Field Tray on the right, drag and drop the required field type into the desired module section on the left.
  
• Name the field and define the Field Properties as required for the field.
  
• Set the Mark as required toggle to ON to make the field mandatory.
  
• Set the Show Tooltip toggle to ON if required and enter the tip. You can choose to show the tip over an info icon or as static text.
  
• Mark the field as ePHI if it will contain the health information of your customers or patients. This will add the ePHI label beside the field on the agent's interface and the help center.
  Note: Marking the field as ePHI will automatically turn on the Encrypt field option. Nevertheless, you can turn it OFF manually (not recommended).
• Set the access level for the field in Help Center. You can choose to make it editable by the end user, read-only or hidden.
  
  
  
  
6. Click Add in the Add Field window.
   
7. Click Save Layout.
   

Note:

• The layouts for the Contacts, Accounts, and Products module are organization-wide and not specific to a department. This means that you cannot have a unique field on these layouts.
  
• A field can be set as required only when Read and Write permissions are given to all the profiles with access to that field. You can set this permission under Setup >> Layouts and Fields >> Field Permissions.
  
• When you display a field in the Help Center, it will also be displayed in other departments where it is in use.
  
• Once the field is created, you cannot change the 'data type' of the field. For example, an Integer (digits) field cannot be changed into a Currency field.
  
• You can edit the custom fields to change the length of the following types of fields - Currency, Text, Number (Integer), Decimal, Phone, and URL.
  
• Tooltip can be displayed only when the user hovers over the Info icon for the following field types: Pick List, Multi-Select Pick List, Checkbox, Date, and Date/Time.
  

Editing Custom Fields

You can edit the custom fields that were added in your Zoho Desk. 

To edit custom fields:

1. Click the Setup icon (  ) in the top bar.
   
2. In the Setup Landing page, click Layouts and Fields under Customization.
   
3. In the Layouts page, select the desired department (when more than one exists) and the module from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click Edit Layout at the bottom of the page to open the layout editor.
   
   
   
   
5. Hover your mouse pointer over the field you wish to edit, click the Gear icon (  ) and select Edit Properties.
   
6. Make then necessary changes and then click Update.
   
7. Click Save Layout.
   

Deleting Custom Fields

The fields that you have created can be deleted when you do not need them. When you remove a custom field, it is moved to the Unused Fields section. This means that it is only removed from the department's layout and not the Zoho Desk itself. 

To delete the field permanently from the Zoho Desk, you must delete it again from the Unused Fields section. Please keep in mind that once you delete a custom field here, you cannot restore the field and its associated data.

To delete custom fields from a module:

1. Click the Setup icon (  ) in the top bar.
   
2. In the Setup Landing page, click Layouts and Fields under Customization.
   
3. In the Layouts page, select the desired department (when more than one exists) and the module from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click Edit Layout at the bottom of the page to open the layout editor.
   
5. Hover your mouse pointer over the field you wish to delete, click the Gear icon (  ) and select Remove Field.
   Alternatively, you can drag and drop the field into the Unused Fields section on the right.
6. Click Save Layout.
   

Note:

• When a custom field is moved to the Unused Fields section, it is only removed from the layout of that department and not Zoho Desk. As long as the removed field is in the Unused Fields section, you can restore it by dragging and dropping it back in the required section.
  
• Restoring a field from the Unused Fields section restores its associated data as well.
  
• When a removed field is in the Unused Fields section, it is still part of the database. Therefore the custom field limit includes the fields in the Unused Fields section.
  
• When pick list fields are moved to the Unused Fields section, the dependency relationships created for them will also be removed.
  
• Standard fields that are provided in Zoho Desk by default can be moved to the Unused Fields section but cannot be deleted permanently.
  
• You cannot delete an unused field from a department if it is being used in other departments.
  

Creating Currency Fields

The currency field allows you to define the decimal and the precision settings based on your selected currency locale. There are four rounding options available for a currency field as displayed in the chart below:

To create a currency type custom fields:

1. Click the Setup icon (  ) in the top bar.
   
2. In the Setup Landing page, click Layouts and Fields under Customization.
   
3. In the Layouts page, select the desired department (when more than one exists) and the module from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click Edit Layout at the bottom of the page to open the layout editor.
   
5. From the Add Field Tray on the right, drag and drop the Currency field type into the desired module section on the left.
   
6. On the Add Field page, do the following:
   
• Enter a name in the Label field.
  
• Select the length of the field from the Length drop-down list. Example, 9.
  
• Select the Rounding option from the drop-down list. Example, Normal.
  
• Specify the number of decimal places required in the Decimal Places field. Example, 2.
  
7. Enable the Mark as required option if required.
   
8. Enable the Show Tooltip option if required and enter the tip.
   
9. Set the Access Level for the field in Help Center.
   
10. Click Add in the Add Field window.
    
11. Click Save Layout.
    

Adding Pick List Values

By default, some of the industry standard pick list values are available in each module. You can create custom pick list fields to enable your users to select values from lists that you define.

To add pick list values:

1. Click the Setup icon (  ) in the top bar.
   
2. In the Setup Landing page, click Layouts and Fields under Customization.
   
3. In the Layouts page, select the desired department (when more than one exists) and the module from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click Edit Layout at the bottom of the page to open the layout editor.
   
5. From the Add Field Tray on the right, drag and drop the Pick List field type into the desired module section on the left.
   
   
   
   
6. On the Add Field page, do the following:
   
• Enter a name in the Label field.
  
• Type the new values in the place of the existing placeholder values.
  
• To add more values click the Plus icon against a value and add the value below it.
  
• To delete a value, click the Minus icon against the value.
  
• To set a value as default, click the Set as Default button against the value.
  
• To sort the values, click the Sort icon.
  
• To maximize the popup, click the Maximize icon.
  
• To clear all the pick list values, click the Clear icon.
  
• To add the options all in one shot, click Add Values in Bulk.
  In the Add Values in Bulk text box, type one value below the other.
  Click Add Values.
7. Enable the Mark as required option if required.
   
8. Enable the Show Tooltip option if required and enter the tip.
   
9. Set the Access Level for the field in Help Center.
   
10. Click Add in the Add Field window.
    
11. Click Save Layout.
    

Note:

• The pick list fields are not department-specific. This means that a pick list field you create in Department A will also be added in Department B, but in Unused Fields list. However, the values in a pick list field are specific to a department.
  
• When you add/rename/delete the value(s), they will not be automatically updated in the records where they have already been used. You need to select each record and update the pick list field manually.
  
• When you delete a pick list value, records that have the field value associated to it will not be deleted.
  
• Tooltip can be displayed only when the user hovers over the Info icon for the following field types: Pick List, Multi-Select Pick List, Checkbox, Date, and Date/Time.
  

Replacing Pick List Values

When you wish to edit the values of a pick list field in such a way that the change is also reflected in the records to which they have been associated, you can replace the pick list values.

To replace pick list values:

1. Click the Setup icon (  ) in the top bar.
   
2. In the Setup Landing page, click Layouts and Fields under Customization.
   
3. In the Layouts page, select the desired department (when more than one exists) and the module from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click Edit Layout at the bottom of the page to open the layout editor.
   
5. Hover your mouse pointer over the pick list field you wish to edit, click the Gear icon (  ) and select Replace Values.
   
6. In the Replace Values window, do the following:
   
• In the Change value from field, select an existing value that needs to be replaced.
  
• In the Change value to field, select the new value (that will replace the existing value).
  
7. Click Replace.
   
8. Click Save Layout.
   You will receive an email when Zoho Desk completes replacing the values in the existing records.

Note:

• Replacing pick list values is different from renaming the pick list values. When you replace the value(s), the change will be automatically reflected in the records where they have been used. You need not individually select the records and update the pick list field.
  
• Replacing an existing pick list value will update the modified date and time of the effected records.
  

Adding Multi-Select Pick List Values

This option allows you to select more than one option from a pick list. For example, your organization may be offering different services and some of your customers may be interested in multiple services. By providing a multi-select pick list, you can allow your customers to opt for more than one service while submitting a ticket.

To add multi-select pick list values:

1. Click the Setup icon (  ) in the top bar.
   
2. In the Setup Landing page, click Layouts and Fields under Customization.
   
3. In the Layouts page, select the desired department (when more than one exists) and the module from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click Edit Layout at the bottom of the page to open the layout editor.
   
5. From the Add Field Tray on the right, drag and drop the Multi-Select field type into the desired module section on the left.
   
6. On the Add Field window, do the following:
   
• Enter a name in the Label field.
  
• Type the new values in the place of the existing placeholder values.
  
• To add more values click the Plus icon against a value and add the value below it.
  
• To delete a value, click the Minus icon against the value.
  
• To set a value as default, click the Set as Default button against the value.
  
• To sort the values, click the Sort icon.
  
• To maximize the popup, click the Maximize icon.
  
• To clear all the pick list values, click the Clear icon.
  
• To add the options all in one shot, click Add Values in Bulk.
  In the Add Values in Bulk text box, type one value below the other.
  Click Add Values.
  
7. Enable the Mark as required option if required.
   
8. Enable the Show Tooltip option if required and enter the tip.
   
9. Set the Access Level for the field in Help Center.
   
10. Click Add in the Add Field window.
    
11. Click Save Layout.
    

Adding Fields to Other Departments

You can quickly add a custom field to multiple departments across a module, in one shot. For example, in a telecommunications company like Zylker, a field called "Device Name" may be common across departments. You need not create this field in each department separately. As you add it in the first department, simply choose the "Add to other departments" option from field settings and this will be immediately available in the chosen departments.

Please note that the field will be added to the corresponding section of the selected departments. If the section is unavailable, the field will be added to the very first section of the layout form.

To add a field:

1. Click the Gear icon 
   
   (  ) corresponding to a field on the Edit Layout page.
   
   
   
   
2. Click Add to other Departments option from the settings menu.
   A panel opens on the right side of the interface to choose departments.
   
   
   
   
3. Choose the departments in which the field should be added. 
   
4. Click Save.
   

Also Read:    Manage Fields    |    Customize Layouts    |    Set Field Permissions

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