Types of Custom Fields

Types of Custom Fields

In Zoho CRM, you can add different types of custom fields as per your requirements. These fields will be available to all the users added to your organization's CRM account.

  • Customize Zoho Defined Fields : You can edit, delete and hide some of Zoho defined fields, but note that there are some fields that you cannot delete, remove, rename or change from mandatory settings. These Zoho defined fields are mandatory in Zoho CRM. For example, Last Name in Leads, Subject in Tasks etc.
  • Set Field Access Permissions :  You can hide the fields for users in a specific profile or mark the fields as Read Only.
Availability
Permission Required
Users with the Customize Zoho CRM permission in profile can access this feature.

Note
  1. The maximum number of fields that you can create in each Edition varies. Similarly, there is also a maximum limit for each type of field that you create. See Also  Custom Field Limits
  2. You can rename the custom fields but you cannot change Field Type (eg. Text, Integer, Date, etc.) of the custom fields.
    For instance, if you create a Text field, you cannot change the same to Integer field.

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 in Zoho CRM:  

To create currency type custom fields

  1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account with Administrative privileges.
  2. Go to  Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs.
  3. Click the required module from the module list view.
  4. Drag and drop the  Currency  field type onto the desired  [Module]  section on the right.
  5. In the  Currency Properties  popup, do the following:
    • Enter a name in the  Field Label  field.

    • Select the length of the field from the  Maximum digits allowed  drop-down list. Example, 9.
    • Select the number of decimal places required from the  Decimal Places  drop-down list. Example, 2.
    • Select the  Rounding option  from the drop-down list. Example,  Normal .
    • Select the Required checkbox if you want this to be a required field.
    • In the case of Leads, Contacts, Accounts and Potentials module, you will see an additional option called "Also create for". Use this to create the same field for other three modules at one go. This option is not available for the  Currency field in custom modules.
  6. Click  Done .

Pick List Fields

Add/Rename Pick List Values

By default, some of the industry standard pick list values are available in each module. You can add new pick list values as per your organization's business process or rename the existing values.

To add or rename pick list values

  1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account with Administrative privileges.
  2. Go to  Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs.
  3. Click the desired module from the Modules list view.
  4. Go to the required pick list field, click the  Settings  icon and select  Edit Properties .
  5. In the  Pick ListProperties  popup, you can do the following:
    • To add a new value 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 rename an existing value, simply type the new name in the place of the existing value.
    • To add the options all in one shot, click  Add options in bulk .
      In the  Add Bulk Options  text box, type one value below the other.
      Click  Add Choices.
    • To sort the values, click the  Sort   icon.
    • To import values, click the  Import   icon.
    • To maximize the popup, click the  Maximize   icon.
  6. Choose a value from the  Select default value  drop-down list.
    When no value is selected, the chosen default value applies for this field.
  7. If you wish to make this a required field, select the  Required  check box.
  8. Click  Done .
Note
  1. When you add/rename/delete the the value(s), they will be automatically updated in the records where they have already been used. Before saving, you can click Undo to go back to the original pick list value.

  2. When you delete a pick list value, records that have the field value associated to it will not be deleted. You can find the deleted pick list value(s) by clicking Unused Values (  ) button.
    The popup displays the deleted fields which you can select and add them back to the pick list or delete them permanently by clicking the Delete icon. If the same picklist values are used in other layouts then they cannot be deleted. It will remain an Unused Value.

  3. You can choose to enable history tracking for a particular picklist value. The history tracking will let you view a record's progress over a period of time or different stages. See Also  Picklist History Tracking .

Sort the order of Pick List Values 

The pick list values can be utilized for different purposes. You can use it, 
  1. To denote a sequence or progress (like lead status or deal stage) .
  1. To list independent values ( like country, industry, or lead source ).
Depending on the purpose of the pick list field, you can choose how they can be arranged or viewed in the drop-down list - Entered Order or Alphabetical Order. 
If you have a pick list field in different layouts, then you can arrange those values cumulatively across list view, reports, and dashboard.

Notes :
  1. If you choose to display the values alphabetically, you cannot customize the order.
  1. When you choose to sort the picklist values in alphabetical order, the translated values will be displayed in the alphabetical order of the translated language.
To sort the order of pick list values
  1. Go to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields.
  2. Select the desired module from the Modules list view.
  3. Go to the required pick list field, click on the ellipses (...) icon, and select Edit Properties . 
  4. Under Sort order preference  option,
    1. Select Entered order if you want to use the same order as preferred.
      If you have associated this picklist in multiple layouts , click the Sort values for all layouts link, arrange the values in a desired order, and click Done. 
    2. Select Alphabetical order, if you want to display the values alphabetically.
  5. Click Done.
For existing customers, we are providing an option - Enable Now in the pick list's sort order preference. Once enabled by the admin, this update will take effect for all modules and all users in your organization.

Color coding the picklists

Admins can ascribe colors to different picklist fields across modules to provide visual distinction and clarity to the records. The colored values will be displayed across CRM such as related lists, tasks, workflow field updates, list view, etc. Read more about color coding in the picklist.

Replace 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.

Note
  1. Replacing pick list values is different from adding/renaming the pick list values.
  2. 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.
  3. Whereas while adding/renaming values, the changes are not reflected in the existing records.

To replace pick list values

  1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account with Administrative privileges.
  2. Go to  Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs.
  3. Select the required module from the Modules list view.
  4. Go to the required pick list field, click the  Settings  icon and select  Replace Values .
  5. In the  Replace Pick List popup,  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).
      Click  Replace .
  6. Click  Save .
    Once Zoho CRM completes replacing the values in the existing records, you will be duly notified.

Multi-Select Pick List Values

This option enables selecting multiple values while creating or editing record. For instance, your organization may be offering different services and some of your customers may be interested in multiple services. In this case you can use the multi-select pick list value instead of single pick list value while creating a potential. Periodically, you can modify the pick list values as per your organization's business process.

To add multi-select pick list values

  1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account with Administrative privileges.
  2. Go to  Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs.
  3. Select the required module from the Modules list view.
    The Layout Editor appears.
  4. Drag and drop the  Multi Select  field type from the  New Fields  tray into the desired  [Module]  section on the right.
  5. In the  Pick List Properties section , do the following:
    • Enter a name in the  Field Label  field.
      • To add a new value 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 rename an existing value, simply type the new name in the place of the existing value.
      • To add the options all in one shot, click  Add options in bulk .
        In the  Add Bulk Options  text box, type one value below the other.
        Click  Add Choices.
      • To sort the values, click the  Sort  icon.
      • To import values, click the  Import  icon.
      • To maximize the popup, click the  Maximize   icon.
  6. Choose a value from the  Select default value  drop-down list.
    When no value is selected, the chosen default value applies for this field.
  7. If you wish to make this a required field, select the  Required  check box.
  8. Click  Done .
Note
  1. When you delete a pick list value, records that have the field value associated to it will not be deleted.

Lookup Fields

Lookup fields establish connections between different modules (Leads, Contacts, Accounts, etc.) by enabling you to associate records from one module to another.

 

For example, let's say some of your contacts refer more leads to your business than others, and you want to quickly see who referred a certain lead. You can achieve this easily by adding a lookup field called "Referred By" in the Leads module that will display a list of contacts. Whenever a new lead is added, the contact who referred it can be selected and associated using the lookup field. Also, a related list of leads will be created in the Contacts module—"Referred Leads," for example, which will display all the leads a contact has referred so far.

To create lookup field

  1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account with Administrative privileges.
  2. Go to  Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the  Leads ,  Accounts ,  Contacts , etc. tabs.
  3. Select the module and the layout to which you want to add the lookup field (for example, Leads module, standard layout).
  4. In the Layout editor, drag and drop the Lookup field from the New Fields tray.
  5. In the  Lookup Properties  popup, do the following:
    • Field label - Set the field label to  Referred By .

    • Lookup Module -  Select a lookup module from the dropdown—for example, the Contacts module.
    • Related List Title - Name it Referred Leads .
  6. Click  Done .
  7. Click  Save Layout.
    You'll find the Referred By lookup field while creating leads.

    The Referred Leads   related list can be found on all contact details pages of the Contacts module, as shown below.

Notes:

  • A maximum of five lookup fields can be added for any criteria. For example, while specifying criteria in workflow rules or blueprints, or creating custom views, you can use up to five lookup fields.

  • Lookup fields cannot be added to the  Tasks , Meetings , and Calls modules.

Using a lookup field

To associate records using the lookup field you created, you can either type the record name you intend to associate or click the icon on the right for the search pop-up. The pop-up allows you to find records in the lookup field using values from different fields. You can add or remove the fields shown in the pop-up using the Add Column option, provide desired values for fields, and use the  Show Filter option to narrow down the search results based on your requirements.

For example, if you 're searching for a particular contact in a lookup field in order to associate it with a record, you can choose fields like contact name, email address, phone number, country, and so on.

To add or remove fields from the lookup search :

  1. Go to the appropriate module and select the lookup field.

  2. C lick on the search bar , and then on the icon o n the right side of the search bar, as shown in the image below.

  3. In the search pop-up, click  the Add Column  icon.

  4. S elect the fields you wish to remove and click Save .
     
    The fields saved here will be displayed in the lookup field when a user searches for a record.

To search records using advanced lookup :

  1. Go to the module in question and select the lookup field.

  2. In the search pop-up, click the Show Filter icon.

  3. Enter the values and click Appl y Filter .

Notes:

  • You can add up to 10 fields in the search window.

  • A common search will search only in the record name column and not in all fields.

Multi-Select Lookup Fields

The Multi-Select Lookup Field enables you to establish what we call a  many-to-many relationship  between two modules in CRM.

This field is available for Enterprise and above editions.

For instance, consider the example an insurance company.

  • A single policy may be held by many policy holders.
  • Similarly, a single policy holder may hold many policies.

If you have two modules -  Insurance Policies  and  PolicyHolders  - there is a need to associate multiple records from each module to each other. This is not possible with a regular look-up field, as it allows only a one-to-many relationship.

In this case, you can use a Multi-select lookup field from the  New Fields  tray in the Layout Editor. This will let you associate multiple records from two modules to each other, thus establishing a many-to-many relationship in CRM.

To learn more about many-to-many relationship and creating a multi-select lookup field,  click here .

Self-referencing Multi-select Lookup Field

You can create an association between the records from the same module. For example, in an employee database you can use a multi-select lookup field to associate other employees as managers or subordinates.  
In the image below, you can see that Peter, Alice, and Kathy are employees. However, their association with Kathy as Manager and Subordinate can be viewed in the related list.  


Note
  1. You can add only two multi-select lookup fields to a module. Out of the two one can be a self-referencing field.
  2. Once a record is associated, you will not be able to view it when you click the assign button. Records already associated will not be displayed again.
  3. Similarly, once a record is associated it cannot be associated with another related list item. For example, if Peter is associated as manager he cannot be associated as subordinate. 

Auto Number Field

The auto number type custom field helps classifying the records by unique numbers and dates. Once the auto number field is added to the CRM module, the number is added sequentially to the new records. This can be used to update the existing records also. For instance, Invoice Number, Quote Number and Sales Order. You can enter # or { and select a date pattern, so that the date and the auto number value both will be present in the record for example, if you choose {DD}{MM} - Autonumber, the value will be populated like this: product name-date-month-product code.


To create auto number fields

  1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account with Administrative privileges.
  2. Go to  Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs.
  3. Select the module from the Modules list view.
    The Layout Editor appears.
  4. Drag and drop the  Auto Number field type  from the  New Fields  tray.
  5. In the  Auto Number Properties  popup, do the following:
    • Enter a name in the  FieldLabel  field.
    • Under the  Auto Number Format  section, enter the  Prefix, Starting Number  & the  Suffix  for the auto number value.
      You can check the preview.
  6. Click  Done.
  7. Click  Save Layout.
Note 
  1. While creating a record an auto-number may get skipped due to exceptions like time-out or transaction error. 
    However, this will not lead to any loss of data. 

User Field

By default all records in CRM have a record owner who is entitled to perform and oversee all the activities that happen within a record.  For example, update of a field, addition of new information, edit of a field, etc.  This user is called the primary record owner . However, there can be instances where one or more users may come into the picture.  For example, you can collaborate with your peers to close a high-value deal, or you can involve your SME to provide technical expertise on something particular . Likewise, there may be multiple instances when the involvement of peers or other team members to a record becomes inevitable. 

In such cases, you can use the user field to provide multiple-ownership to a record. As co-owners, these users will share the same privileges as the record owner. They will be able to update, modify, add or delete details on the record and more as and when required. They will also be able to send emails from the record. 

Availability
Permission Required
Users with manage customization access can create a user field.

Adding a User Field

Adding a user field to a record layout is done by simply dragging and dropping the field to the layout editor.  Zoho CRM provides two types of user fields, you can choose either of them based on your requirement.

  • Single User - You can add up to 5 single user fields in a module.
  • Multiple Users - You can add only 1 multi-user field in a module that can include up to 10 users.

To configure user field

  1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account with Administrative privileges
  2. Go to  Setup  >  Customization  >  Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc.
  3. Select the module from the Modules list view.
    The  Layout Editor  appears.
  4. Drag and drop  User Field  from the  New Fields  tray.
  5. Enter a  Field Name . (For example, secondary owner, sales manager, co-owner etc.)
  6. Choose the field type -  Single User  or  Multiuser .
  7. Click  Save .

   
Note
  1. You can configure User Field for all the modules except for Tasks, Calls, and Meetings ( Activities ) modules.
  2. If you remove the User Field from a particular layout, the co-owners will not be able to view the record unless the field is added again to the layout.

Regulate record access privilege

At times, you may want to retain the associated user as one of the point of contacts, but you may not want them to access the record or provide co-ownership. In such cases, as an admin you can regulate the record accessibility for the associated user.

For example, in most loan applications, the loan processing associate is the primary record owner, while the relationship manager manages the applicant's products. Hence, the RM can continue to be a co-owner of the record to provide any additional support when needed and as part of all correspondence with the customer. However, if you prefer to not to share the record and the ownership, their privilege to access the records can be revoked.

This can be achieved by unchecking the  allow record accessibility  option in the User field. This option will let you decide whether the user can access the record or not. 

To revoke accessibility of a record

  1. Go to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields.
  2. In the M odules tab, select the corresponding module.
  3. In the Layouts page, select the corresponding layout.
  4. In the layout builder, click on the ellipses icon (...)  near the user field and select Edit Properties.
  5. In the User Field Properties page, uncheck the Allow Record Accessibility  option.

Notes :
  1. You can add up to  5 single user fields  and  1 multiple user field  in a module. 
  2. In one multi-user field, you can add up to  10 users.
  3. Record accessibility option applies to both Single and Multiple User fields.
  4. The Record accessibility option will be checked by default in the user field properties. To revoke the record accessibility privilege, the admin must uncheck the option.
  5. Although a user is allowed to access the record, the actions that can be performed as a co-owner depends upon the profile the associated user is assigned to.

Actions in Records Based on Profile Permission

Each member of an organization has a different role, based on which their profile permission is defined within the Zoho CRM account. For instance, a Sales manager can have administrative profile but a sales executive can have a standard profile. Depending on the profile a co-owner will be able to perform the actions in a record. See also (Profile permissions).

For example, Emily Ross is a Sales Manager in Zylker Inc. and has administrative privilege in CRM account. Hence, she can  Edit  or  Close task  in a record that she co-owns.

View related list of a Record Based on Role Hierarchy

The co-owner of a record will be able to view the related list of the record based on their role within the organization. 

For example, Emily Ross is the Sales Manager in Zylker Inc., she can view the related activities of her subordinate co-owner (Sales Executive /Tim Drummond) right within her CRM account.

To view associated records
  1. Select a  Module.
  2. In the  Records  page,   view the list of  Records.

Where Can You Use a User Field

The  User Field  in Zoho CRM can be associated with other features too. Below are the list of features where a you can use the  User Field :

  • Workflow Email Notifications  - In Zoho CRM automation, while creating Email Notifications you can add the co-owners as the email recipients.           
  • List View  - The co-owners can choose to create a Co-owner list view. For example, they can filter the deals as co-owner deals.
  • Email Fields  - You can use the co-owners email address in the to/from field in all the email related features of Zoho CRM. For example, while sending emails you can choose to send an email from a co-owner's email address. User field can be used in sending mass emails, running macros, in autoresponders, autoresponse rule, webform, and schedule mass emails.
  • Filters and Criteria  - The records can be filtered using the user field. You can choose the co-owner from the record owners filter.
  • Merge Fields in Email Templates  - While creating an Email Template you can use the user field as merge fields.  
  • Reports  - While generating reports, you can use the user field under columns and criteria.
  • Import and Data Migration  - You can map the co-owners as the record owners while importing or migrating data in to your CRM account.


Note
  1. The multiuser field can be used only in Filters and Reports.

Record Image Field

In Zoho CRM you can add image to the records in leads, contacts, accounts, deals, products, cases, solutions, vendors, and custom modules. This will enable your customers and CRM users to view the record right within the detail page. For example, in real estate business the property image can be referred by both the buyer and the sales rep. 

Note that, as a Zoho CRM administrator you can also choose to disable the record image field if required.

To enable record image field

  1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account with Administrative privileges.
  2. Go to  Setup  >  Customization  >  Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs.
  3. Select the  Module  from the  Modules list  view.
    The  Layout Editor  appears.
  4. In the  Layout editor  page, toggle on the  Record Image  button.
Note
  1. The record image field can be used only when you choose to create Canvas view for a particular module.
  2. While creating email templates, you can use the record's image as a merge field that will retrieve the relevant image in the email output.

File Upload Field

In Zoho CRM, you can use the file upload field to add any file or document that is closely related to a record, right within the record. Let's say, your business requires you to transact a "service level agreement" or "financial statement" or "property layout" with your client. Documents like these are user specific and can thus be added to the client's record using a file upload field for further reference. You can upload files to a record from any of these sources - personal computer, documents , Zoho Docs or Other cloud services . Read more about attaching files and notes . 

Availability
Permission Required
Users with Manage Customization access in their profile can add a file upload field.

To add file upload field

  1. Go to  Setup  >  Customization  >  Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs.
  2. Select the [ Module]  from the modules' list view.
    The  Layout Editor  appears.
  3. From the  New Field  tray, drag and drop  File Upload  field in the module section.
  4. Click  More  icon >  Edit Properties , to provide the option to add multiple files or to add the same field to other modules.
    In case the  GDPR Compliance Setting  is turned on you can also select if the information contains any personal data.
  5. Click  Save .
Note
  1. You can add upto 5 File Upload fields in a module.
  2. The file size must not exceed 20 MB.

Image Upload Field

This field can be used to upload images to a record. For example agents can upload images of properties, automobiles, products etc. and share the record with peers or customers. Also, this field can be accessible through the portals, so the customers can upload necessary images to the record they have access. 

Note
  1. Users with module customization permission can add up to 2 image upload fields/module .
To add an image field
  1. Go to  Setup >  Customization >  Modules and Fields .
    Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs.
  2. Select the [ Module] from the modules' list view.
  3. The  Layout Editor appears.
  4. From the  New Field tray, drag and drop  Image Upload field into the layout.

  5. Click the  More icon and Edit field property or Set Permission .

  6. Click  Save .

Setting field permission

You can set the visibility restrictions and limit accessibility to the field. 

By  editing the field properties , you can change the field label and also add a tooltip. You can also get a preview of the tooltip.

From the  set permissions  option you can
give read only, read/write, or hide permissions to different profiles.


Uploading Images to the Field 

You can upload up to 10 images (maximum file size is 20MB) in jpg, png, jpeg, gif, bmp formats simultaneously (currently you can upload images only from your desktop). 

To upload images
  1. Go to the module and select a record.
  2. In the Image upload field, click  New Image .
  3. In Attach Images  window, either drag and drop or browse images from your desktop.
  4. Click  Attach .
  5. Click  Save , to save the record.

Editing and Deleting Images

You can edit and delete images from the record create and record detail pages by hovering over the attached image. You can reorder the images from here by dragging and dropping them to the desired position. 

You can click the   icon and choose the options from the design panel to crop, change resolution, and rotate the image. 

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