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Create and customize fields

Last updated on: December 21, 2024

The first type of record every Ontraport account starts with is “Contacts.” You’ll see all the standard CRM fields you’d expect in these records, such as email and lead source.

Ontraport allows you to personalize your records with custom fields. This makes it possible to save information specific to your unique business.

And you can update your records’ organization so it’s easy to find the information you want.

Ontraport also lets you add other types of records to your account too. This article explains how to personalize any of your records to fit your needs.

Check out this Ontraport University lesson to learn more:

Table of contents

Add fields
Field type reference
Default system fields
Unique fields
Required fields
Organize your records
Delete fields
Move fields
Add new sections
Move sections
Add a new tab
Reorder tabs
Add permissions

Add fields

Add any of the 20 unique field types to your records. Check out the chart below to view each field type.

When you add new fields to your records, you’ll choose where to save them. Here’s how your records are organized:

  1. Fields
    • Fields contain information saved in your records.
  2. Sections
    • Sections contain related fields.
  3. Tabs
    • Tabs contain related sections.

Here’s how to add new fields to your records:

  1. Go to ContactsSettingsField Editor.

  • If you want to create custom fields for custom objects, hover over your object’s navigation button, then select SettingsField Editor.

  • To create custom fields for your users, go to my profileAdministrationUser ManagementUser Field Editor.

  1. On the left side, click on the tab where you’d like to add a new field.

  1. Click Add Field at the bottom of the section where you want to save your field.
  2. Add your field name.

  1. Select a field type. Choose from these options.

  1. (Only for accounts with custom objects enabled) Optionally make your field unique or required.

  1. Click Save.

Field type reference

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Use the chart below to see the type of data each field type can store.

Field type

Description

AddressField for a street address
CheckboxCheckbox for yes and no
ColorDropdown list of values allowing the selection of one of the values and colors
CountryDropdown list of countries
Date

Calendar box to select date

  • To add dates via Ontraport's API, you must format them as Unix timestamps. Integrator tools like Zapier include formatting steps to transform your data before sending it.
Date and Time

Calendar box to select date and clock dial to select time

  • To add dates via Ontraport's API, you must format them as Unix timestamps. Integrator tools like Zapier include formatting steps to transform your data before sending it.
DropdownDropdown list of multiple values allowing the selection of one of the values
EmailField for email address
FileUpload and store files in records.
  • Your upload limit depends on your account level. Check out our pro tips for more details.

Supported file types include:
  • docx
  • doc
  • rtf
  • odt
  • pdf
  • tt
  • mp3
  • mp4
  • mov
  • mpg
  • mpeg
  • wmv
  • png
  • gif
  • jpg
  • jpeg
  • cvs
  • xls
  • xlsx
  • pps
  • ppt
ImageUpload and store images in your records for profile images, product photos, blogs, etc.
  • Your upload limit depends on your account level. Check out our pro tips for more details.
List SelectionList of multiple values, allows selection of one or more items
Long TextText field for long descriptions
NumericField for whole numbers only
  • The header for this field’s columns can be set up to show total, show average, or show nothing.
PhoneField for phone numbers
PriceField for entering a price up to two decimal points
  • The header for this field’s columns can be set up to show total, show average, or show nothing.
Related Object DataDisplay a field from a related object’s record.
  • For example, if you want to see a company’s description in your contacts’ records, you can add that information using a related object data field.
Rich TextText field that allows you to edit the styling of your stored text.
  • Rich text fields also include a source button so you can customize your HTML and CSS. You can import styling into these fields.
  • Rich text fields allow adding merge fields into field values for extra personalization. You can only add merge fields inside your records, not when adding the field to a form.
RollupRollup fields allow you to save information about subcollections in your records and default system objects. Create count, average, minimum, maximum, median and sum rollup fields. Learn more here.
SMSField for a phone number that can receive SMS messages
StateContains a list of states and regions
TextField for alpha-numeric values such as proper names and serial numbers

URL

Field to store links and add them to pages and messages
  • Add “http://” or “https://” to your URLs or add file paths (such as “/support”) to the field.
  • If you include URL fields on forms, you can prompt visitors to fill out the field correctly by including placeholder text in the field.

Default system fields

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There are several default fields in records in Ontraport. These default fields are not editable, and you can’t delete them. These default fields ensure you can use Ontraport’s CRM features.

All Ontraport accounts come with contact records, and all the fields included are default, which means you can’t edit or delete them.

The only default fields in custom objects are the standard system information fields. If you can’t edit or delete a field, the field is either default or a relational field created by a custom object relationship.

  • If you want to delete relational fields, you must delete the relationship that created the field.

Here are descriptions of some of the most critical default fields in all records:

Date Added – Stores the date the record was added to the database

Date Modified – Stores the date and time the record’s saved information changes

Last Activity – Stores the date and time the contact was last active

  • It updates every time your contact interacts with your content. Clicking an email link, visiting a tracked page, logging in to a membership site and submitting a form will all update this field.

Contact or Object ID – A numeric identifier automatically added to each record

Unique ID – A unique, random alphanumeric identifier

  • This field is helpful for passing data through URLs without exposing a contact’s information.

Unique and required fields

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If you’ve enabled custom objects or Ontraport Apps, you can also set some fields to be unique and/or required. These advanced field settings give you more control over the values stored in your contact records.

Unique fields

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Unique fields can’t have the same field value in more than one record. They help create custom identification. For example, you can make rewards member IDs, personal access tokens, permit numbers, etc.

  • You can’t modify unique fields through automation or group actions.

Required fields

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Required fields must have a value saved in records. That means you can’t save a record unless the required field has a value.

We only recommend making fields required if you have a specific use case where this is crucial. For example, if you’d only like to create new contact records if they contain a membership ID.

  • If you have a required field, make sure to mark the field as required on all your forms and API calls that create new records.

Organize your records

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Organize your records to fit your needs and workflow. You can move fields into any section and move sections into different tabs. This record customization helps you store information so it’s easy to find what you need.

Delete fields

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Delete any of your custom fields that you don’t need. Note, when you delete a field, you also delete all the data saved in that field. Export your data before deleting fields from your records to ensure you don’t lose any critical information.

  • You cannot delete default record fields.
  1. Click the trash can icon next to the field.
  2. Type “DELETE” in the dialog to confirm.

  1. Click Okay.
  2. Click Save in the top right corner of the field editor.

Move fields

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Move your fields to different locations to customize your records. This allows you to control exactly what you see in each tab and section.

  1. Hover your cursor over the field you want to move, and click the move icon.
  2. Drag the field to any section or tab.
  3. Click Save in the top right corner.

Add new sections

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Create custom sections in your account to hold similar fields and make your records easier to navigate. Here’s how:

  1. Click Add New Section.
    • Your new section will appear at the very bottom of the tab.
  2. Scroll down to the new section.
  3. Click UNTITLED to add the name of the section.
    • Click Section Description to add your description (optional).
  4. Click Save in the top right corner of the field editor.

Move sections

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Move sections to different tabs in your records to customize what you see on each page of the detail view of your records.

  1. Click and drag the move icon in the upper left corner of the section you want to move.
    • Move the section to a different position in the same tab or a new tab.
  2. Click Save in the top right corner of the field editor.

Add a new tab

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New tabs create a new page in your records. You can move existing sections into those tabs or create new sections to fit your needs.

  1. On the bottom left, click .
  2. Click UNTITLED and name your tab.
  3. Click Save in the top right corner of the field editor.

Reorder tabs

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All the tabs in your records are displayed on the left side of your record. You can reorder your tabs to put your most important information at the top of your list.

  1. Hover over your tab, and click and drag the the move icon into the position you want.
  2. Click Save in the top right corner.

Add permissions

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You can determine which roles in your account should be able to view and/or edit sections in your records.

  1. Click Permissions on the top right corner of the section you want to edit.
  2. On the permissions dialog, choose which roles should be able to view and/or edit the section.

  1. Click Save.
  2. Click Save in the top right corner of the field editor.

Related university lessons

Organizing your data with groups
Use groups to organize your contacts so you can easily communicate with or perform actions on them.
Automations overview
With automations, you can create expert funnels and processes to streamline your marketing, sales, workflows and more. Here’s an overview of how it all works.
Action bar + group actions
Use the action bar to manage your contacts and perform group actions, like sending mass emails, adding tags and more.
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Related support articles

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Import contacts and other records
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Using rollup fields

 Pro tips

Tip #1: You don't have to use your field's name on your forms. Your field's settings allow you to change the label on your form. For example, if you have a field named "Testimonial rating," you can display "How would you rate our service?" on your form.

Tip #2: Use unique names for the fields in your custom object records. The default merge fields on any page are Contact merge fields, and using duplicate field names in your objects can cause issues if you use dynamic lists.

Tip #3: File and image fields have the following upload size limits:


Account level

Upload limit

Plus

200MB

Pro

500MB

Enterprise

1GB

Sandbox

1GB

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