Custom Metadata Fields
Custom metadata fields extend the standard document register with project-specific or organisation-specific attributes. They appear in the document creation and editing forms, and are searchable, filterable, and exportable alongside standard fields.
When to use custom fields
Use custom metadata fields when you need to track information that is:
- Specific to your organisation's document management system
- Required for integration with other systems (ERP, asset management, GIS)
- Needed for reporting or filtering beyond the standard field set
- Part of your project controls framework (ITP tracking, zone-based compliance)
Examples of common custom fields:
- Package code (dropdown: PKG-01, PKG-02, PKG-03)
- Inspection required (toggle: yes/no)
- Contract reference (text: free entry)
- Scheduled submission date (date picker)
- Revision class (dropdown: Minor, Major, Superseding)
Creating a custom field
- Go to Settings → Metadata → Fields (org-level) or Project Settings → Metadata → Fields (project-level).
- Click New Field.
- Fill in the field configuration:
Field configuration
| Setting | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | The display label shown in forms and column headers (e.g. "Package Code"). Max 50 characters. |
| Field type | Yes | One of: Dropdown, Text, Date, Toggle. Cannot be changed after creation. |
| Required | No | If enabled, members cannot save a document without completing this field. |
| Display order | No | Integer — lower numbers appear first in the form. Default is the order of creation. |
| Applies to | No | Optionally restrict the field to specific document types. Leave blank to show on all documents. |
Dropdown fields — configuring options
For Dropdown type fields, you must define at least 2 options:
| Option setting | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Label | Yes | The display name shown in the dropdown (e.g. "Package 01 — Civils") |
| Code | Yes | A short, unique code for this option (e.g. PKG-01). Used in auto-numbering tokens and API values. Max 10 characters, alphanumeric. |
| Active | Yes | Only active options appear in the dropdown. Deactivate options that are no longer valid without deleting them. |
Add as many options as needed. Options can be reordered by drag-and-drop. The code is case-sensitive and must be unique within the field.
Text fields
Free-text input with no predefined options. Configure:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Max length | Character limit (default 200, max 1000) |
| Placeholder text | Hint text shown in the empty field |
| Validation pattern | Optional regex for format validation (e.g. ^[A-Z]{2}-\d{4}$ for two uppercase letters, hyphen, four digits) |
Date fields
Date picker with no additional configuration beyond name, required, and display order.
Toggle fields
Boolean toggle (yes/no). When enabled, the value is stored as true. When disabled, stored as false. Configure:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Default state | Whether the toggle is on or off when a new document is created |
| Label when on | Text shown when the toggle is on (e.g. "ITP Required") |
| Label when off | Text shown when the toggle is off (e.g. "No ITP") |
- Click Save.
Editing fields
- Name, required, display order, applies-to: Can be changed at any time. Changes take effect immediately.
- Field type: Cannot be changed after creation. If you need a different type, deactivate the old field and create a new one.
- Dropdown options: Add new options, edit labels (not codes), deactivate options. Cannot delete options that have been used on existing documents.
Required fields and existing documents
Marking a field as Required affects new documents going forward. Existing documents that were created without the field are not retroactively invalidated — they will not fail validation until the next time they are edited.
When an existing document is edited, all required fields must be completed before saving, including any newly required custom fields.
Field visibility
Custom fields are visible in:
- The document creation and editing forms
- The Document Register list (as optional columns via the Column Chooser)
- The advanced search (as field-specific prefixes)
- Excel exports
- API responses
What's next
- Auto-Numbering Schemes — use dropdown field codes in document numbering
- Document Numbering Schemes — combine tokens into structured numbers
- Document Fields Reference — all standard and custom field types