Custom Fields

Custom Fields allow organizations to track additional information specific to their business needs. These fields can be added to accounts, configured by data type, and integrated into reports and workflows.

Click to enlarge - Custom fields setup and management interface

Accessing Custom Fields

1. Click the settings icon in the top navigation bar
2. Select Accounts from the left sidebar
3. Click on Custom Fields

Understanding Custom Fields

Field Types

DebtRecoup supports various field types:

Text Fields

• Short Text: Up to 255 characters
• Long Text: Multi-line, up to 5000 characters
• Rich Text: Formatted text with styling

Numeric Fields

• Integer: Whole numbers only
• Decimal: Numbers with decimal places
• Currency: Monetary values with formatting
• Percentage: Values displayed as percentages

Date/Time Fields

• Date: Calendar date picker
• DateTime: Date with time
• Time: Time only
• Duration: Time periods

Selection Fields

• Dropdown: Single selection from list
• Multi-Select: Multiple selections allowed
• Radio Buttons: Single choice display
• Checkboxes: Multiple choice display

Special Fields

• Yes/No: Boolean true/false
• File Upload: Document attachments
• URL: Web links with validation
• Email: Email with format validation
• Phone: Phone with formatting

Creating Custom Fields

Add New Field

1. Click Add Custom Field button
2. Complete field configuration:

Basic Information

• Field Name: System identifier (no spaces)
• Display Label: User-friendly name
• Description: Help text for users
• Field Type: Select from available types

Field Properties

Required Field

• Must be completed before saving
• Displays asterisk (*)
• Validation on form submission

Default Value

• Pre-populated for new records
• Can use variables: {TODAY},
• Type-specific defaults

Unique Values

• No duplicates allowed
• System validates on entry
• Useful for external IDs

Validation Rules

Text Validation

Minimum Length: 5
Maximum Length: 50
Pattern: ^[A-Z]{2}-\d{6}$
Format Example: "TX-123456"

Numeric Validation

Minimum Value: 0
Maximum Value: 999999
Decimal Places: 2
Allow Negative: No

Date Validation

Earliest Date: {CHARGE_OFF_DATE}
Latest Date: {TODAY}
Exclude Weekends: Yes
Business Days Only: Yes

Dropdown Options

For selection fields:

1. Add Options:

   Value | Display Text | Active
   --------|--------------|--------
   RES     | Residential  | Yes
   COM     | Commercial   | Yes
   GOV     | Government   | No

2. Import Options:

   • Upload CSV file
   • Paste from Excel
   • Copy from existing field

3. Dynamic Options:

   • Load from database
   • Filter by criteria
   • Refresh periodically

Field Configuration

Display Settings

Field Placement

• Account Details tab
• Custom Fields tab
• Debtor Information section
• Quick View panel

Layout Options

• Column position
• Field width (25%, 50%, 100%)
• Group with related fields
• Section headers

Visibility Rules

Show When:
- Status = "Active"
- Balance > 1000
- State IN ("TX", "CA", "NY")

Access Control

Permission Levels

• View Only: See but not edit
• Edit: Modify values
• Required Edit: Must update
• Hidden: Not visible

Role-Based Access

Collectors: View Only
Supervisors: Edit
Managers: Full Access
Admin: Configure

Integration Options

API Access

• Include in API responses
• Allow API updates
• Webhook triggers
• External system mapping

Report Inclusion

• Available for filtering
• Include in exports
• Custom report columns
• Aggregation options

Field Dependencies

Conditional Fields

Show/hide based on other fields:

IF marital_status = "Married" THEN
  SHOW spouse_name (required)
  SHOW spouse_ssn (optional)
  SHOW spouse_income (optional)
END IF

Calculated Fields

Auto-calculate based on formulas:

// Days Past Due
days_past_due = TODAY - due_date

// Total Owed
total_owed = principal + interest + fees

// Payment Percentage
payment_percent = (paid_amount / original_balance) * 100

Cascading Updates

Changes trigger related updates:

ON UPDATE bankruptcy_filed = "Yes"
  SET status = "Bankruptcy"
  SET collectible = "No"
  REQUIRE bankruptcy_case_number
  NOTIFY legal_department

Managing Custom Fields

Editing Fields

Caution

Changing field types can result in data loss. Always backup before major changes.

Safe modifications:

• Display label
• Description
• Required status
• Default values
• Validation rules

Risky modifications:

• Field type changes
• Reducing field length
• Changing number formats
• Modifying dropdown values

Deactivating Fields

Instead of deleting:

1. Mark as inactive
2. Hide from forms
3. Preserve existing data
4. Exclude from new records

Field Migration

When replacing fields:

1. Create new field
2. Copy existing data
3. Update forms/reports
4. Deactivate old field
5. Archive after verification

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Field Names

• Use lowercase: original_creditor_ref
• No spaces: Use underscores
• Descriptive: bankruptcy_case_number
• Consistent: Follow patterns

Display Labels

• User-friendly: "Original Creditor Reference"
• Clear purpose: "Bankruptcy Case #"
• Consistent style: Title Case
• Brief: Under 30 characters

Field Organization

1. Group Related Fields: Keep similar fields together
2. Logical Order: Follow workflow sequence
3. Section Headers: Break up long forms
4. Clear Descriptions: Provide helpful guidance

Performance Considerations

• Limit total custom fields (< 50 recommended)
• Index searchable fields
• Avoid complex calculations
• Minimize required fields

Use Cases

Legal Tracking

Fields:
- Attorney Name (Text)
- Attorney Phone (Phone)
- Case Number (Text)
- Court Date (Date)
- Legal Status (Dropdown)
- Legal Notes (Long Text)

Skip Tracing

Fields:
- New Address Found (Yes/No)
- Verified Date (Date)
- Verification Source (Dropdown)
- New Phone (Phone)
- Employment Status (Dropdown)
- Employer Name (Text)

Client-Specific

Fields:
- Client Reference # (Text)
- Product Type (Dropdown)
- Branch Code (Text)
- Original Terms (Text)
- Special Instructions (Long Text)

Reporting with Custom Fields

Custom Reports

Include custom fields in:

• Detail reports
• Summary reports
• Export files
• Dashboards

Filtering Options

• Equal to
• Not equal to
• Contains
• Starts with
• Between (dates/numbers)
• In list
• Is empty/not empty

Aggregations

• Count
• Sum (numeric)
• Average (numeric)
• Min/Max
• Group by

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Field Not Showing

• Check visibility rules
• Verify permissions
• Review field placement
• Confirm field is active

Validation Errors

• Check validation rules
• Verify data format
• Review error messages
• Test with sample data

Performance Issues

• Reduce calculated fields
• Optimize visibility rules
• Index searchable fields
• Archive unused fields

Data Management

Import/Export

Importing Data

• Map to custom fields
• Validate formats
• Handle empty values
• Process in batches

Exporting Data

• Include in standard exports
• Custom field reports
• API endpoints
• Scheduled extracts

Data Quality

Maintain quality through:

• Validation rules
• Required fields
• Dropdown standardization
• Regular audits
• User training

Related Documentation

• Import Accounts - Mapping custom fields during import
• Manage Accounts - Updating custom field values
• Status Configuration - Status-dependent fields
• Reports Overview - Using custom fields in reports