---
title: "How to Add a Custom Field"
slug: "how-to-add-a-custom-field"
description: "How to add a custom field for people, households or groups in infoodle via Custom Fields → Manage Fields, with field type, encryption and role permissions."
tags: ["Custom fields", "Roles"]
updated: 2026-10-17T04:36:00Z
published: 2026-10-17T04:36:00Z
canonical: "help.infoodle.com/how-to-add-a-custom-field"
stale: true
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.infoodle.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Add a Custom Field

infoodle allows you to add as many custom fields as you like, change the titles of the fields, and choose the type of information to capture.

### Before you start

1. What information you need to capture
2. Whether it relates to a person, a household/organisation, or a group
3. Whether you need a Lookup or Multi‑select Lookup field
  - If so, create the [Lookup List](/v1/docs/manage-views) first

## How to add a Custom Field

The instructions below are the same for **Person**, **Household**, and **Group** Custom Fields.

[Video](https://cdn.document360.io/d198920d-a212-4177-85f9-e1abc92e7ab3/Images/Documentation/HowToAddACustomFieldPeople(1).mp4)

1. Click on the **administration cog**
2. Then click on **Custom Fields**
3. Click on **Manage Fields** under the area you are wanting to add a custom field to
4. Then click **Add**
5. Go through the options (see below for help on what these fields mean)
6. Finally click **Save**

---

### Manage Fields: People

![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/d198920d-a212-4177-85f9-e1abc92e7ab3/Images/Documentation/image-QX5MHE0Y.png)

### Manage Fields: Household

![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/d198920d-a212-4177-85f9-e1abc92e7ab3/Images/Documentation/image-ILXX1Y4F.png)

### Manage Fields: Groups

![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/d198920d-a212-4177-85f9-e1abc92e7ab3/Images/Documentation/image-DFKZ73SP.png)

---

## What do these custom field options mean?

#### Name

- The label shown throughout infoodle
- Avoid the following characters - + * / %
- Use spaces or underscores instead

#### Area

- Set automatically based on the section you selected (People, Household/Organisation, Groups)

#### Default Tab (People only)

- Choose where the field appears on a person’s profile
- Includes Not visible by default to hide the field initially  

*This replaces the outdated label “Tab”*

#### Type of field

- Determines the kind of data captured
- Once data is saved, the field type cannot be changed
- See [Custom Field Types](/v1/docs/custom-field-types) for details

#### Which lookup list to use

*(Lookup & Multi‑select Lookup only)*

- Select an existing lookup list
- Lookup lists must be created before the field

#### Store new data encrypted

*(Text & Incrementing fields; People & Household only)*

- Encrypts stored data
- Encrypted fields support exact‑match search only
- Note: This applies to Text and Incrementing fields (not just Text)

#### Show as choice on person search options

*(People & Household only)*

Appears only for these field types:

- Text
- Web address
- Incrementing
- Integer
- Number (2 decimal places)

Not available for Lookup or Yes/No fields.

For more information, see [Searching for a Person](/v1/docs/searching-for-a-person) or [Searching for a Household/Organisation](/v1/docs/searching-for-a-householdorganisation)

#### Allow user to update related people

*(People only)*

Choose how updates propagate:

- No other person
- Also update the spouse
- Also update all members in the household

#### Ask for this data when adding a new person or household?

*(People & Household only)*

- Adds the field to the new‑contact form

#### This field is mandatory

- Requires a value before saving

#### Make available as a criteria in reports?

*(People & Household only)*

- Allows filtering by this field in reports

#### Add Day/Month/Year as criteria fields

*(Date fields; People & Household only)*

- Creates separate report filters for day, month, and year

#### Show on the header of the person page?

- Displays the field at the top of the profile
- Use Sort Header Fields to control order

#### Show on the household list block?

*(People only)*

- Displays the field in the household members block

#### Role Permission

Set access per role:

- Hide – field not visible
- Read Only – visible but not editable
- Write – visible and editable

              
              

For more information on Role Permissions, see [Field-Level Permissions](/v1/docs/field-level-permissions)

              
              

If you are creating a new **Lookup** or **Multi-select Lookup** type of custom field, you will need to create the **Lookup List** first, if a suitable list has not already been added.

For more information, see **[Lookup Lists for Custom fields](/v1/docs/lookup-lists-for-custom-fields)**.