Creating and Managing Custom Fields

Getting Started

Who can do this: Users with the Spark Administrator or Manager permissions (project-level) or Administrator permissions (company-level)
Where custom fields live: Custom fields are managed in Settings, under the Custom Fields tab for Team, Brokerages, Contacts, Inventory, or Contracts. Use your company-level settings for company-level fields, or your project-level settings for project-level fields.

What's the difference between company-level and project-level custom fields?

A company-level custom field is created once in your company settings and can be used across projects. Company-level Brokerage, Team, and Contact custom fields are always shared to all projects. Company-level Inventory and Contract custom fields are shared only to the projects you choose. Updating the value for a company-level custom field updates it across all projects.

A project-level custom field is created in a single project's settings and is available in that project only. Updating a value for a project-level custom field updates it for that project only.

What types of custom fields can I create?

Every field type below is available at both the company level and the project level.

Field Type	Description	Example
Short Text	A short text entry, up to 30 characters.	Middle Name (Contacts)
Long Text	A longer text entry, up to 1,000 characters.	MLS Description (Inventory)
Dropdown	A list of preset values. Can allow one or several selections, and can optionally allow people to type in their own "other" value.	View (Inventory)
Checkbox	A list of preset values where several can be selected. Can optionally allow an "other" value.	Amenity Interest (Contacts)
Radio	A list of preset values where only one can be selected. Can optionally allow an "other" value.	Reason for Purchase (Contacts)
Number	A number.	Number of pets (Contacts)
Measurement	A length or area, in an imperial or metric unit you choose.	Total Area (Inventory)
Currency	A dollar amount, shown in the currency set for the project.	Estimated Monthly Fees (Inventory)
Percentage	A number shown as a percent.	Mortgage Rate (Contracts)

How do I create a new custom field?

To create a custom field, go to your company-level or project-level Settings, then choose Team, Brokerages, Contacts, Inventory, or Contracts. Open the Custom Fields tab and click + New Custom Field.

Fill in the settings for the new custom field:

Setting	Description
Name	The name of the custom field, as your team will see it.
Type	The kind of information the field collects. See the field types table above.
Description	Optional. An internal note about the field. Only your team sees the description.
Projects	Company-level Inventory and Contract fields only. Choose which projects the custom field is shared to.
Required Field	When enabled, team members must fill in the custom field when they add or edit a record manually.
Sensitive Field	When enabled, the custom field's name is hidden from the timeline, and the custom field is not included in the Custom Fields API endpoint. Use this for private information such as ID numbers. See What is a Sensitive Field? below.
Unit	Measurement fields only. Choose the imperial or metric unit from the dropdown.
Values	Dropdown, Checkbox, and Radio fields only. Add the options people can choose from. See How do I add options to a Dropdown, Checkbox, or Radio field? below.

When all the settings are filled in, click Create.

How do I add options to a Dropdown, Checkbox, or Radio field?

When you create or edit a Dropdown, Checkbox, or Radio custom field, type the first option in the value box. Click + Value to add each additional option.

To let people type in their own answer when none of the options fit, switch Allow Other Values to Yes.

What is a Sensitive Field?

Sensitive Field is a toggle in the custom field settings that adds extra protection to custom fields holding private information, such as government ID numbers, passport numbers, or other personal details.

When Sensitive Field is turned on for a custom field:

The custom field's name is hidden from the timeline.
The custom field is not included in the Custom Fields API endpoint, so integrations and websites connected to Spark through the API can't see it.

If your website, registration form, or another integration reads custom fields through the Spark API, let your web developer know before you turn on Sensitive Field for a custom field they use, since that custom field will no longer be available to them.

How do I edit a custom field?

To edit a custom field, go to the company-level or project-level settings where the custom field was created. For example, a project-level Contacts custom field is found under Settings → Contacts → Custom Fields. Click the micro-menu beside the custom field, choose Edit, make your changes, and click Save.

What happens if I rename a custom field?

Renaming a custom field can affect documents and registration forms that use it:

Documents: If the custom field is mapped on your documents, contact the Spark team so they can update the mapping. Otherwise, the renamed custom field won't fill in on future documents.
Registration forms: If the custom field is used on a registration form connected through the API, let your web developer know so they can update the field name. If your form sends data using the custom field's ID instead of its name, no change is needed.

How do I delete a custom field?

ITo delete a custom field, go to the settings where the custom field was created. Project-level custom fields are deleted in the project's settings. Company-level custom fields, including ones shared to projects, are deleted in your company settings. Click the micro-menu beside the custom field, then click Delete.

What happens when I delete a custom field?

Deleting a custom field is permanent and can't be undone. If the deleted custom field was mapped on a document, used on a registration form, included in an email template, or used in reporting, it will stop working in all of those places.