Custom fields

Custom fields let your nonprofit capture the attributes that make your programs intelligible—internal codes, outcomes, volunteer roles, grant requirements—without turning the CRM into a pile of unstructured notes. This page explains how custom fields sit alongside core donor and transaction data, and why typing, validation, and permissions matter as much as the label users see.

Program staff and database admins should read this before creating fields so naming and types stay consistent across reports and integrations.

Overview

Custom fields are defined at the tenant level, then applied to the entities your organization extends (for example donor profiles or gift records, depending on configuration). Each field has a type that governs validation, display, and how the value is stored and queried in PostgreSQL behind the scenes.

Because custom data still participates in access control, sensitive extensions should be paired with roles and overrides that match your data classification policy—not every custom field belongs in every view. The creating and field-types guides walk through practical patterns; this concept page sets expectations for integrity and governance.