> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.doubletick.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.doubletick.io/settings/how-to-create-and-use-custom-contact-fields.md).

# How to Create and Use Custom Contact Fields

Custom Contact Fields let you store additional information about your customers beyond the default details DoubleTick captures — things like subscription plan, city, lead score, account ID, or any other data relevant to your business. Once created, these fields can be used across customer profiles, segments, bots, broadcast templates, and reports.

***

#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**How to Access Custom Contact Fields**</mark>

1. Click **Settings** from the left navigation bar.
2. Select **Custom Contact Fields** from the Settings menu.
3. You will see a list of all existing custom fields along with their type, scope, and timestamps.

<figure><img src="/files/hNk3UzLLU58ShBaod14R" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**How to Create a New Custom Field**</mark>

Click the **Create New Field** button in the top-right corner. A form will open with the following options:

#### **Field Name**

Enter a name for the field. This is how it will appear across customer profiles, segments, bots, and templates. Choose a clear, descriptive name — for example, Subscription Plan, City, or Lead Score.

#### **Parent Field (Optional)**

You can link a field to an existing field to create a hierarchical data structure. Click **Add Parent Field** to select a parent. This is optional and only needed for advanced setups.

#### **Defined Per (Scope)**

This setting controls whether the field value is tied to the customer as a whole, or to a specific channel.

* **Customer** — The value is the same for this customer across all your connected WhatsApp numbers. Use this for global attributes like name, email, or date of birth.
* **Channel** — Each connected WhatsApp number can have a different value for the same customer. Use this for channel-specific data like lead status or iRate score.

#### **Field Type**

Choose the type of data this field will store. DoubleTick supports the following field types:

* **Text** — Free-form input for names, IDs, short descriptions, or any string value.
* **Date** — A date picker for storing dates such as subscription expiry or date of birth.
* **Number** — Stores numeric values like wallet balance, message count, or lead score.
* **List (Single Select)** — A dropdown where only one value can be selected at a time. Selecting a new value overwrites the existing one. Use this when a customer can only belong to one category — for example, subscription plan or industry.
* **Multi Select List** — A dropdown that allows multiple values to be selected at the same time. Use this when a customer can belong to more than one category — for example, product interests or features used.

#### **Field Visibility&#x20;**<mark style="color:$primary;">**(New)**</mark>

This controls how the field appears in the customer details panel during a chat. Note that custom fields remain accessible in segments, bots, templates, and broadcasts regardless of this setting.

* **Always Visible** — The field is shown even when it has no value.
* **Only Visible if Field Value is Set** — The field is hidden until a value is entered. Recommended for keeping the chat panel clean.
* **Never Visible** — The field is hidden from the customer details panel but can still be accessed and updated via API or bots.

#### **Method to Update Values**

Choose how this field gets populated.

* **Static** — Values are entered manually by your team or updated via API.
* **AI Based Field Values** — DoubleTick's AI scans chat conversations and automatically populates the field value. This is a premium feature, useful for fields like lead intent, sentiment, or product interest.

***

#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**Managing Existing Fields**</mark>

On the Custom Contact Fields page, you can:

* **Search** for a specific field using the search bar.
* **Reorder** fields by dragging the handle on the left of each row.
* Click the **three-dot (⋮) menu** on the right of any field to access the following options:

**Edit** — Modify the field name, type, scope, visibility, or any other setting configured when the field was created.

**Detail** — View a summary of the field's configuration and usage details.

**Manage Access** — Control which roles in your DoubleTick account can access this field. If your account has multiple roles defined, you can assign one of the following access levels to each role:

* **View Only** — The role can see the field and its value but cannot make changes.
* **Edit Custom Field** — The role can view and update the field value.

This is useful when you want to restrict sensitive fields — such as lead score or account ID — to specific teams or roles within your organisation.

***

#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**Tips Before You Start**</mark>

* Use **List** or **Multi Select List** field types instead of Text when the values come from a fixed set. This keeps your data consistent and makes segmentation more reliable.
* Use **Customer** scope for global attributes and **Channel** scope for data that may vary across your WhatsApp numbers.
* Set visibility to **Only Visible if Field Value is Set** to avoid cluttering the customer details panel with empty fields.
* Use **AI Based Field Values** for fields that can be automatically inferred from conversations, such as lead intent or sentiment.


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