This article will show you how to create and use custom fields to collect and organize lead data in your HighLevel account. Custom fields let you tailor forms, workflows, and CRM records to match your unique business needs, like qualifying real estate buyers vs. sellers or tracking preferred contact methods.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What are Custom Fields?
- Key Benefits of Custom Fields
- Contact vs. Opportunity Custom Fields
- Organizing Custom Fields with Folders
- How to Set Up Custom Fields
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Articles
What are Custom Fields?
Custom fields let you store additional information about contacts or opportunities beyond the default fields (like name, phone, email). You can use them in forms, surveys, automation workflows, and pipelines to collect and reference key data specific to your business.
Key Benefits of Custom Fields
Custom fields give you flexibility in data collection, segmentation, and automation:
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Collect custom data: Capture business-specific info like lead type, budget range, or preferred contact method.
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Use across tools: Deploy custom fields in forms, surveys, workflows, and pipelines for full coverage.
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Personalize automations: Merge field values into texts, emails, or internal notifications for tailored messaging.
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Segment contacts easily: Create Smart Lists or filter workflows based on custom field data.
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Stay organized: Group related fields under folders to keep contact and opportunity records tidy.
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Display critical info: Show key custom field values directly on opportunity cards or in notifications.
Contact vs. Opportunity Custom Fields
Choosing the right type of custom field is essential for keeping your data organized and functional. In HighLevel, you can create two types of custom fields: Contact custom fields and Opportunity custom fields. While they may seem similar, they serve different purposes and are used in different parts of the platform.
Contact custom fields are attached to the individual person. Use them to store personal details like lead type (e.g., buyer or seller), birthday, preferred contact method, or referral source. These fields appear in the contact record and can be used in forms, surveys, contact workflows, Smart Lists, and message personalization using merge fields.
Opportunity custom fields are linked to a specific deal or sales opportunity. Use them to capture deal-specific information such as budget range, urgency, timeline to close, or property type. These fields appear only within the opportunity record and are used in pipeline views, opportunity workflows, and deal-level reporting or automation.
Note: Once a field is created as either a contact or opportunity field, it cannot be switched.
Organizing Custom Fields with Folders
Organizing your fields keeps your data tidy and easier to use inside contacts and opportunities.
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Folders (also called groups) appear as sections in your contact/opportunity records.
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You can move fields between folders using bulk actions.
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Create groups in Settings > Custom Fields > + Add Folder.
How to Set Up Custom Fields
Follow these steps to create and organize custom fields in your sub-account:
Step 1: Navigate to Settings → Custom Fields
In your sub-account, click on Settings from the left menu, then scroll down and click Custom Fields. This is where you can view existing fields and create new ones for Contacts or Opportunities.
Step 2: Click Add Field
On the top-right of the Custom Fields screen, click the Add Field button to start creating a new custom field.
Step 3: Select an Input Type and Object
Select the field type you want to create—such as Text, Dropdown, Radio, Date, etc. Then under the Object dropdown, Choose Contact if the field should appear in contact profiles. Choose Opportunity if the field should appear in opportunities only.
Step 4: Fill in Custom Field Details
Enter the Field Name, select a Group (or create a new one), and add Option Names and Values if applicable (e.g., for drop downs or radios).
Step 5: Save and Verify Placement
Click Save to create the custom field. For Contact Custom Fields, go to a contact record to see the new field. For Opportunity Custom Fields, go to an opportunity card to see the field under “Opportunity Details.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I convert a contact field into an opportunity field (or vice versa)?
No. You must recreate the field under the correct object type. Field objects cannot be changed after creation.
Q: What types of fields can I create?
You can create Short Text, Long Text, Drop downs, Date Pickers, Phone, Email, Radio Selects, Checkbox Groups, URLs, and more.
Q: Why don’t my fields show in a form or workflow?
Ensure the object type matches the use case. Only Contact fields appear in forms and contact workflows.
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