Custom Fields

Custom fields allow you to store any additional information about your contacts beyond the default fields. This guide covers creating custom fields, field types, managing field values, and using custom fields in your message templates.

What Are Custom Fields?

Custom fields are user-defined properties that extend the contact data model. While Waflow includes standard fields like name, email, and phone, custom fields let you store:

• Business-specific data (customer ID, account number)
• Behavioral data (last purchase date, preferred product)
• Segmentation data (lead score, customer tier)
• Any other information relevant to your business

Custom fields are defined at the workspace level and apply to all contacts in that workspace.

Default vs Custom Fields

Default Fields

Every contact has these built-in fields:

Custom Fields

You define these based on your needs:

Field Types

Waflow supports these custom field types:

Text

Short single-line text values.

Long Text

Multi-line text for longer content.

Number

Numeric values (integers or decimals).

Date

Date values without time.

Date & Time

Date and time values.

Dropdown

Select from predefined options.

Multi-Select

Select multiple options from a list.

Checkbox

Boolean yes/no values.

URL

Web links.

Email

Email addresses (in addition to the default email field).

Creating Custom Fields

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Go to Settings > Custom Fields
2. Click Create Field
3. Configure the field:

Field Name

Enter a unique name for the field:

Use lowercase with underscores. Names must be unique.

Display Name

The human-readable label shown in the UI:

• "Last Purchase Date"
• "Customer Tier"
• "Preferred Language"

Field Type

Select from the types described above.

Options (for Dropdown/Multi-Select)

If creating a dropdown or multi-select:

1. Click Add Option
2. Enter option value
3. Repeat for all options
4. Drag to reorder if needed

Example options for "Customer Tier":

• Bronze
• Silver
• Gold
• Platinum

Default Value (Optional)

Set a default value for new contacts:

• For checkbox: Default checked or unchecked
• For dropdown: Default selection
• For text: Default text (can be empty)

Required Field (Optional)

Mark as required if every contact must have a value:

• Required fields show a red asterisk
• Contacts cannot be saved without a value
• Existing contacts will need updating

Warning: Be careful marking fields as required. Existing contacts without values may cause issues.

4. Click Save

The field is now available on all contact profiles.

Bulk Create via Import

Create custom fields during CSV import:

1. Start a CSV import
2. For unmapped columns, select Create Custom Field
3. Configure the field type
4. Complete the import

Fields are created automatically with values populated.

Managing Custom Fields

View All Fields

Go to Settings > Custom Fields to see:

• All custom fields in your workspace
• Field types
• Number of contacts with values
• Created date

Edit a Field

1. Go to Settings > Custom Fields
2. Click the edit icon on a field
3. Modify settings:
   • Display name (always editable)
   • Default value
   • Required status
   • Dropdown options (add/remove)
4. Click Save

Note: Field name and type cannot be changed after creation. Create a new field if you need a different type.

Delete a Field

1. Go to Settings > Custom Fields
2. Click the delete icon
3. Confirm deletion

Warning: Deleting a field removes all values for all contacts. This cannot be undone.

Reorder Fields

Change the order fields appear in contact profiles:

1. Go to Settings > Custom Fields
2. Drag fields to reorder
3. Order is saved automatically

Editing Field Values

Single Contact

1. Go to the contact's profile
2. Click Edit
3. Find the custom field
4. Enter or change the value
5. Click Save

Bulk Update

Update values for multiple contacts:

1. Go to Contacts
2. Select contacts using checkboxes
3. Click Edit Fields in bulk actions
4. Select the field to update
5. Enter the new value
6. Click Apply to Selected

Via CSV Import

Update existing contacts with new field values:

1. Prepare a CSV with phone number and field values
2. Import with "Update duplicates" option
3. Map columns to custom fields

Via API

curl -X PATCH https://api.waflow.com/v1/contacts/+14155551234 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "custom_fields": {
      "customer_tier": "Gold",
      "last_purchase_date": "2024-12-15",
      "lead_score": 92
    }
  }'

Using Custom Fields in Templates

Custom fields can be used as variables in message templates, enabling personalization.

Variable Syntax

Use double curly braces with the field name:

Hello {{first_name}},

Your membership tier is {{customer_tier}}.
Your account ID: {{customer_id}}

Thank you for being a valued customer!

Field Name to Variable

Fallback Values

Set fallback values for empty fields:

Hello {{first_name|Customer}},

If first_name is empty, "Customer" is used instead.

Date Formatting

Format date fields in templates:

Your last purchase was on {{last_purchase_date|date:MMM DD, YYYY}}.

Outputs: "Your last purchase was on Dec 15, 2024."

Number Formatting

Format numbers:

You have earned {{points|number}} reward points.

Adds thousand separators automatically.

Conditional Content (Advanced)

Some templates support conditional blocks:

{{#if customer_tier == "Gold"}}
As a Gold member, you get 20% off!
{{else}}
Upgrade to Gold for 20% off!
{{/if}}

Note: Conditional blocks are available in advanced template mode. Contact support to enable.

Custom Fields in Segments

Use custom fields in dynamic segment rules:

Example Rules

Complex Segments

Combine multiple custom field conditions:

ALL of:
- customer_tier equals "Gold" OR customer_tier equals "Platinum"
- last_purchase_date within 90 days
- sms_consent equals true

Best Practices

Planning Your Fields

Before creating fields:

1. List your needs: What data do you want to track?
2. Check defaults: Is it already a default field?
3. Choose types carefully: Type cannot be changed later
4. Consider templates: Will you use this in messages?
5. Plan for segments: Will you filter by this data?

Naming Conventions

Field Organization

Organize fields logically:

Data Hygiene

Keep field data clean:

• Set appropriate default values
• Use dropdowns instead of text when possible
• Validate data during import
• Regularly audit field values
• Remove unused fields

Performance Considerations

Common Use Cases

E-commerce

Lead Management

Subscriptions

Troubleshooting

Field Not Appearing in Template Variables

• Verify the field exists in your workspace
• Check the field name spelling
• Use the exact field name (case-sensitive)

Import Failing for Custom Fields

• Match column headers exactly to field names
• Ensure values match field types
• For dropdowns, values must match defined options exactly

Segment Not Filtering Correctly

• Verify field has values (check for empty/null)
• Check operator (equals vs contains)
• For dates, ensure format is correct

Can't Change Field Type

Field types are fixed after creation. To change:

1. Create a new field with the correct type
2. Export contacts with the old field
3. Update the values for the new field format
4. Import with new field mapping
5. Delete the old field

Next Steps

Now that you have custom fields set up:

• Create segments using your fields
• Build templates with personalization
• Launch campaigns targeting specific audiences