Custom Fields are useful when you need to gather more information than the system has by default. You can have custom fields for jobs/estimates, customers, and equipment.
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You can find the custom fields section of Service Fusion by hovering your mouse over My Office and selecting Custom Fields in the center of the column to the far right.
Setup of Custom Fields
When you land on the Custom Fields portion of Service Fusion, you will notice that it is split into three different sections with each one corresponding with the three types of custom fields. We will go over each one in detail and how they function within Service Fusion, but first, we will take a look at the actions that can be completed on this page.
To the right of each field is a check box that says "Required". This check box will make it required to have a value in the Default Value section of the custom field. This will apply to the Field Worker App as well as the Back Office. Any time you go into the Edit mode in the Back Office, the system will not allow you to save until there are values in each empty field and it is the same within the Field Worker App.
To the further right of each custom field are "X" symbols. Those enable you to delete the corresponding custom field. As a side note to this function, each custom fields section will have one field by default, however, the system will not allow you to save this page until all those default fields are filled in. You can press the deletion "X" to remove these default fields, if you don't wish to use them, and you will be able to save. Please note: even if you have used a specific custom field(s) in the past, if you have permission to delete custom fields, you would be able to delete it here on this page without having a prompt to make sure that you want to delete them.
At the bottom of each section you will have the option to add another custom field. There are no limits to how many you can have so this button will always be available!
When setting up these fields you will be given a drop-down list of different types of responses you would like to receive! In the screen shot that is posted below the Default Value(s) are filled in to provide an example of the types of responses that are enabled. Typically, with the exception of Single Select and Check Box, these are left blank to be answered in the field or during scheduling.
Text Input(1)- This field allows for a limited amount of text and numbers capped at 336 characters.
Long Text(2)- This field allows for an unlimited amount of text and numbers.
Date(3)- This field allows for the date to be selected from a pop-up calendar.
Single Select(4)- This field allows for a drop-down menu to be created.
Numeric Input(5)- This field allows a limited amount of numbers to be input capped at 11 characters.
Check Box(6)- This field allows for a check box response that can be selected.
Finally, you are able to reorder your custom fields once they are created! When you hover over one of your created custom fields six dots will appear to the direct left of it. If you click and hold this then you will be able to drag and drop your field up and down.
Jobs/Estimates Custom Fields
This is the custom field section that will be the most detailed as there are many factors that will affect how these function within the system. Job and estimate custom fields will show on the 'Custom Flds' tab from the job page.
Once your custom fields have been created you will be able to add them to Job Categories and find them on your jobs. These will show up on all jobs upon creation by default, however, this can be circumvented by creating a job category that has no custom fields selected.
Here we see a job that is just being created that has no job category attached to the job. Notice how all of the custom fields are showing under the Custom Fields tab. (This is a combination of two screen shots so your screen will look different.)
Here we see a job that is just being created that has a job category applied. Notice how there is just one custom fields applied. (This is a combination of two screen shots so your screen will look different.)
Be aware- If you make changes to your Job Categories, they will not retroactively affect jobs you've already created. You can force the change by going in to edit mode on a job and changing the job categories to a different category, save, then back to the original to force the change.
Your technicians will also be able to find the custom fields, and edit them given they have the Worker App Permissions enabled to do so, within the Field Worker App! When a technician is looking at a job there will be a Custom Fields section about in the center of the page.
The technician can tap that section to be taken to the custom fields page where they are able to make edits and see what information they need to see. If the technician is making edits to the custom fields, they must press save before going to a different screen, otherwise the information they entered will be gone!
You can also choose whether or not you would like to include your custom fields on your work order and invoice PDFs. You can find the toggle that will affect this by hovering your mouse over My Office and going to Company Preferences. Slightly down the page, on the right, will be the option to Include Job Custom Fields on Invoices and also Job Custom Fields On Work Orders/ Jobs.
When viewing the PDF, the custom fields will be shown below the customer information if you have that setting turned on!
You are also able to add job custom fields to your Communication Templates that exist within the Job/WO section. Once you have them created, they will be available as a tag to put on the template!
Customer Custom Fields
Customer custom fields are useful if you need to gather more information regarding your customer base, that we do not have a dedicated field for. These will remain static on the customer account. These custom fields are included in the Customer list report and they can be used to create new lists for the Customer Email Broadcasts.
These custom fields are set up in the section right below job/estimate custom fields.
The creation for these custom fields will mirror how you created job/estimate custom fields! You will select the type of field as well as give it a field label and a default value in the correct type of custom field.
Equipment Custom Fields
Equipment Custom Fields are useful when you need to gather more information on customer equipment than we provide fields for. These will remain static and will not allow you to change the fields per job. If you require that kind of tracking, please consider using Jobs/Estimates Custom Fields.
Equipment Custom Fields are the last section under the Custom Fields section of Service Fusion. You will have the same creation options listed above with the type of custom fields, the field label for the field and the default value.
These custom fields will appear on the Customer Account under the Equipment tab. Each piece of equipment will show these custom fields with their respective responses! They can be edited by clicking the pencil icon to the right below Actions.
You can also alter these fields from a job or estimate! When looking at the job you will need to select the "Eqpt" tab at the top of the View Job page. This will take you to the equipment that has been attached to this job where you can view, and edit, your custom fields. To edit them, you will need to edit the job, click the "Eqpt" tab, then hover your mouse over the specific equipment section that you would like to edit and click the pencil icon at the top right.