Custom fields
Zoho Marketing Automation allows you to create custom fields for your contacts to store extra information. With custom fields, you can feed any type of information, set character limits, and use them to save data that is specific to your business needs.
In this help guide, we'll walk you through steps to add custom fields, how they can be encrypted, and their possible applications.
Privileges associated with custom fields
To perform different operations related to custom fields, you need the corresponding privileges in the custom fields module.
How to add custom fields?
To add custom fields, follow the steps below:
- Choose Settings from the top right corner of the page.
- Select Contact fields under General.
- Navigate to the Custom fields tab.
- Click the Add Custom Field button.
- Enter the following data:
a. Field type indicates the type of data that will be stored in the field.
b. Field label to identify the field or to provide a name for the field.
c. Default merge tag value that can be used as a default value if the user leaves the field blank. - Click Create.
Field types
You can use different field types to create varying custom fields ranging from text area fields to radio buttons.
Field Type | Other Details | Maximum field length |
Text | To enter a simple text input | 300 |
Integer | To enter and validate numeric input | 9 |
Email | To enter a valid email address | 100 |
Phone | To enter a valid phone number | 20 |
Date | Format- MM/DD/ YYYY | 18 |
Date and Time | Format- MM/DD/ YYYY HH:MM | 18 |
Pick List | Specify the pick list values | 100 |
Multiselect Pick list | To choose multiple values | 100 |
Percentage | To enter Percentage values | 5 |
Decimal | To enter numerical decimals | 16 |
Radio Buttons | To choose any one of the predefined set of options. | 100 |
Checkbox | To select an option | NA |
Long Integer | To enter numerals with maximum characters | 18 |
URL | To enter a web address | 200 |
Text Area | To enter a text input with maximum characters, e.g. Description field | 2000 |
Multiselect Checkbox | To display multiple checkbox options | 100 |
Anniversary Field | To specify an anniversary date | 100 |
What is the maximum number of fields that can be added in my account?
You can have a maximum of 150 custom fields in your Marketing Automation account.
A maximum of 75 text fields can be created.
A maximum of 75 text fields can be created.
How to edit custom fields?
To add custom fields, follow the steps below:
- Choose Settings from the top right corner of the page.
- Select Contact fields under General.
- Navigate to Custom fields tab.
- Click More beside the required field and click Edit.
- Update the following data based on your requirement:
- Field type indicates the type of data that will be stored in the field.
- Field label to identify the field or to provide a name for the field.
- Default merge tag value that can be used as a default value if the user leaves the field blank.
- Click Update.
How to delete custom fields?
To add custom fields, follow the steps below:
- Choose Settings from the top right corner of the page.
- Select Contact fields under General.
- Navigate to Custom fields tab.
- Click More beside the required field and click Delete.
- Click Yes, Proceed in the popup.
Use cases
When I try to add a new custom field of the Checkbox type, I receive an error message saying I have reached the maximum limit. How can I add the custom field?
You need to delete one of the Checkbox custom fields to add a new field of the same type. You can create a total of 250 custom fields and 10 custom checkbox fields. To delete a custom field, navigate to the Custom fields tab and click the Delete icon beside the custom field.
- Text fields include:
- Text
- Phone
- Email
- Picklist
- Multiselect Picklist
- Radio Buttons
- URL
- Text Area
- Multiselect Checkbox
- A maximum of 16 integer fields can be created.
- A maximum of 11 boolean fields can be created.
- A maximum of 33 long integer fields can be created.
- Long Integer fields include:
- Long Integer
- Date
- Anniversary
- A maximum of 15 double fields can be created.
- Double fields include:
- Decimal
- Percent
Encryption of Custom Fields
You can protect sensitive and classified user data by encrypting it. Encryption is the process of encoding an information and making it accessible only to authorized people. Encryption converts plain (readable) text into ciphertext (non-readable). Ciphertext can only be read when decrypted by an authorized party.
The encryption method used here is called AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), which uses keys to encrypt and decrypt data.
Only custom field data can be encrypted. For instance, when you need to store confidential information like credit card details or backup phone numbers, you can include those fields in the user layout as a custom field. Data encryption is done when a custom field is created or edited.
Specifications:
- If a custom field associated with a segment or a score-based view is encrypted, then they will cease to function normally. You can resume the functioning of the segment or the score-based view by turning off encryption for the associated custom field.
- If a custom field associated with a workflow, autoresponder, or field-based scoring is encrypted, they will stop working. The only way to reactivate the workflow or the autoresponder is by cloning and initiating them. You cannot clone field-based scoring, so you need to create a new field-based scoring with your desired criteria.
How to encrypt a custom field?
- Choose Settings from the top right corner of the page.
- Select Contact fields under General.
- Click More beside the required field and click Edit or Add Custom Field.
- Click the Encrypt field checkbox if you want to turn on encryption for the custom field.
Applications of Custom Fields
Personalize your email campaigns and autoresponders
Every custom field you create can be converted into a merge tag to personalize your email content and autoresponder messages.
For example, you can remind a contact to pay their monthly balance using the merge tag related to the custom field that has the due amount. You can also use a custom date field in autoresponders to send reminder emails for upcoming events.
Segmentation of contacts
Use custom fields as criteria to create segments and filter out contacts for an email campaign. For example, you can focus on contacts in a specific city or region if this data is stored in a custom field.
Managing custom merge tags
Contact custom tags are those that you can define according to your needs from a list of contact fields and the custom field data. This gives you the liberty to use more number of fields than the available predefined fields.
You can choose from the following fields :
- Predefined fields
- User-defined fields
Predefined fields are fields set by default, which are basic contact info in the sign up form and add contact page. Fields like contact email, first name, last name, and company name are some examples of predefined fields. Choose a predefined field, a customized tag name, your mail default value, and social default value. You have the freedom to define your own tag for your own understanding, reference, and easy usability.
User-defined fields can be used to address your contacts, when you've created custom fields. If you want to use the custom fields in your email campaigns, then you need to create a contact custom merge tag and choose the field type as the custom field that you've created.
A custom contact merge tag is created by default whenever you add a custom field. You can edit the default merge tag value and encryption details by editing the corresponding custom field.
Using contact custom merge tags
In the Content section of campaign creation, select one of our content options, such as designed templates, HTML editor, or any other option. Choose the text component, mouse over to the Merge tags section, and select contact custom tags. Click on the tag you want to add to the content.
Note:
- If you've chosen HTML or text editor, you have to copy and paste the tag in the editor.
- Merge tags can also be used for Call Back URL's, campaign subject and for list details known as List Link tags.
FAQs
1. Can I edit predefined merge tags?
You can’t edit predefined merge tags. Instead, you can create your own contact custom merge tags and choose a pre-defined field. This way you can use your own customized merge tag in place of the predefined merge tag.
For example, if you're a seller you might find it appropriate to address your contact email as purchaser email. In this case, you can create a custom tag by choosing the predefined contact email field and giving it the name you prefer to address your contacts.
2. I have imported some fields from other products using sync. How do I display them when I send campaigns to my mailing lists?
You can display the data from imported fields using custom fields and merge tags. Create a merge tag and choose the custom field that you have imported.
For example, you've imported a field "Skype ID" from Zoho CRM into a custom field named Skype_id. You will have to create a "SKYPE" merge tag for the custom field. You can then use the merge tag to display the Skype ID in your campaigns.
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