Custom Field Rules

Create automation rules that make your custom fields smarter. Custom Field Rules allow you to show or hide fields based on other selections, automatically fill in values, and create relationships between fields.

What are Custom Field Rules?

Custom Field Rules let you create "if-this-then-that" logic for your custom fields. When a user selects a specific value in one field, other fields can automatically appear, hide, or populate with preset values.

Benefits:

Cleaner forms - Only show relevant fields based on user selections
Reduced data entry errors - Auto-populate values based on selections
Consistent data - Ensure related fields always have matching values
Better user experience - Guide users through your data collection process

Rule Types

1. Show Field Rules

Show a field only when another field has a specific value.

Example: You have a "Partner Type" dropdown with options: Referral, Reseller, Other. When "Other" is selected, you want to show a "Please Specify" text field.

How it works:

The "Please Specify" field is hidden by default
When user selects "Other" in Partner Type, the "Please Specify" field appears
When user selects a different option, the field hides again

2. Set Value Rules

Automatically fill a field with a specific value when another field has a specific value.

Example: When "Region" is set to "North America", automatically set "Currency" to "USD".

How it works:

When the trigger condition is met, the target field is automatically populated
Optionally, you can lock the field so users cannot change the auto-set value
When the trigger condition no longer applies, the value is cleared

3. Value Mapping Rules

Map specific values from one field to corresponding values in another field.

Example: Map partner tiers to support levels:

"Enterprise" tier maps to "Priority" support
"Professional" tier maps to "Standard" support
"Starter" tier maps to "Basic" support

How it works:

Create one-to-one mappings between source and target values
When a source value is selected, the corresponding target value is automatically set
Great for maintaining consistent relationships between categorisations

Creating a Custom Field Rule

Step 1: Navigate to Custom Fields Settings

Click Settings in the main navigation
Select Custom Fields from the settings menu
Choose the entity type (Partners, Leads, or Deals) using the tabs at the top

Step 2: Open the Rules Section

Below your custom fields list, you will see a Rules section. Click Add Rule to create a new rule.

Step 3: Configure the Rule

Rule Label
Enter a descriptive name for your rule, such as "Show Other Details when Other selected" or "Map Region to Currency".

When Condition (Source Field)
Select the field that will trigger the rule. Only Select and Multi-Select fields can be used as triggers.

Action Type
Choose what happens when the condition is met:

Show Field - Display another field
Set Value - Populate a field with a specific value
Value Mapping - Map values between two fields

Source Values (for Show Field and Set Value)
Select which option(s) in the source field should trigger the rule. You can select multiple options - the rule triggers when ANY of them are selected.

Target Field
Select the field that will be affected by this rule.

Target Value (for Set Value)
Enter the value that should be automatically filled in.

Value Mappings (for Value Mapping)
Create the mapping pairs:

Click Add Mapping
Select a source value and its corresponding target value
Repeat for each mapping you need

Lock Field (optional)
For Set Value and Value Mapping rules, check this box to prevent users from manually changing the auto-populated value.

Step 4: Save the Rule

Click Create to save your new rule. The rule becomes active immediately.

Managing Rules

Viewing Rules

All rules for the selected entity type are displayed in the Rules section. Each rule shows:

Rule name
Action type (colour-coded badge)
Source and target field names
Active/inactive status

Editing Rules

Click the pencil icon next to the rule you want to edit
Make your changes in the sidebar
Click Update to save

Enabling/Disabling Rules

Use the toggle switch next to any rule to temporarily disable it without deleting it. This is useful for testing or seasonal rules.

Deleting Rules

Click the trash icon to permanently delete a rule. This action cannot be undone.

Rule Behaviour

Field Visibility

Fields that are targets of Show Field, Set Value, or Value Mapping rules are hidden by default. They only become visible when their rule conditions are met.

Cascading Rules

Rules can trigger other rules in a chain. For example:

Selecting "Enterprise" in Partner Tier shows the "Account Manager" field
The "Account Manager" field triggers another rule to show "Account Manager Email"

The system automatically handles these cascading effects.

Shared Fields with Partners

If you use shared custom fields with your partners:

Rules you create apply to your view of the data
Partners can create their own rules for their view
When editing shared field values, both companies' rules are evaluated

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Use descriptive rule names that explain what the rule does:

Good: "Show Industry Details when Industry is Other"
Not as helpful: "Rule 1"

Planning Your Rules

Before creating rules, map out your form logic:

List all the conditional relationships between fields
Identify which fields should be hidden by default
Determine if values should be auto-populated or just shown

Testing Your Rules

After creating rules:

Navigate to a partner, lead, or deal record
Test each trigger scenario
Verify fields show/hide correctly
Check that auto-populated values are correct
Test edge cases (what happens when you change selections)

Avoiding Conflicts

Do not create multiple rules that set different values for the same target field with overlapping conditions
If you need complex logic, consider using Value Mapping instead of multiple Set Value rules
Keep rule chains simple (avoid more than 3-4 levels of cascading)

Common Use Cases

Conditional Detail Fields

Scenario: Show additional detail fields based on a primary selection.

Setup:

Source Field: "Lead Source" (options: Website, Referral, Event, Other)
Rule: Show Field when "Other" is selected
Target Field: "Lead Source Details" (text field)

Regional Settings

Scenario: Auto-set currency and timezone based on region selection.

Setup (Rule 1):

Source Field: "Region"
Action: Value Mapping
Mappings:
- North America → USD
- Europe → EUR
- Asia Pacific → SGD
Target Field: "Preferred Currency"

Partner Classification

Scenario: Auto-assign support tier based on partner level.

Setup:

Source Field: "Partner Tier"
Action: Value Mapping
Mappings:
- Enterprise → Priority Support
- Professional → Standard Support
- Starter → Basic Support
Target Field: "Support Level"
Lock Field: Checked (prevent manual changes)

Qualifying Questions

Scenario: Show different follow-up questions based on initial qualification.

Setup (Rule 1):

Source Field: "Interested In" (options: Product A, Product B, Services)
Rule: Show Field when "Product A" is selected
Target Field: "Product A Use Case" (dropdown)

Setup (Rule 2):

Source Field: "Interested In"
Rule: Show Field when "Services" is selected
Target Field: "Service Requirements" (text area)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use any field type as a trigger?

Only Select and Multi-Select fields can be used as the source (trigger) field. However, any field type except Date can be used as a target field.

What happens to existing data when I create a rule?

Creating a rule does not modify existing records. The rules only apply when users view or edit records going forward.

Can I have multiple rules for the same target field?

Yes, but be careful with Set Value rules. If multiple Set Value rules can trigger for the same target with different values, the behaviour may be unpredictable. Show Field rules work well with multiple sources - the field shows if ANY rule condition is met.

Are rules applied when importing data?

No, rules are applied through the user interface only. Bulk imports bypass rule evaluation.

Can partners see my rules?

Partners cannot see your rule configuration. However, if you use shared custom fields, the visibility and auto-population behaviour will be visible to partners when they view or edit records.