Custom fields (Advanced): Update, search, ways to use

Learn everything you need to know about managing custom fields: how to update them for client accounts, search by their content and use custom fields in different portal sections as shortcodes.

Update custom fields

Once you have  created custom fields, they are already added to every client account. You can manually fill them out from the client's profile or in bulk by using the Import tool. You can also use organizer answers to transfer the obtained data to accounts/contacts. 

From a client's profile

To update an account custom field from a client's profile:

1. Open the client profile and switch to the Info tab. In the Account details section, click Edit.

2. Update custom field values, click Continue, then click Save.

To update a contact custom field:

1. Either from a client's profile or from the Contacts page, open the contact sidebar.

2. Update custom field values and click Save.

In bulk

To update or fill out multiple custom field values at once:

1. Export accounts or contacts for which you need to update custom fields.

2. In the spreadsheet with the exported data, remove all columns except for those with account or contact names.

3. Add columns for the custom fields you need, fill in the data and save the CSV file.

Tip! To avoid losing your data, make sure that the format of values in cells corresponds to the allowed formats for each type of custom field.

4. Use the CSV file to import accounts or contacts to TaxDome. Map added columns to custom fields in TaxDome or create new custom fields to map these columns to. 

5. Skip all the other import steps. Once the import is finished:

• For accounts: Duplicate accounts are not created. Existing account custom fields are updated.
• For contacts: Duplicate contacts are created. To include custom fields values for existing contacts, go to Clients > Contacts from the sidebar menu, click three dots at the top right, and click Merge duplicates.

Search by custom field content

You can search for specific contact or account custom-field content by using a keyword:

• Type in the search field within the Clients > Contacts or Clients > Accounts pages. Press enter on your keyboard to view your search results. Click the x in the search field to clear it.
• Click the search button on the top of any page, type in the search field, then review the results in the Accounts and Contacts tabs.

Note! You can't search for custom fields of the User and Date types. Read more about custom field types.

Use custom fields

Custom CRM fields not only allow you to store and display unique data tailored to your business needs. They can be used as shortcodes throughout the system, included in PDF invoices, or referenced when requesting IRS transcripts.

As shortcodes

Custom fields are used as shortcodes, or dynamic data, to add recipient-specific text, such as a person’s birthday or phone number when communicating with clients or working on jobs for them. It's extremely useful when using templates and/or sending emails, messages, invoices etc. in bulk.

In the chart below, find out where to use account and contact custom fields as shortcodes:

Tip! For your individual clients, we recommend adding each client's first name, last name and address as account custom fields during import. This will allow using this info as shortcodes in message and proposal templates where contact fields are not supported.

For example, if you use the custom field Estimated tax payment in an email template, the recipient will receive an email with their estimated tax payment (if that custom field has been filled out in their contact details).

While requesting IRS transcripts

You can use contact custom fields to simplify requesting IRS transcripts. Once you have custom fields added to contacts and filled in, this info can automatically be transferred to the corresponding fields when you request transcripts.