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

Learn everything you need to know about managing custom fields: how to edit, as well as search them, use custom fields in different portal sections, and delete them.

Covered here:

• Editing & deleting custom fields
• Changing custom field type
• Searching custom field content
• Using custom fields as shortcodes
• Using account custom fields in PDF invoices
• Using contact custom fields when requesting IRS transcripts

Editing & deleting custom fields

You can always manage the custom fields you’ve created. Go to Templates > Custom fields from the left menu bar, then choose Contacts or Accounts.

• To edit: Click the pencil icon to the far right of the field you want to edit, make your changes, then click Save.
  • When you edit a custom field of the Dropdown type, you can change the order of options by clicking and holding the six dots icon to the left of the option name; to add more options click Add option, to delete some — click the trash icon to the far right of the option name.
• To change the order: Click and hold the six dots icon to the far left of the field, drag-and-drop it, then click Save.
• To delete: Click on the trash can icon to the far right of the field you want to remove, then confirm. Once a field has been deleted, it will no longer be available in your contacts or accounts. Also, this affects all templates in which the custom field was used as a shortcode.

Note! You can't edit the field type after its creation. If you want to edit the field type, delete the custom field and create a new one with another field type.

Changing custom field type

If you want to change the custom field type for all of your existing accounts, follow these steps:

1. First, export all your accounts. To do this, go to Clients > Accounts from the left menu bar, click three dots to the right of the search bar and select Export Accounts. You’ll receive an email with an attached zip CSV file with all your accounts.

2. Upload the spreadsheet back to TaxDome by clicking the Import button on the Clients page.

3. Map the account fields. Create corresponding custom fields in TaxDome by selecting the New field in the drop-down menu and selecting the new type of the field. More on adding account custom fields while importing.

4. Skip the Step 3 (Settings) and map contacts fields. Create corresponding custom fields in TaxDome by selecting  New field in the drop-down menu and selecting the new type of the field. More on adding contact fields while importing.

5. Click Continue and then Start Import on the last step. No new accounts will be created. Instead, the new custom fields will be added to your existing accounts.

6. On the Accounts > Contacts page, click Merge duplicates to add the new data to your existing contacts.

Searching custom field content

You can search for specific contact or account custom-field content by using a keyword in the slide-out search field on the left:

• 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 left 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.

Using custom fields as shortcodes

Custom fields are also used as shortcodes, or dynamic data, to add recipient-specific text, such as a person’s birthday or phone number. 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).

Using contact custom fields when 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.