User Defined Fields (UDFs) provide you another method for segmenting your database into useful groups of contacts. You can learn more about User Defined Fields here.
To add new User Defined Fields to your database, first go to Manage Your Account:
Then, select Manage Database Lists:
The body of the Manage Database Lists page is controlled by which List you have selected in the Manage Lists column on the right:
After you've clicked User Defined Fields under the Contacts header, your page will display your current list. Below is an example of a portion of a Contact User Defined Fields list:
You can add new UDFs by clicking the add button in the top right corner. You'll then see the below modal:
UDFs can be set up in six different ways, where the value you enter for them is either text, a list of predefined values, a Number, True/False, Yes/No, or a Date. Let's take a look at each of those below and how you might use them.
Any Text
UDFs set up with a Field Type of "Any Text" allow you to enter any value for the UDF when assigning it to a contact. You'd want to use this Field Type when the Field Value is likely to be different for most contacts to whom you might assign it. As an example, you might want to track your contacts' pets' names. Let's say you are going to break that down by dogs, cats, horses, etc. In this example, we'll add a UDF for tracking contacts' dogs. Here's what the Add User Defined Field dialog would look like after naming the UDF and selecting the "Any Text" Field Type:
Click the "Add User Defined Field" button and this UDF is then available to assign to your contacts, either individually or in bulk (though for the Any Text UDFs, bulk assignment is unlikely to be something you would use much).
When you go to add this UDF to a contact, after selecting the UDF "Pet's Name — Dog", the Add User Defined Field dialog would look like the below, with a Value box that you can type whatever you would like into:
After clicking "Add UDF", the User Defined Fields area for this contact will reflect that they have a Pet Dog and that the furry fella's name is Fido:
List of Values
UDFs set up with a Field Type of "List of Values" allow you to set up a predetermined list from which to choose when assigning it to a contact. You'd want to use this Field Type when the Field Value is likely to be limited to a certain number of viable options. As an example, you might want to track your contacts' favorite local golf courses. In this example, we'll add a UDF for tracking their preferred golf course. Here's what the Add User Defined Field dialog would look like after naming the UDF and selecting the "List of Values" Field Type:
Your next step would be to then add that List of Values from which you can choose when assigning the UDF to a contact. To do so, click the "+" icon indicated above. You'd then see the below:
You can then enter your first List item in the box highlighted above, and continue clicking the "+" icon and adding more until you're done. When finished, this modal might look similar to the below:
Click the "Add User Defined Field" button and this UDF is then available to assign to your contacts, either individually or in bulk.
When you go to add this UDF to a contact, after selecting the UDF "Favorite Local Golf Course", the Add User Defined Field dialog would look like the below, with a Value box that allows you to select from your List of Values:
After selecting the appropriate course and clicking "Add UDF", the User Defined Fields area for this contact will reflect your selection:
True or False / Yes or No
While True or False and Yes or No offer distinct choices as a Field Type for UDFs, they both work in the same way. Here we'll take a look at setting up a UDF with a Field Type of "True or False" — if you need one with a Field Type of "Yes or No" it works in the exact same fashion. UDFs set up with a Field Type of "True or False" allow you to select either "True" or "False" as the value for the UDF when assigning it to a contact. You'd want to use this Field Type when the Field Value can only be one of those two choices for any contacts to whom you might assign it. As an example, you might want to track whether or not contacts have opted-in to receive your monthly newsletter. Here's what the Add User Defined Field dialog would look like after naming the UDF and selecting the "True or False" Field Type:
Click the "Add User Defined Field" button and this UDF is then available to assign to your contacts, either individually or in bulk.
When you go to add this UDF to a contact, after selecting the UDF "Monthly Newsletter Opt-in?", the Add User Defined Field dialog would look like the below, with a Value box that allows you to select between True or False:
After clicking "Add UDF", the User Defined Fields area for this contact will reflect your selection here:
Date
You might use a UDF that requires a Date as the Field Value for any number of reasons. As an example, you might want to track when a set of clients became members of the Board of Education. Here's what the Add User Defined Field modal would look like after naming the UDF and selecting the "Date" Field Type:
Click the "Add User Defined Field" button and this UDF is then available to assign to your contacts, either individually or in bulk.
When you go to add this UDF to a contact, after selecting the UDF "Board of Education Appointment", the Add User Defined Field modal would look like the below, with a Value box that displays a Date Picker after you've clicked inside it (this is to ensure uniformity in how dates are entered in your database):
After selecting a date and clicking "Add UDF", the User Defined Fields area for this contact will reflect your selection here:
Number
You might use a UDF that requires a Number as the Field Value. Perhaps you want to track the number of grandchildren your clients have. Here's what the Add User Defined Field modal would look like after naming the UDF and selecting the "Number" Field Type:
Click the "Add User Defined Field" button and this UDF is then available to assign to your contacts, either individually or in bulk.
When you go to add this UDF to a contact, after selecting the UDF "# of Grandchildren", the Add User Defined Field modal would look like the below, with a Value box that displays an up/down arrow when you hover over it (this is to allow you to scroll up or down to select a number):
After selecting a number and clicking "Add UDF", the User Defined Fields area for this contact will reflect your selection here:
When working with your UDF List, be aware that User Defined Fields have both Edit and Delete options available from their Actions menu, meaning you can edit their name or delete them entirely. Or, in the case of those with a Field Type of "List of Values", you can also add or remove options from the list.
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