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Field Overview

Explore all information about fields & the options we offer for customizations

Peter Novosel avatar
Written by Peter Novosel
Updated over a week ago

Feature Overview Video


Intro

Plan availability

Available on all plan types

Permissions

  • Admins, Solution Managers, and Creators - All customization options are available

  • General Access - Can sort, filter, and group

Related reading

Supported field types - Explore information on all the SmartSuite field types

Adding new field - Learn how to create new fields and all the tips to get you started

What You Need to Know About Fields

  • Every Table has a Record Title (Primary Field) that serves as a label for records. Key features of the Title field include:

    • It cannot be deleted, moved, hidden, or duplicated.

    • It can be collapsed for a more compact view.

  • In addition to user-defined Fields, every Table contains essential System Fields that are always present and cannot be removed. These fields provide foundational metadata for each Record:

    • Auto Number – Generates a unique identifier for each Record automatically.

    • First Created – Captures the date and time when the Record was initially created.

    • Last Updated – Tracks the most recent modifications made to the Record.

    • Open Comments – Stores ongoing discussions or notes related to the Record.


Accessing the Field Configuration Menu

  1. Click the three-dot menu to the right of the field title.

  2. Alternatively, access the menu in the expanded record view by clicking the three-dot icon.


Customizing Fields

Editing a Field and Its Settings

  • Modify Field Settings:

    • Select Modify Field Settings from the menu or double-click the field title.

    • Options include:

      • Rename the Field: Click the field name to edit.

      • Change Field Type: Use the dropdown below the field name.

      • Adjust Display Formats & Options: Customize formats and field-specific settings (e.g., requiring unique entries or allowing new ones).

Adding Help Text

  • Add descriptions or instructions via the Help Text tab in the field settings.

  • Choose whether the text is displayed when hovering over the help icon or shown directly under the field name. See this article.

Duplicating a Field

  • Select Duplicate Field from the menu to create a copy with the same settings.

  • A window will prompt you to include or exclude existing content. Learn more

Deleting a Field

  • Use the Delete Field option in the menu.

  • Deleted fields can be restored via the recycle bin if you wish to recover a deleted field.

  • Learn more here.

Inserting a New Field

  • Insert a new field directly to the right of the current field from the menu. Explore other ways to add new fields here.

Setting Default Values

  • Go to the Defaults tab to assign a default value for new records.


Other Field Options


Changing a Field's Type

  • SmartSuite tries to convert existing values when changing field types.

    • Example: Converting a Text field to an Assigned To field will match users if possible; unmatched cells are left empty.

  • Tip: Duplicate the field before converting to preserve the original data.


Practical Scenarios and Use Cases

1. Project Management

Scenario: A team tracks task priorities and progress.
Solution: Customize fields to include drop-downs for priority levels and status indicators, helping organize and monitor projects effectively.

2. Sales Pipeline

Scenario: A sales team tracks customer opportunities.
Solution: Use date fields for follow-ups, currency fields for deal values, and formula fields to calculate expected revenue.

3. HR Management

Scenario: HR tracks employee onboarding steps.
Solution: Customize checkboxes and drop-downs for onboarding tasks, simplifying status updates and tracking.

Explore all of our available field types in this article!

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