Custom Fields Deep Dive: Track Any Information Your Organization Needs

Last updated: January 2026

Every civic organization tracks information beyond just names and email addresses. Sodalo's custom fields let you track anything specific to your organization — badge numbers, military branch, shirt size, committee assignments, dietary restrictions, sponsor information, or anything else you need.

This guide explains everything about custom fields: what they are, how to create them, when to use each type, and how to keep your data organized as your organization grows.

What Are Custom Fields?

Custom fields are additional data points you define for your organization. They appear alongside the standard fields (name, email, phone, address) on each member's profile.

Standard fields (built-in):
- First Name, Last Name
- Email Address
- Phone Number
- Address, City, State, ZIP Code
- Membership Status
- Joined Date

Custom fields (you create these):
- Badge Number
- Committee Assignment
- Shirt Size
- Dietary Restrictions
- Military Branch
- Sponsor Name
- Years of Service
- ...anything else your organization needs

Six Types of Custom Fields

Sodalo supports six field types. Choose the right type for the information you're tracking:

1. Text Field

Best for: Short answers, names, single-line information

Examples:
- Badge number or member ID
- Sponsor name (who recruited this member)
- Nickname or preferred name
- Job title or profession
- License plate number (for parking)

How it works:
- Members type freely in a text box
- Can hold letters, numbers, or symbols
- Good for unique identifiers

When NOT to use it:
- If you want to control the allowed values → Use Dropdown instead
- If you need multi-line answers → Text fields are single-line only

2. Number Field

Best for: Numeric values, counts, years

Examples:
- Years of service
- Badge number (if it's numeric only)
- Years in military service
- Number of events attended this year
- Rank or seniority number

How it works:
- Only accepts numbers (no letters)
- Can be whole numbers or decimals
- Can be used for calculations in reports (coming soon)

When NOT to use it:
- If the "number" includes letters (like badge "A-123") → Use Text instead
- If you want to select from predefined options → Use Dropdown instead

3. Date Field

Best for: Any date-related information

Examples:
- Initiation date
- Date joined auxiliary or sister organization
- Birthday or birth date
- Anniversary of service
- Date of military discharge
- Date of sponsor assignment

How it works:
- Displays a calendar date picker
- Stores dates in a standard format
- Can be used to calculate membership length or anniversaries

Tip:
- Don't use Date fields for "dues due date" — that's handled automatically by the dues system
- Use Date fields for memorable dates or milestones

4. Checkbox Field

Best for: Yes/No questions, true/false flags

Examples:
- Board member (yes/no)
- Veteran (yes/no)
- Lifetime member (yes/no)
- Newsletter subscriber (yes/no)
- Attended orientation (yes/no)
- Authorized driver (yes/no)

How it works:
- Shows as a single checkbox
- Either checked (yes) or unchecked (no)
- Simple binary choice

When NOT to use it:
- If there are more than two options → Use Dropdown or Multiple Choice instead
- If the answer needs explanation → Use Text instead

Best for: Selecting ONE option from a predefined list

Examples:
- Shirt size (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL)
- Committee assignment (Finance, Events, Membership, Building)
- Military branch (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)
- Membership type (Regular, Associate, Life, Honorary)
- Chapter or region (North, South, East, West)
- Officer position (President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, None)

How it works:
- You define the list of options when creating the field
- Member selects exactly ONE option from the dropdown
- Clean, standardized data (no typos or variations)

Setting it up:
- Enter each option on a separate line when creating the field
- Example for "Committee":
Finance Membership Events Building & Grounds Community Service None

When NOT to use it:
- If members can belong to multiple committees → Use Multiple Choice instead
- If the list of options is very long (50+) → Consider Text field with instructions

6. Multiple Choice Field

Best for: Selecting MULTIPLE options from a predefined list

Examples:
- Dietary restrictions (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut Allergy, None)
- Committees (members can serve on multiple)
- Skills or interests (Photography, Writing, Public Speaking, Event Planning, Fundraising)
- Languages spoken (English, Spanish, French, Sign Language)
- Availability (Weekday Mornings, Weekday Evenings, Weekends, Anytime)

How it works:
- You define the list of options when creating the field
- Member can select zero, one, or multiple options
- Shows as checkboxes (not a dropdown)

Setting it up:
- Enter each option on a separate line
- Example for "Dietary Restrictions":
Vegetarian Vegan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Nut Allergy Shellfish Allergy None

When NOT to use it:
- If members can only select ONE option → Use Dropdown instead

Creating a Custom Field

Step-by-step:

Go to Settings (gear icon in top navigation)
Click the "Custom Fields" tab
Click "+ Add Custom Field"
Fill in the form:

Field Name:
- What you'll call this field (e.g., "Badge Number," "Shirt Size")
- Keep it short and clear
- This appears on member profiles and forms

Field Type:
- Choose from Text, Number, Date, Checkbox, Dropdown, or Multiple Choice
- Pick based on the guidelines above

Options (for Dropdown and Multiple Choice only):
- Enter each option on its own line
- Order matters — they appear in the order you type them
- You can edit these later if needed

Is Required:
- Check this if EVERY member must have this field filled in
- Example: Badge Number might be required
- Leave unchecked if it's optional

Admin Only (Staff Only):
- Check this if only staff should see and edit this field
- Example: Investigation notes, internal ratings
- Members won't see these fields in their portal

Member Can Edit:
- Check this if members can update this field themselves in their portal
- Example: Shirt size, dietary restrictions, phone number
- Uncheck if only staff should edit (e.g., badge number, sponsor)

Show on Directory:
- Check this if the field should appear in the public/member directory
- Example: Committee assignment might show
- Example: Dietary restrictions probably shouldn't show
- Members can still override this in their privacy settings

Click "Save Field"

The field now appears when editing any member's profile.

Common Custom Field Examples

For Fraternal Lodges

Badge Number (Text, Required, Staff-Only)
- Unique identifier for each member
- Staff assigns, members can't change
- Not shown in directory

Sponsor (Text, Optional, Staff-Only)
- Name of member who brought them in
- Tracked for lineage purposes
- Members can't edit

Initiation Date (Date, Optional)
- When they were formally initiated
- Different from "joined date" for some organizations
- Can be shown in directory

Officer Position (Dropdown, Optional, Show on Directory)
- Options: Exalted Ruler, Leading Knight, Secretary, Treasurer, Trustee, None
- Visible so members know who holds what office

For Veterans Groups

Military Branch (Dropdown, Optional, Show on Directory)
- Options: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force
- Helps organize by branch for events

Years of Service (Number, Optional)
- How long they served
- Used for anniversary recognition

Era of Service (Dropdown, Optional)
- Options: WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq/Afghanistan, Peacetime
- Helps target event invitations

Combat Veteran (Checkbox, Optional, Staff-Only)
- Yes/No flag
- May be sensitive — keep staff-only
- Used for benefits eligibility

For Civic Clubs (Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis)

Committee (Multiple Choice, Optional, Show on Directory)
- Options: Membership, Community Service, Youth Services, Foundation, Public Relations, Fellowship
- Members can serve on multiple
- Shows in directory so people know who to contact

Classification (Dropdown, Optional, Show on Directory)
- Professional classification or business category
- Example: Dentist, Attorney, Real Estate, Banking, Education
- Helps with membership balance requirements

Attendance Percentage (Number, Staff-Only)
- Calculated or manually entered
- Important for clubs with attendance requirements
- Staff use for reports

Perfect Attendance (Checkbox, Staff-Only)
- Flag for members with 100% attendance
- Used for annual recognition

For All Organizations

Shirt Size (Dropdown, Member Editable)
- Options: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Member can update
- Useful for ordering event shirts or uniforms

Dietary Restrictions (Multiple Choice, Member Editable)
- Options: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut Allergy, None
- Critical for meal planning at events
- Members keep this updated

How Did You Hear About Us? (Dropdown, Staff-Only)
- Options: Website, Member Referral, Social Media, Community Event, Other
- Tracked for new members only
- Helps understand recruitment sources

Emergency Contact (Text, Member Editable, Staff-Only)
- Name and phone of who to contact in emergency
- Important for safety
- Private (not shown in directory)

Using Custom Fields

On Member Profiles

When you view a member's detail page:
- Standard fields appear at the top
- Custom fields appear in a dedicated section below
- Click Edit to update any custom field value

When Adding New Members

Custom fields appear at the bottom of the "Add Member" form
Required fields must be filled before saving
Optional fields can be left blank

Filtering Email Recipients

One of the most powerful uses of custom fields:

Go to Email → New Email
Click "Filter Recipients"
Your custom fields appear as filter options
Select values to narrow your audience

Examples:
- Send to all members on "Committee: Events"
- Send to all members with "Dietary Restrictions: Vegetarian" before a dinner
- Send to all members with "Military Branch: Navy" for Navy-specific event
- Send to all members with "Shirt Size: 2XL" for reordering shirts

This saves you from manually creating distribution lists.

Exporting Data

When you export your roster to CSV:
- All custom fields export as columns
- Great for creating filtered reports
- Import into Excel or Google Sheets for analysis

Searching Members

In the Members list, you can search by custom field values
Example: Search "Finance" to find all Finance committee members
Example: Search badge numbers

Best Practices

Keep Field Names Clear

Good:
- "Committee Assignment"
- "Shirt Size"
- "Dietary Restrictions"

Confusing:
- "Comm"
- "Size"
- "Diet"

Don't Overuse Required Fields

Required fields must be filled for EVERY member before saving
This can slow down data entry
Only mark truly essential fields as required
Most fields should be optional

Use Dropdowns for Consistency

If you want consistent data (no typos, no variations):
- Use Dropdown or Multiple Choice
- NOT Text fields

Why:
- Text field: Members might enter "Fin", "Finance", "finance committee", "FINANCE"
- Dropdown: Everyone selects exactly "Finance"

Staff-Only vs Member-Editable

Staff-Only fields:
- Badge numbers
- Investigation notes
- Internal ratings or scores
- Sponsor assignments
- Officer appointments

Member-Editable fields:
- Shirt size
- Dietary restrictions
- Phone number
- Emergency contact
- Availability preferences

Don't Duplicate Built-In Fields

Sodalo already tracks:
- Name, Email, Phone, Address
- Membership Status
- Joined Date
- Dues Status

Don't create custom fields for these — use the built-in fields.

Plan Your Directory Visibility

Before checking "Show on Directory":
- Is this information members want to share?
- Does it help members connect with each other?
- Is it potentially sensitive or private?

Show: Committee assignments, professional classification, officer positions
Don't show: Dietary restrictions, emergency contacts, badge numbers

Editing or Deleting Custom Fields

To Edit a Field

Go to Settings → Custom Fields
Click the Edit icon next to the field
You can change:
Field name
Visibility settings (required, staff-only, member-editable, show on directory)
Options (for dropdown/multiple choice)
Click "Save"

Note: You cannot change the field type after creation. If you need to change Text to Dropdown, you must create a new field.

To Delete a Field

Go to Settings → Custom Fields
Click the Delete icon (trash can)
Confirm the deletion

Warning:
- All member data for this field will be permanently deleted
- This cannot be undone
- Consider exporting your roster first if you need to preserve the data

Importing Custom Field Data from a Spreadsheet

If you're moving to Sodalo from a spreadsheet that includes organization-specific information (like badge numbers, committee assignments, classifications, or other custom data), you can import all of it at once — including your custom field data.

How It Works

When you download Sodalo's member import template, it automatically includes columns for all your custom fields. You don't have to manually add these columns or guess the right format.

Step 1: Create Your Custom Fields First

Before importing, create all the custom fields you need in Sodalo:
1. Go to Settings → Custom Fields
2. Create each field with the correct name and type
3. For Dropdown and Multiple Choice fields, enter all your options

Step 2: Download the Import Template

Go to Members → Import
Click "Download Template"
The template includes all standard fields PLUS your custom fields

What you'll see in the template:
- Standard columns: first_name, last_name, email, phone, etc.
- Custom field columns: custom_Badge Number, custom_Committee, custom_Shirt Size, etc.
- Each custom field column has a custom_ prefix followed by the exact field name
- A helpful second row showing "required" under the three required fields and format hints for other fields

Step 3: Copy Your Data Into the Template

Open both your existing spreadsheet and the Sodalo template side by side. Copy your data into the matching columns:

Your spreadsheet	Sodalo template column	Notes
"Badge No."	`custom_Badge Number`	If you created a "Badge Number" custom field
"Committee"	`custom_Committee`	If you created a "Committee" custom field
"Shirt"	`custom_Shirt Size`	If you created a "Shirt Size" custom field

Important: Keep the header row exactly as Sodalo provided it. Don't rename the columns or remove the custom_ prefix.

Step 4: Format Your Custom Field Data

Different field types need different formats:

Field Type	Format	Example
Text	Any text	`"John Smith"`
Number	Numbers only, no commas	`42` not `42.0` or `42,000`
Date	YYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY	`2024-03-15` or `3/15/2024`
Checkbox	`true` or `false` (or `yes`/`no`)	`true`
Dropdown	Must match option exactly	If options are "Red, Blue, Green" → use `Red` not `red`
Multiple Choice	Comma-separated options	`Red, Blue` for multiple selections

Step 5: Upload and Review

Save the template as a CSV file
Upload it to Sodalo
Review the preview screen carefully
Check that custom field values appear in the correct columns
If you see errors about invalid custom field values, go back and fix them in your CSV

Common Import Errors and Fixes

"Unknown custom field: custom_XYZ"
- You have a column called custom_XYZ in your CSV, but no custom field called "XYZ" exists in Sodalo
- Fix: Either create the custom field first, or remove that column from your CSV

"Invalid option for dropdown field"
- Your CSV has a value that doesn't match one of the dropdown options
- Fix: Check that the value exactly matches one of your defined options (case-sensitive)

"Invalid date format"
- Date field has text or wrong format
- Fix: Use YYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY format only

"Column name doesn't match custom field"
- Your CSV has a column that's close but not exact
- Fix: The column name must match exactly. If your custom field is "Badge Number", use custom_Badge Number not custom_badge_number

Tips for a Smooth Import

Create custom fields before importing — The template is generated based on your existing fields
Download a fresh template each time — If you add new custom fields, download a new template so those columns are included
Don't rename template columns — Keep the custom_ prefix and exact field names
Use the template, don't try to match manually — The template ensures perfect column matching

What Happens to Custom Field Data After Import

Once imported, custom field data is treated exactly like data you entered manually:
- It appears on member profiles in the Custom Fields section
- Staff can edit it (if they have permission)
- Members can edit it (if "Member Can Edit" is enabled)
- It appears in the member directory (if "Show on Directory" is enabled)
- It can be exported when you export your roster

Troubleshooting

"The field doesn't appear when I edit a member"
- Check that you saved the field after creating it
- Refresh the page (browser cache issue)
- The field should appear in the Custom Fields section when editing a member

"Members can't edit a field I wanted them to change"
- Go to Settings → Custom Fields
- Edit the field
- Make sure "Member Can Edit" is checked
- Save changes

"The dropdown options are in the wrong order"
- Edit the field
- Retype the options in the order you want
- Options appear in the exact order you enter them

"I have too many custom fields and it's overwhelming"
- Only create fields you'll actually use
- Delete unused fields
- Consider if some can be combined (e.g., "Committee 1" and "Committee 2" → one Multiple Choice field)

Need Help?

If you're not sure which field type to use, or you have a complex use case:

Email us: [email protected]

Include:
- What information you want to track
- How you plan to use it
- Any special requirements

We're happy to recommend the best approach for your organization.

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