Managing Custom Fields

Custom Fields offer practices the flexibility to maintain additional information within FYI, depending on their practice needs, for example, managing additional client information such as preferred contact method, or opting into a mailing list.

Understanding Custom Fields

There are two parts to a Custom Field:

• Custom Field Definition - controls the name and the type, for example, a checkbox or a drop-down. The options available within a Custom field, for example, listed drop-downs are set up as part of the Custom Field Definition.
• Custom Field Value - the contents of the Custom Field, for example, a date, or an individual option selected from a drop-down. These are the specific options selected for each Client, Job or other relevant Workspace.

Custom Field Definitions are managed from within Practice Settings, while Values are set from within the relevant Workspace. Custom Fields can be added to:

• Clients
• Jobs (including using Custom User Roles to assign jobs)
• Time and Disbursements (Elite plan only)
• Employees (Elite plan only)
• Invoices (Elite plan only)

Custom Fields are not linked, for example, selecting a Custom Field value on a Client will not update the Job Custom Fields.

Displaying the Custom Field Definitions

1. Log in to FYI as an FYI Admin.
    
2. From FYI, click Settings in the top right-hand corner.
    
3. Select Practice settings from the drop-down, then select General.
    
4. Click on the Custom Fields tab.

A list of the Custom Field definitions displays. Custom Fields are displayed alphabetically by default, but can be reordered as required. Refer to Reordering Custom Fields below.

If you have enabled Custom Field Grouping, an additional column will be displayed with the assigned group. Refer to Grouping Custom Fields.

For practices integrated with Xero Practice Manager, the column XPM ID can be added to the list to display the Xero Practice Manager ID will be displayed for each Custom Field. 

The Custom Field ID can be seen in the URL when editing the Custom Field in Xero Practice Manager.

Using Custom Fields

For information on using Custom Fields, refer to the following articles, found in the Custom Fields section.

• Creating Custom Fields
• Editing Custom Fields
• Grouping Custom Fields
• Deleting Custom Fields

Custom Field Types

Custom Fields can be set up for the following Types:

Type	Details	Example
Checkbox	Creates a True/False toggle.
Date	Used to track the calendar date of an event. The date can be either manually entered or selected from the displayed calendar. Note that the date will be displayed in the following format: 1 Dec 2023.
Decimal	A number with decimals.
Email	Used to enter an email address.
Drop-down	Creates a list to select a value from.
Number	A whole number (no decimal).
Text	A free text field for capturing relevant information. Text will become a clickable link if a URL is entered into the field in a valid format.
URL	Website address
User	Displays a list of active Internal Users to select from.

Synchronising Custom Fields

Automated Synchronisation

When integrated with either Xero Practice Manager, MYOB Practice Management (formerly GreatSoft), or a practice management system via Practice Sync, the frequency of the automated synchronisation of Custom Fields will depend on your chosen integration.

Refer to the articles in the Apps and Integrations sections for details on your specific integration.

For practices on the Elite plan, Employee Custom Fields do not synchronise with XPM.

Manual Synchronisation

For practices where FYI as Primary for Client Maintenance is not enabled, a manual sync with Xero Practice Manager of Client and Job Custom Fields can be prompted from:

• The Xero Practice Manager app via Automation - Apps (FYI Admins only).
• From the Clients List.
• From the Job - Summary tab (individual jobs only).

At least one standard field must be modified to synchronise Client and Job Custom Fields during a manual sync. For example, edit the Job Description to synchronise Job Custom Fields.

Sync from PM

When integrated with Xero Practice Manager, you can use the Sync from PM button at the bottom of the Clients "Custom Fields" tab to sync the values for the Custom Field. Refer to Client Custom Fields.

The Sync from PM only syncs the values for the Custom Field for that Client i.e. the options selected for each field. The Manual or Automatic sync method must be used to synchronise the Custom Field definitions.

For practices on the Elite plan where FYI has been enabled as the Primary Source for Client Data, the Sync from PM button is not available. 

Practice Management Integrations

Xero Practice Manager

For practices integrated with Xero Practice Manager, refer to Synchronising Clients, Staff, Jobs, Time, Tax Returns with Xero Practice Manager for details on the synchronisation frequency and managing Custom Fields.

If you prefer that changes to Client and Job Custom Fields are only made in Xero Practice Manager, ensure that no users are given the Edit Custom Fields permission. 

MYOB Practice Management (formerly GreatSoft) and Third-Party apps

• Client and Job UDFs in MYOB Practice Management (formerly GreatSoft) are synced to FYI as a Custom Field definition. These are displayed in the Practice Settings Custom Fields.
• Maintaining or adding Custom Fields in FYI will not synchronise with MYOB Practice Management (formerly GreatSoft).