Deleting Custom Fields

Custom Fields created in FYI can be deleted if no longer required. Once deleted, the Custom Field Definition cannot be restored.

Please note that Custom Fields still used in Automation Processes as Merge Fields, or Views, for example, as a filter, cannot be deleted. Update the Automation Process or View to remove the Custom Field before deleting the Custom Field.

Deleting Custom Fields in FYI

To delete a Custom Field:

1. Navigate to Practice Settings - General - Custom Fields to display the Custom Fields List.
    
2. Select one or more Custom Fields in the list.
    
3. Click the Delete button in the toolbar.
   
4. A message will be displayed to confirm that the Custom Fields will be permanently deleted. Click Yes.
   Note: If there are any Custom field values associated with the Definition, these will be removed from the relevant workspaces, e.g. Clients.
    
5. If the Custom Field is used in any draft or active Automation Processes, including as a merge field, or filtered in a View, a notification will display confirming the custom field cannot be deleted. The notification will show where the custom field is in use and will include a hyperlink to the relevant view or automation.
   
   The custom field will need to be removed from the Automation Process or View before it can be deleted.
   
6. If the Custom Field is deleted, a Success message will be displayed in Practice Activity, detailing the name of the deleted custom field definition, where it applied to and the user who performed the deletion.
    
7. For practices integrated with Xero Practice Manager, updates will be synced to XPM and removed from any clients or jobs.

Integrated Practice Management Platforms

Xero Practice Manager

For practices integrated with Xero Practice Manager, it's recommended to maintain Custom Fields in FYI and not XPM for data integrity. Users will not be prompted in XPM when a Custom Field is still in use in FYI, for example, in Views or Automations.

Recreating Deleted Custom Fields

The Source of the Custom Field, where the Custom Field was originally created, will determine whether Custom Fields will automatically be recreated.

• FYI - Custom Fields deleted in XPM will only be recreated where the source is FYI, and an alert will be added to Practice Activity in FYI. This reduces the risk of errors or invalid data where the deleted Custom Field had been used in views and automation processes in FYI.
• Xero Practice Manager - Custom Fields with a source of XPM will not be recreated. As clients and jobs are synchronised with XPM, the bidirectional sync will remove the Custom Field values. During the weekend sync, the Custom Field values will be removed for the remaining clients and jobs.

When FYI Custom Fields are deleted from Xero Practice Manager:

1. A warning will not be displayed in XPM, even if the Custom Field is in use within FYI.
    
2. The Custom Field will be deleted from XPM, including all values for clients and jobs.
    
3. During the next sync, FYI will detect that the Custom Field has been deleted from XPM, but the Custom Field will not be deleted from FYI.
    
4. The Custom Field Definition will be recreated in XPM, however the values will not be restored in XPM for clients and jobs. 
    
5. Practice Activity will display an Alert: "Custom field definitions were deleted in XPM." Click on the drawer to view the name of the deleted Custom Field.
   
6. To permanently delete the Custom Field, refer to Deleting Custom Fields in FYI.
   
   If the Custom Field was accidentally deleted, you will need to restore the Client and Job values in XPM as soon as possible. 
   
   To download a copy of the current values for Clients and Jobs from FYI, add the Custom Field as a column to the Clients and Jobs Lists, and export the list immediately. This data can then be used to bulk import the Custom Field values back into XPM. Refer to the XPM article Create custom fields in Practice Manager.
    
7. It's recommended to enable the Practice Activity Alert Automation Process in FYI. This ensures that relevant users are immediately notified when a Custom Field is deleted and recreated.

Practice Sync

If your practice is integrated with MYOB, APS, IRIS or CCH, to delete Custom Fields, you will need to complete the following: 

1. Confirm the relevant Custom Field is not in use in FYI.
    
2. Delete the Custom Field definitions from your integrated practice management platform.
   Note: Refer to your practice management provider for instructions on deleting these fields.
    
3. Follow the steps above to delete the Custom Field definitions in FYI.