Most field changes, such as renaming dropdown options, adding new custom fields, hiding fields from forms, and reordering fields, are self-service on the Fields page (Settings > Fields & Data > Fields). This guide is a quick decision tool: find your scenario, see whether you can do it yourself, and follow the link to the step-by-step.
For the full mechanics, visit the article "Create and Edit Fields."
💡Quick Answers
- Can I rename a dropdown option on an existing field? Yes, but historical searches and reports won't match the old value anymore. See the "Changing Previous Field Values to Match New Values" workflow in the "Create and Edit Fields" article for the cleanup steps.
- Can I rename a field after creating it? Yes, you can update the Display Name (what users see), but the canonical name locks at creation.
- What if the system blocks my edit with a "contact support" error? That field is used in a checklist, contract fee, or payment plan business rule, and Support needs to update the rule alongside the field change.
In this Article
- Self-Service: What You Can Do Yourself
- Requires Support: When to Submit a Support Ticket
- Fields Used in Exports
- Before You Make Changes: Quick Cautions
Self-Service: What You Can Do Yourself
All of these can be done from Settings > Fields & Data > Fields without opening a support ticket. For step-by-step instructions on any of these, visit the article "Create and Edit Fields."
- Add a new custom field of any supported type (text, text area, single select, boolean, boolean list, etc.).
- Edit a field's Display Name, the label admins and parents see on records and forms.
- Add a new option to a dropdown. For example, a new bus route, a new t-shirt size, etc.
- Rename or remove a field value (with cleanup; see “Quick Cautions” below before doing this on a field that already has data).
- Hide a field from forms by toggling Hide From Form in the Field Details.
- Make a field searchable by toggling Searchable in the Field Details.
- Add or update the Internal Description that appears as a hover tooltip on the Fields page.
- Change which record types show the field (Inquiry, Applicant, Enrollment, Alumni, Parent, etc.) via the Contact Layout checkboxes in Field Details.
- Reorder fields on the contact layout, handled on Settings > Fields & Data > Contact Layout. Visit the article "Contact Layout" to learn more.
- Retire a field that's no longer in use by renaming it with "RETIRED" or "DO NOT USE" as a prefix. (You can't fully delete a field that has data. See below.)
Requires Support: When to Submit a Support Ticket
These require Support to make the change safely. Most are blocked with a clear error message.
| Scenario | What You'll See | Why Support is Required |
| Deleting a field that already has data | The delete option is unavailable on the Fields page. | Deletion is permanent; every record's value for that field is lost. Retire it instead (rename with "RETIRED"), or contact Support if a true deletion is needed. |
| Editing a field used in a Checklist Item business rule | "You can not change this field as it is associated with a checklist business rule. Please contact support to make any changes." | Support needs to update the underlying rule alongside the field change. |
| Editing a field used in a Contract Fee rule | "You can not change this field as it is associated with a fee rule. Please contact support to make any changes." | The rule references the field; both must be updated together by Support. |
| Editing a field used in a Payment Plan business rule | "You can not change this field as it is associated with a payment plan rule. Please contact support to make any changes." | The rule references the field; both must be updated together by Support. |
| Reversing a Term-Based setting | The Term-Based checkbox can't be unchecked once saved. | Once a field is set as term-based, it can't be reverted. Contact Support if the setting was applied in error. |
| Changing a field's Canonical Name | The Canonical Name is greyed out / locked after the field is saved. | The canonical name is the system-internal name and locks at field creation. It can't be changed, even by Support, without rebuilding the field. |
When you contact support for any of these, include:
- The field's Display Name (and Canonical Name if known).
- What change you want made
- Why the change is needed. This helps us avoid accidentally breaking a workflow you rely on.
Fields Used in Exports
Editing a field that's used in an export isn't blocked, but the system warns you with a message that the field is referenced in an export configuration.
You can make the edit yourself, but we recommend contacting Support first if the field powers a Scheduled Export or any export feeding a third-party system. An update to a field value can change the mapping on the export configuration, which could potentially cause errors the next time you push or try to import a file into another system.
If you contact Support, include:
- The field name you want to edit.
- What change you plan to make.
- Which export the field appears in (if known).
For the full workflow, see the "Updating Field Values that are Used in Exports" section of "Create and Edit Fields."
Before You Make Changes: Quick Cautions
A few things to keep in mind even for self-service edits:
- Searches won't find the old value. If you rename or remove a field value, prior search results referencing it will no longer match. Use the "Changing Previous Field Values" workflow in the reference article to update historical data before removing the old value.
- Forms display a warning. If the field is used on a form, editing it triggers an in-app warning showing which forms use it. Double-check those forms after your change, especially if the field powers a form dependency.
- Spelling matters. The canonical name is generated from the display name at creation and locks permanently. Triple-check spelling before saving a new field.
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