Member database custom field settings reference
This reference describes every setting available when you create or edit a custom member field.
Field types
Section titled “Field types”| Type | Best for |
|---|---|
| Short text | Brief values: codes, identifiers, single-line notes |
| Long text | Multi-line notes, descriptions |
| Number | Numeric values; supports min/max validation and sorting |
| Date | Calendar dates; supports before/after validation |
| Single choice | Exactly one value from a fixed list of options |
| Multi-choice | One or more values from a fixed list of options |
| Checkbox | Yes/no (true/false) values |
| File | File uploads (up to a configurable size limit); exports as a secure URL |
| Image | Image uploads; exports as a secure URL |
| Address | Structured address (street, city, state/province, postal code, country) |
Settings
Section titled “Settings”The name members and admins see on the record. Required. Maximum 50 characters. Must be unique within your organization’s field definitions.
Help text
Section titled “Help text”An optional note that appears below the field on forms to guide members or admins entering data. For example: “Enter your total CPE credits earned this year.”
Required
Section titled “Required”When on, the field must have a value before a record can be saved. Applies to admin-created records and member signup forms if the field is included in the signup form.
Default value
Section titled “Default value”An optional starting value that appears in the field when a record is created. The admin or member can change it.
Type-specific rules
Section titled “Type-specific rules”| Type | Additional settings |
|---|---|
| Short text / Long text | Maximum length (characters) |
| Number | Minimum value, maximum value |
| Date | Minimum date, maximum date |
| Single choice / Multi-choice | Option list (one option per line for large lists; chip editor for short lists) |
| File / Image | Maximum file size, allowed file types |
Access settings
Section titled “Access settings”| Setting | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Member can edit | When on, the field appears in the member’s self-service profile and they can update it. |
| Others can see | When on, the field value is visible to other members in the directory. |
| Use in signup form | When on, the field appears when a new member signs up. |
When all three settings are off, the field is admin-only: only admins can see and edit it.
RBAC category
Section titled “RBAC category”Assigns the field to a permission category (such as Sensitive, Finance, or Governance). Only admins whose role includes the matching category permission can see this field’s values. When a category is selected, the Others can see setting is disabled automatically.
The RBAC category setting is only available to admins whose role includes the admin-only field permission.
Advanced settings
Section titled “Advanced settings”| Setting | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Position | The order this field appears relative to other fields. Lower numbers appear first. |
| Internal name | The machine-readable identifier used in exports and the API. Auto-generated from the label; can be customized. If an internal name collision occurs, the system appends _2. |
Deletion and recovery
Section titled “Deletion and recovery”Deleting a field removes it from all member records. Field values are recoverable for 48 hours from the Recently deleted section on the field list page. After 48 hours, values are permanently deleted.
A field that is used in a membership-level signup form can’t be deleted until you remove it from those forms first.