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Getting StartedHome → Admin Manual → Custom Fields → Custom Fields
12.1. Custom Fields
Updated: 3 Sep 2026, 09:55 PM EDT
HelpSpot custom fields allow for the creation of user-defined fields that store data on a given request. Custom fields are full-fledged data items in HelpSpot. They can be filtered on, modified with automation, used in templates, etc.
Custom Field Types and Creation
Custom fields are created and modified in Admin > Custom Fields. Below is a list of the available custom field types.
- Predefined List - Creates a dropdown list of options that a user can select.
- Drill Down List - Creates multiple levels of dropdown lists that are dependent on the parent selection.
- Text Field - Stores text data on a single line.
- Large Text Field - Store multiline text data.
- Date Field - Stores date data and presents a calendar date-picker for date entry.
- Date and Time Field - Stores date and time data and presents a date and time picker for entry.
- Regular Expression Field - Validates text data against a regular expression before allowing data entry.
- AJAX Selection Field - A programmatic field that dynamically populates options. More info here: Ajax Fields
- Checkbox - Creates a single checkbox fields
- Numeric Field - Stores whole number data.
- Decimal Field - Stores decimal number data.
Custom Field Options
When creating a custom field you can attach the custom field to particular categories. The requests in the categories selected will be the only requests that present those custom fields. You can also choose to make custom fields public which will show them on the public customer portal.
You can also choose to make a custom field required. If a custom field is required. Users will not be able to update / create a request without providing a value.
Deleting a Custom Field
To delete a custom field, open it in Admin > Custom Fields and click Delete. Deleting a field permanently removes the field and all of the data stored in it on every request. This cannot be undone, and on large installations it can take some time to complete.
Dependency warning
As of HelpSpot 5.8.4, HelpSpot checks whether anything else in the system still references the field before deleting it. If it finds references, the confirmation dialog lists each one, grouped by type, with a link to the item and a note on how the field is used there:
- Filters — conditions, display columns, order by, or group by
- Triggers — conditions or actions
- Automation Rules — conditions or actions
- Mail Rules — conditions or actions
- Reports — report configuration
- Categories — field visibility (the field is attached to the category)
Inactive triggers, rules and categories are included and marked (inactive), since reactivating one later would bring the broken reference back.
The dialog does not block the deletion; it gives you the chance to cancel, follow the links, and update or remove those dependencies first. If you proceed:
- Category visibility and filter order by / group by references to the field are removed automatically.
- All other references — filter conditions and display columns, and trigger, automation rule, mail rule and report references — are not changed. A filter or rule that conditions on a deleted field will no longer match as intended, so review those items after deleting the field.
If nothing references the field, you see the standard confirmation only.