Create Custom Fields

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Create a new custom field

Custom fields in OctopusPro are additional options or questions related to a service that you can ask your customers when they make a booking or submit an inquiry. These fields allow you to further customize your services and gather specific information or offer various options tailored to your customers’ needs. Custom fields can enhance the booking process, streamline communication, and help generate accurate quotes.

Custom fields can improve workflow efficiency by reducing the need for back-and-forth communication between admins, fieldworkers, and customers, ensuring that bookings and jobs are provided with accurate data. They can also affect the availability of services by matching fieldworkers and influence pricing, depending on the options chosen by customers.

Custom fields can be configured with various field types, labels, and display settings, giving you complete control over the information you collect and how it appears to different users (admin, fieldworkers, and customers).

Custom fields can be connected to services, the inquiry form, and the inquiry widget on your website. You can create multiple custom fields with different types and link them to individual services, enabling customers to provide more detailed information when booking.

Table of contents: 

Definition of custom fields

Custom fields are additional options or questions related to a service that you can ask your customers when making a booking or inquiry. They allow further customization of your services, enabling you to gather specific information or offer various options tailored to your customers’ needs.

The relationship between custom fields and services

There’s a relation between custom fields and services when creating multiple custom fields with different field types and relating them to a single service, so users can provide more details and information to bookings, say that you have a service in the child care industry, and you always ask a group of questions to customers while creating a booking, like how many kids are there in total, or if there is kids with special ability or not to select the right teacher for the booking, the best way to perform that relation is by adding custom fields and connecting them to the service.

The benefits of using custom fields

  • Custom fields are beneficial if you want to collect certain information about specific requirements when it comes to providing a service or if you have a variety of options related to your service, so you can add/edit custom fields for them. for example, if your service for  “Car Detailing” requires you to ask what type of car, which may involve a different price for each type of car and different time taken to complete that job.

  • Custom fields are used to group all of your customers’ needs for a selected service to be easier for them to select their preferred requirements while booking a service.

When should you use custom fields?

Custom fields are used to be added when your service contains several options that would be easier to display to your customers while booking the service to choose from, instead of wasting time requesting quotes for more detailed information about the service, so it will be easier to add custom fields that facilitates the needs and requirements for your customers for instant bookings.  

Difference between Custom Fields and Forms & Checklists

Custom fields and forms & checklists both serve as ways to collect information from customers or fieldworkers, but they differ in their purpose, application, and the stage at which they are used during the booking or job process.

  1. Purpose and Effect on Fieldworker Availability: a. Custom Fields: Custom fields collect specific information related to a service during the booking or inquiry stage. They can be connected to fieldworkers, allowing you to specify which fieldworkers can provide the custom field options available and which ones cannot. This directly affects fieldworker availability based on the custom field options selected for the booking. b. Forms & Checklists: Forms and checklists collect additional information or conduct assessments during or after the completion of a job. They do not affect fieldworker availability.

  2. Effect on Pricing: a. Custom Fields: Custom fields can affect pricing depending on the options selected by the customer. b. Forms & Checklists: Forms and checklists do not affect pricing.

  3. Connection to Services and Bookings: a. Custom Fields: Custom fields are related to the linked service only. If a service is added multiple times in a booking, custom fields will appear for each instance of the service. b. Forms & Checklists: Forms and checklists are connected to the entire booking or quote, meaning they are about the booking itself and not about a specific service in the booking. Although they can be connected to services in their settings, the forms and checklists will appear once, even if the service is added multiple times in the booking.

In summary, custom fields focus on gathering specific information related to a service during the booking or inquiry stage, influencing pricing and fieldworker availability. In contrast, forms & checklists are used during or after the job is completed for additional data collection and assessments, without affecting pricing or fieldworker availability. While both tools enhance the customer experience and streamline communication, they serve different purposes and have distinct effects on the booking and job processes.

How do custom fields improve work efficiency?

Custom fields improve work efficiency in several ways:

  1. Streamlined Information Collection: Custom fields gather specific information related to a service during the booking or inquiry stage, ensuring that all necessary details are collected upfront. This reduces the need for back-and-forth communication between customers, admin staff, and fieldworkers.

  2. Enhanced Fieldworker Availability Management: Custom fields can be connected to fieldworkers, allowing you to specify which fieldworkers can provide certain custom field options. This directly affects fieldworker availability based on the custom field options selected for the booking, ensuring that the right fieldworker is assigned to the job.

  3. Accurate Pricing: Custom fields can affect pricing based on the options selected by the customer. This provides clear and accurate quotes to customers, reducing the risk of price disputes or adjustments later on.

  4. Better Customer Experience: By offering customized service options through custom fields, customers can tailor the service to their specific needs and preferences. This leads to increased customer satisfaction and repeat business.

  5. Increased Automation: Custom fields can be used to automate various aspects of the booking process, such as adjusting pricing and fieldworker availability based on the options selected. This reduces manual intervention and frees up time for admin staff to focus on other tasks.

  6. Detailed Reporting and Data Analysis: Custom fields provide granular data about customer preferences and service variations. This data can be analyzed to identify trends, optimize services, and make data-driven business decisions.

By streamlining information collection, enhancing fieldworker availability management, providing accurate pricing, improving the customer experience, increasing automation, and enabling detailed reporting and data analysis, custom fields contribute significantly to work efficiency.

How do custom fields help generate accurate quotes?

Custom fields help generate accurate quotes by providing detailed and specific information about the customer’s service requirements, preferences, and any additional options they choose. This leads to more precise cost calculations and better-informed quotes. Here’s how custom fields contribute to generating accurate quotes:

  1. Detailed Service Options: Custom fields allow customers to choose from various options and add-ons related to a service. Each option can have its own pricing, which gets factored into the final quote.

  2. Dynamic Pricing: Custom fields can affect pricing based on the selections made by the customer. This ensures that the quote reflects the exact cost of the service tailored to the customer’s requirements.

  3. Clear Communication: Custom fields ensure that all the necessary information is collected upfront, minimizing the risk of misunderstandings or miscommunication between the customer, admin staff, and fieldworkers. This leads to a smoother quoting process and fewer adjustments later on.

  4. Consistent Pricing Structure: Custom fields provide a structured approach to pricing, ensuring that quotes are consistent across similar bookings. This consistency makes it easier for customers to compare and understand the costs associated with their service choices.

  5. Data-driven Decision Making: Custom fields offer valuable data about customer preferences and service variations. This data can be used to optimize pricing strategies, identify popular options or services, and make informed decisions to improve the overall quoting process.

By providing detailed service options, enabling dynamic pricing, ensuring clear communication, promoting a consistent pricing structure, and supporting data-driven decision-making, custom fields play a crucial role in generating accurate quotes.

Adding a new custom field

To add a new custom field, go to Settings > Service Settings > Custom fields, then select “create new” custom field.

A pop-up window will appear to create a new custom field.

Field label

A field label is visible to the user and can be a single word, short sentence, or a question. For example “Make and Model” or, “Specify your car’s make and model”.

How does the field label appear for the admin user while creating/editing (bookings/quotes)

While creating a new booking/ quote, after selecting a service by clicking on “Add service”, a pop-up window will appear to select your service.

After selection, your selected service will appear under the “Booking Address/Quote Adress”, showing the service with the field label of the added custom field to select from them.

This process will be the same if you edit your bookings/quotes.

How field label appears for admin user while reviewing (bookings/quotes)

Go to your bookings/quotes, select a booking/quote then click on the view button.

You will be directed to the booking/quote view page, at the bottom of the page, under the services section the field label and the type of service will be displayed there. 

How does the field label appear for the fieldworker app  while creating/editing (bookings/quotes)

In the fieldworker app, when your fieldworker is creating or editing a new booking/quote and after selecting a service, the field label will be displayed during the booking process as follows:

How does the field label appear in the fieldworker app while reviewing (bookings/quotes)

In the fieldworker app, when your fieldworker review a booking/quote, the field label will be displayed in the booking/quote view page as follows:

How field label appears in the customer portal for customers

When customers schedule appointments, they’ll need to select from the custom fields associated with their chosen service. The field label will be displayed accordingly to guide them through this process.

Field ID

A Field ID serves as a unique identifier to differentiate custom fields with identical labels. This ID is exclusive to you and won’t be visible to customers or fieldworkers.

Helper Text

Helper text offers additional context or clarification for each custom field. It appears when users hover their mouse over the field during appointment scheduling.

How it appears for admin users 

When creating a booking, the helper text is displayed alongside the service’s custom fields under the service section on the booking page.

How it appears for Fieldworker (in the fieldworker app)

A helper text will appear to fieldworkers in the app while scheduling an appointment after selecting a service. It will be displayed as follows: 

How it appears to customers 

Customers will encounter the helper text while scheduling appointments after they’ve chosen a service.

Hidden from the customer portal – Custom Field Visibility in Customer Portal and Branded App

You can decide whether a custom field should be hidden or visible to customers. If the custom field is intended for admin use only and doesn’t require customer input, enable the “Hidden” flag. If customers need to view or interact with the custom field when booking, keep it disabled.

Display pricing on the view service page

To show custom field pricing on the service view page, enable this option. Customers will see the pricing when selecting a service to book through the customer portal.

Hidden from the inquiry widget – Custom Field Visibility in Inquiry Widget

Control the visibility of custom fields in the inquiry form generated by the inquiry widget. If customers are only allowed to submit inquiries rather than book services directly, disable the toggle to display the custom field in the inquiry widget.

Hidden from invoice breakdown – Custom Field Visibility in Invoice Breakdown

Choose whether a custom field should be hidden or visible in the invoice breakdown. Enable this flag if the custom field is for booking purposes only and shouldn’t appear on invoices. Disable it if the custom field must be displayed on invoices.

Mandatory – Custom Field Mandatoriness

Decide whether answering a custom field should be mandatory or optional during the appointment scheduling process.

Searchable – Enhanced Searchability for Custom Fields

Activating the ‘Searchable’ feature enables you to quickly and efficiently locate specific information within your custom fields. This can be achieved through both quick search and advanced search functions. However, it is important to consider the potential impact on system performance before enabling this feature.

By default, the ‘Searchable’ option is turned off to maintain optimal system speed. It is advisable to keep this setting disabled unless it is crucial for your workflow. For instance, you may need to search for unique identifiers such as car registration numbers or machine serial numbers frequently. In such cases, enabling the ‘Searchable’ feature can significantly enhance your productivity and overall experience.

To maintain a balance between system performance and search efficiency, carefully evaluate the necessity of enabling this feature for each custom field. Remember, while searchable fields can greatly improve your ability to locate specific information, they can also slow down your system if used excessively.

Field Types

Selecting the appropriate field type is crucial when gathering data from your customers, as it determines how the information will be displayed and collected. Here are the various field types available in OctopusPro:

  • Date Picker: Enables customers to select a specific date related to their service when booking. Find out more >

  • Time Picker: Allows customers to choose a preferred time associated with a custom field in the service. Find out more >

  • Text Box (multi-line): Offers space for users to enter a large amount of text. Find out more >
  • Text Field (one line): Provides a single line for users to input a small amount of text. Find out more >
  • Plus/minus (+/-) Number button: Lets users increase or decrease the numerical value, such as the number of items. Find out more >
  • Toggle Button: Enables customers to select a custom field option by switching the button on or off when scheduling a booking. Find out more >
  • Radio Button: Offers users the ability to select only one option from a group of choices. Find out more >
  • Button Group: Similar to the radio button but differs in appearance, this field type allows users to select only one option. Find out more >
  • List: Provides users with a list of options configured by the admin, allowing them to select one. Find out more >
  • Checkbox: Indicates a “yes” or “no” selection for an item. Find out more >
  • Checkbox Button Group: Functions like a checkbox but with a different appearance, allowing users to select one option that includes text and an image within the button. This field type is also mobile-friendly. Find out more >
  • Signature: Gives users the ability to input their signature when confirming a selection during their booking. Find out more >

Each field type serves a unique purpose, ensuring that the data collected from your customers is accurate and relevant to your services.

Enhancing Custom Field Options with Default Images for Improved User Experience and Efficiency

In addition to gathering necessary details, you can also include a default image for the custom field to provide a visual cue for the customer. This can be particularly useful when dealing with complex services that require additional explanation or clarification.

For example, if you are offering a customized home cleaning service, you may want to include a custom field that allows customers to select specific cleaning materials or products they want to be used in their home. By including a default image of the cleaning product, customers can easily identify the product and understand what they are selecting.

Additionally, including a default image can be beneficial for customers with visual impairments or other accessibility needs. By providing a visual cue, you can help ensure that everyone can easily access and understand the information being collected through the custom field.

Overall, including a default image for your custom fields can help improve the user experience and ensure that customers are providing accurate and informed selections. It can also help to reduce errors or misunderstandings and improve overall efficiency in the booking process.

Connecting Custom Fields to Services

It is essential to link the appropriate custom fields to the corresponding services. You can connect multiple custom fields to a single service and connect the same custom field to various services, allowing for a versatile and reusable many-to-many relationship between custom fields and services.

To link a custom field to a service, follow these steps:

  • Navigate to Settings > Service Settings > Custom Fields to access the custom fields page.
  • Select the checkbox next to the custom field you wish to connect to a service.

  • Click the “Assign a custom field to a service” button, and a pop-up window will appear.
  • In the pop-up window, select the services you want to link the custom field to.

If you need to modify the connection later, simply click the “Modify Services” checkbox on the far right of the custom field. Learn more >

Reordering Custom Fields Using Drag and Drop

You can easily change the order in which custom fields are displayed to your customers when scheduling bookings. Simply drag and drop the custom fields into the desired order.

To reorder your custom fields, follow these steps:

  • Go to Settings > Service Settings > Services.
  • Locate the service with the connected custom fields and click on “Manage Custom Fields.

  • You’ll be directed to the edit page, click on the custom field tab and you can drag and drop your custom fields. 

You can also edit the custom field from here and you can change the Group, review the Price List, change the Value Dependents, change the Price Zones, edit the Custom Field detail, or delete that custom field.

For more information please visit the OctopusPro user guide, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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