Date Picker (Calendar) Custom Field

Schedule a call

Schedule a call

Date Picker (Calendar) Custom Field

The Date Picker (Calendar) custom field lets users select a date from a calendar popup (instead of typing it manually). It helps you collect clean, consistent dates for scheduling preferences, deadlines, renewals, and any workflow where free-text dates can cause confusion (for example, 04/05/2026 can be read differently depending on locale).

Date Picker custom field configuration and where it can be used in OctopusPro

Important: The Date Picker custom field captures information only. It does not automatically change the booking’s scheduled appointment date/time, service duration, or pricing.

Quick navigation

Where you can use the Date Picker

You can add a Date Picker custom field in multiple areas of OctopusPro, depending on your workflow:

  • Services → Inquiries, Quotes & Bookings: e.g., “Preferred service start date”.
  • Embedded Lead Capture / Inquiry Widget: website visitors can suggest a preferred date before you call them back.
  • Customer profile (CRM): store ongoing dates like “Contract renewal date”, “Birthday”, or “Next service due”.
  • Fieldworker profile: store internal dates like “Licence expiry” or “Certification renewal”.
  • Forms & Checklists: record operational dates like “Inspection completed on”.

Applying custom fields across the system

For a full overview of custom fields across booking flows, lead capture, and CRM, see: Custom Fields (Booking, Lead Capture & CRM).

What the Date Picker does

A Date Picker provides a calendar-style input that:

  • Reduces errors: no typos like “32/13/2026”.
  • Removes ambiguity: clearer than free-text date formats.
  • Improves user experience: faster selection on desktop and mobile.
  • Supports validation: depending on your settings, you may be able to restrict past dates or limit date ranges.

If you also need a time: add a separate time field using Time Picker (Clock) Custom Field.

Time Picker (Clock) custom field configuration and examples

Step-by-step setup

To create a Date Picker custom field:

  1. Go to Settings → Service Settings → Custom Fields.
  2. Click Create New.
  3. Set a clear Field label, e.g., “Preferred service start date”.
  4. (Optional) Add Helper text, e.g., “Choose your preferred date. We’ll confirm the final schedule after review.”
  5. Set a logical Field ID (internal reference), especially if you use exports or integrations.
  6. Confirm the field is Active.
  7. Select Field Type: Date picker.
  8. (Optional, where available) Configure rules such as Required and min/max date range (useful for preventing past dates or limiting how far ahead customers can request).
  9. Enable any visibility settings you need (for example, Customer Portal / Lead Capture / search/export visibility).
  10. Click Save.

Assign the field to services

Creating the Date Picker field is step one. To make it appear during inquiry, quote, or booking creation for a specific service, you must assign (attach) it to that service.

Follow this guide: Attach Custom Fields to Services.

Attach Custom Fields to Services

How admins, fieldworkers, and customers see it

Admin (Web Dashboard)

Admins can select a date while creating a booking (or editing service details on a booking/quote/inquiry, depending on where the field is used).

Date Picker field shown when creating a booking in the admin dashboard

After saving, the captured date is stored and can be reviewed on the booking details screen.

Viewing a saved Date Picker value on the booking details page

Customer (Customer Portal / Online Booking)

When enabled in customer-facing flows, customers can select a date during online booking/checkout. The UI may vary by device (calendar popup vs mobile selector), while still saving the same date value.

Mobile view:

Date Picker custom field shown on mobile in the Customer Portal

Desktop view:

Date Picker custom field shown on desktop in the Customer Portal

Fieldworker note: Fieldworkers can typically view date-based custom field values in job details, and may be able to edit them if you enable the required permissions.

Examples & benefits

Common use cases:

Industry Example field label Why it helps
Home services / cleaning First clean date Helps office batch new clients into the next available window.
Construction / projects Target completion date Avoids format ambiguity and supports deadline planning.
Beauty / wellness Voucher valid from Supports date-based eligibility and follow-up reminders.
Property management Lease end date Useful for renewal workflows and scheduled notifications.

Key benefits: fewer back-and-forth messages, fewer scheduling misunderstandings, and cleaner data for search, reporting, and automations.

Reporting, search & automations

Date values are stored in a consistent format (commonly ISO-style YYYY-MM-DD), which makes them easier to use for operational workflows such as:

  • Searching & filtering: for example, listing bookings between two dates (where supported in your account/tools).
  • Exports: exporting date values to CSV for reporting and analysis.
  • Automations: triggering reminders (e.g., a follow-up X days before an expiry/renewal date), depending on your automation setup.

Pricing & duration impact

Date Picker fields are informational only and never add cost or time. If you need inputs that affect price (e.g., number of days/units), use a pricing-capable field such as Number Stepper (Quantity) Custom Field or an option-based field like Toggle Switch (Yes/No) Custom Field.

Best practices

  • Use explicit labels: “Preferred service start date” is clearer than “Date”.
  • Set expectations in helper text: clarify whether the date is a request vs a confirmed schedule.
  • Capture ranges with two fields: “Start date” + “End date” for date windows.
  • Use conditional logic when relevant: show date fields only when needed (e.g., only if “Urgent” is enabled). See: Dependent Custom Fields (Conditional Logic).
  • Use groups for cleaner forms: organize related questions into sections/steps. See: Custom Field Groups.
  • Respect locale formats: Date Picker helps reduce DD/MM vs MM/DD confusion. If needed, review: Date & Time Configuration.

Troubleshooting

The Date Picker doesn’t appear on bookings/quotes/inquiries
The Date Picker doesn’t show in the Customer Portal / Online Booking
  • Check the field’s visibility setting (ensure it’s not hidden from customer-facing flows).
  • Confirm you’re testing a service where the field is assigned and visible to customers.
  • If using a website inquiry form, review: Lead Capture Form.
Customers assume the chosen date is confirmed
  • Update your label/helper text to state it’s a preferred/requested date and that your team will confirm the final schedule.

To stay updated, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Scroll to top