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Configure custom fields and dropdown choices

Updated Monday, October 26, 2026 · Marcel Gravelle

Custom fields capture information that is specific to your support process across cases, customers, knowledge and assets. Stable field identities and deliberate types make the same information useful in forms, search, workflows and reports.

Applies to: Supportbench Core. Location: Settings → Configuration → Custom fields. Access and editable controls depend on the relevant administration permissions.

Before you begin

  • Confirm your permission and identify the people or records affected.
  • Record current values before changing configuration used by other features.

Configure and verify

  1. Create a Case dropdown named Product area with a clear label.
  2. Save it, then add a small set of active choices.
  3. Add it to the intended Case Policy and inspect the form.
  4. Test a view/search/workflow that depends on it before broader adoption.

Settings reference

Field identity and behavior

SettingWhat it controlsHow to choose
Name / Label / DescriptionInternal name up to 50 characters, optional display label up to 22, and description up to 250.Use a concise label and explain how to enter a valid value.
LocationThe entity or supported location using the field; locked after creation.Choose the intended entity before the initial save.
TypeText box, dropdown, checkbox, multi-row text, URL, multi-select dropdown, Tags, Mapping or Date as available.Match the actual value and consuming forms. Changing type does not convert saved data.
ActiveKeeps the field available for new data entry. Inactive fields retain stored values.Deactivate obsolete fields only after reviewing consumers.
OrderDisplay order from 0 through 25.Group related inputs.
DivisionsScope for Case fields, constrained by the administrator’s available divisions.Use global scope only when all relevant teams need the field. Restricted assignments can be preserved.
Mapped Tags FieldFor Case Mapping fields, selects an active Company or Contact Tags field.Verify the target entity and tag meaning.
Search indexingAvailable for supported text types on Case, Company and Contact fields.Enable where the field contains useful search terms.

Dropdown choices

SettingWhat it controlsHow to choose
Save field / New ItemThe field must be saved before options can be managed.Create the stable field identity first.
Choice nameDisplayed option text. Duplicate names are allowed; immutable item IDs distinguish them.Prefer unambiguous labels to reduce selection errors.
ParentOptional hierarchy, with server-paged search for large lists.Review the existing branch before moving a choice.
Order / ActiveOrder 0–25 and availability for new selections.Keep historical values while hiding obsolete options where appropriate.
Parent changes / DeleteParent changes can move direct children back to the root. Field deletion retains stored values.Review the confirmation and all downstream consumers rather than assuming a destructive data conversion.

Behavior to know

  • Field IDs, types and list-item IDs are contracts used by other features. A label change is different from creating a new identity.
  • Existing internal locations/types can be retained for compatibility even when they are not offered for new fields.
  • Customer survey questions are configured separately in Custom fields survey.

Recommended use

  • Keep configuration names and descriptions clear for the people who will maintain them.
  • Review related workflows, reporting and permissions before changing shared configuration.

Worked example

  1. Create a Case dropdown named Product area with a clear label.
  2. Save it, then add a small set of active choices.
  3. Add it to the intended Case Policy and inspect the form.
  4. Test a view/search/workflow that depends on it before broader adoption.

Troubleshooting

ProblemWhat to check
The item is missing from a picker.Check Active, division access, parent hierarchy, enabled modules, and the user’s role. Reopen the consuming form after saving.
The form rejects a save.Read the displayed validation message. Check required values, text limits and permitted scope; do not change unrelated settings to bypass validation.
An existing record still shows an old value.A configuration change and a record change are different operations. Inspect the record and relevant references before assuming the save failed.
  • Organization → Configure agent roles and division access
  • Configuration → Configure workflows and automation

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