Custom Fields

Add your own data fields to invoices, estimates, bills, customers, vendors, and transactions. Define once in Settings, use everywhere the entity appears.

Overview

Custom Fields allow you to extend any entity in Kantivo with additional data fields specific to your business. Instead of cramming extra information into notes or tracking it in a separate spreadsheet, you can define structured fields that appear directly on every create and edit form.

Each custom field is scoped to a company and an entity type. This means you can have different custom fields for different companies, and different fields on invoices than on customers. Fields are defined once in Settings and then automatically appear on every form for the associated entity type.

Tip: Custom fields are company-specific. If you manage multiple companies in Kantivo, each company can have its own unique set of custom fields without affecting others.

Creating Custom Fields

To create a new custom field:

Navigate to Settings from the sidebar.
Scroll to the Custom Fields section.
Click Add Custom Field.
In the modal that appears, fill in:
- Entity Type — which entity this field belongs to (Invoice, Estimate, Bill, Customer, Vendor, or Transaction)
- Field Name — the label displayed on the form (e.g., "Project Code")
- Field Type — the kind of input (text, number, date, dropdown, checkbox, URL, email, or textarea)
- Required — whether the field must be filled in before saving
- Display Order — controls the order fields appear on the form (lower numbers appear first)
For Dropdown fields, enter each option on a separate line in the Options field.
Click Save.

The new field will immediately appear on all create and edit forms for the selected entity type.

Field Types Reference

Type	Input Control	Best For
Text	Single-line text input	Short identifiers: project codes, reference numbers, names
Number	Numeric input with decimal support	Quantities, measurements, scores, percentages
Date	Date picker	Deadlines, expiry dates, milestones, start dates
Dropdown	Select from predefined options	Categories, statuses, departments, regions
Checkbox	Boolean toggle (yes/no)	Flags: approved, verified, tax-exempt, rush order
URL	Web address input	Links to external documents, portals, or resources
Email	Email address input with validation	Alternative contacts, billing contacts, CC addresses
Textarea	Multi-line text area	Longer descriptions, special instructions, internal notes

Supported Entity Types

Custom fields can be attached to any of the following entity types:

Invoice — fields appear on the Create Invoice and Edit Invoice modals
Estimate — fields appear on the Create Estimate and Edit Estimate modals
Bill — fields appear on the Create Bill and Edit Bill modals
Customer — fields appear on the Add Customer and Edit Customer modals
Vendor — fields appear on the Add Vendor and Edit Vendor modals
Transaction — fields appear on the New Transaction and Edit Transaction modals

Tip: You can filter the custom fields list in Settings by entity type using the dropdown at the top of the section. This makes it easy to manage fields when you have many definitions across different entity types.

Using Custom Fields on Forms

Once a custom field is defined, it appears automatically in a "Custom Fields" section at the bottom of every create and edit form for the associated entity type.

Creating a New Record

When you open a form to create a new entity (e.g., a new invoice), any active custom fields for that entity type will be displayed with empty inputs. Fill in the values as needed and save the form normally. Custom field values are saved alongside the entity data.

Editing an Existing Record

When you edit an existing entity, the custom fields section loads with the previously saved values pre-filled. You can modify the values and save to update them.

Required Fields

Custom fields marked as required display a red asterisk next to the label. The form uses standard HTML5 validation to prevent saving when a required custom field is empty.

Managing Custom Fields

Editing a Field Definition

Click the Edit button next to any custom field in Settings to modify its name, type, required status, display order, or dropdown options. Existing saved values are preserved when you edit a field definition.

Deleting a Field

Warning: Deleting a custom field permanently removes the field definition and all saved values for that field across every entity. This action cannot be undone. If you want to temporarily hide a field, consider deactivating it instead.

Click the Delete button next to any field in Settings. A confirmation dialog will appear before the deletion proceeds.

Display Order

The Display Order setting controls where a field appears relative to other custom fields on the same entity type. Lower numbers appear first. Fields with the same display order are sorted by creation date.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many custom fields can I create?

There is no hard limit. Create as many custom fields as your business requires for each entity type.

Can different companies have different custom fields?

Yes. Custom fields are scoped per company. Each company you manage in Kantivo can have its own set of custom field definitions independent of other companies.

What happens to saved values if I change the field type?

Existing saved values are stored as text and are preserved when you change a field type. The display format on forms will change to match the new field type on the next edit.

Can I reorder custom fields on the form?

Yes. Use the Display Order setting when editing a field definition. Lower numbers appear first on the form.

Do custom fields work with the API?

Yes. Custom field values can be retrieved and saved via the Custom Fields API endpoints. See the API documentation for endpoint details.