Custom Field
A custom field is a defined data field added to a CMS to store a specific piece of information that the default system does not already represent.
Custom fields are commonly used to create structured content.
Common Examples
Custom fields might store:
- Event date
- Client name
- Price
- Location
- Phone number
- Project outcome
- Featured quote
- External URL
- Booking status
- Latitude and longitude
Each field has a particular purpose.
How It Relates to Content Types
A Content Type consists of fields.
For example:
Case Study
- Client name
- Industry
- Services
- Project date
- Summary
- Outcomes
Those may be native CMS fields, custom fields, or a combination.
Systems with stronger content-modelling capabilities often treat this structure as a fundamental part of the platform rather than an add-on. Contentful's data model documentation shows how content types are constructed from typed fields and relationships.
Custom Field vs. Rich Text
Use a field when information has a specific meaning that the system may need independently.
For example, storing:
$129.99
inside a rich-text product description makes it difficult to:
- Sort by price
- Update consistently
- Display elsewhere
- Validate
- Send to another system
A dedicated price field preserves what that value actually represents.
Why It Matters
Custom fields let the CMS understand information rather than merely display it.
That can support:
Common Problems
Common problems include:
- Creating a field for every minor design variation
- Duplicate fields with different names
- Using text fields where controlled values would be better
- Fields that editors cannot understand
- Storing formatted content when plain data is needed
- Hundreds of fields accumulating without documentation
How to Improve
Add a custom field because the information has a distinct meaning or use.
Name it clearly, define the expected value, validate where appropriate, and connect it to the Content Model.