CRM.COM offers provides a flexible customisable system that enables , allowing users to customise tailor specific areas according to their business needs. With Through a few simple steps, users can activate and configure selected features, thus extending the functionality of the systemthereby expanding the system's functionality.
Two such features are:
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Custom fields provide a way allow you to store and manage extra additional information for different various types of entities, such as like Contacts and Products. Each custom field is associated with linked to a single specific entity and can be easily assigned, edited, or viewed from through the user interface or through web APIs. Once a custom field is created, it can be assigned a value in all instances of that particular entity. |
THE ESSENTIALS
Firstly, let’s explain some terms used in CRM.COM regarding custom fields.
Entity
The entity is the object for which the custom field is being created. You can create custom fields for the following entities in CRM.COM:
Contacts
Orders
Organisations
Service Requests
Devices
Payments
Refunds
Leads
Top-ups
Activities
Passes
Products
Credit Notes
Account Journal Entries
Wallet Journal Entries
Field Type
The field type defines the type of data to be collected by the business. The following custom field types are available:
Custom Field Type | Characteristics |
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Single line text | Maximum The maximum allowed character limit is 100. |
Multiline text | Maximum The maximum allowed character limit is 512. |
Timestamp | Time selector. |
Date | Simple date picker. |
Number | Accepts only whole numbers. Ability to define a minimum and maximum range. |
Amount | Set a value using the business’s base currency. Option to set the number of decimal places (e.g. €10.55). |
Numbering Scheme | Set up a numbering scheme with an optional prefix/suffix. CRM.COM automatically generates a sequential number and assigns it to the entity when it’s created. This number cannot be changed on the entity. |
Selection | Create a drop-down selection list. Only one value can be selected from the list. Ensure that the total number of characters used for all options does not exceed 1000. |
Checkbox | Basic single checkbox, the default value is false. |
Radio Button | Define multiple radio button options, only one can be selected. |
Users | Search and choose an existing system user from a drop-down list. |
Organisations | This type of custom field is the only one that can also be configured by a Service Owner (SO). If configured at the SO level it can be set for the SO’s Businesses. If configured at the Business level, it can be set for the Business’s Merchants and Venues. |
Managing Custom Fields
To add a value, edit or view a custom field for an entity from the UI, you must first navigate to the entity’s screen, e.g. CRM >My Contacts> select a Contact.
From the entity screen, select to Edit the Custom Preferences.
Enter the necessary data.
The custom fields set appear on the Custom Preferences card.
Making the most of Custom Fields
Apart from editing and viewing custom fields from the entity screen (using the system UI), custom fields can also be used to tailor your CRM.COM experience to match your unique business needs in the following ways.
Reports
(Analytics > Reports)
Custom fields can be added to reports as columns, therefore providing more data.
Firstly, select the desired report and then click on the +Add Columns option. This will display a modal with a list of custom fields that are defined for the related entity. Select the fields you want to include in the report and they will appear as columns.
Insights
(Analytics > Insights)
Custom fields can be used as criteria or filters when creating insights.
Create an insight for an event (entity) with custom fields, e.g. Orders. Select +Criterion > Select Attribute > scroll down to see the list of custom fields, select a custom field and set the criteria.
To use a custom field for filtering, select the +Filter option > Select Attribute > Event tab > scroll down to see the custom fields, select one and set the filtering options.
Custom fields are not included when insight results are exported in UGD format.
Automations
(Platform > Automations)
Create an automation using a trigger event for an entity with configured custom fields (e.g. New Order) > Continue > Filter > Select Attribute > scroll down to see the custom fields, select one and set the filtering options.
Aside from the entity's custom fields, When choosing filtering options for automations, the contact custom fields can also be selected when choosing filtering options for automationsin addition to the entity's custom fields.
If an automation is being configured to send a communication, then custom fields for the entity (and contact) can be included in the communication message using communication tags, e.g custom field occupation defined for the contacts entity will appear as #contacts_custom_field.occupation, and custom field pos for orders entity will appear as #orders_custom_field.pos.
Importing Data
(Settings > Platform > Bulk Data Operations > Import Data)
Custom fields are extremely useful when importing data (contacts, devices, products) to CRM.COM. Make sure that you include them in your imported file using one column per custom field and map them correctly during the import process at the data mapping stage.
Refer to the Import Data user manual to find out more about importing data.
Use Cases
Custom
Field SettingsTo create or view existing custom fields, navigate to Settings > Platform > Custom Extensibility > Custom Fields.
This screen filters custom fields by entity. Choose the entity for which you wish to view the custom fields, and the screen will be refreshed accordingly.
Select Create Custom Field to create a new custom field. There is no limit to the number of custom fields that can be created per entity.
Field Types
First, choose a field type and format, e.g. if you want a Selector type field, you can choose from three different formats - Selection (drop-down list), Checkbox, Radio Button.
Field Definition
The second stage is to define the field characteristics according to the selected field type. The content of this screen varies according to the type of field selected.
Common settings for all field types:
Entity - Choose the entity you want to create a custom field for. The custom field can be edited and viewedon that particular entity screen.Description - Custom field description for internal use.
Key - Set a unique key across custom fields. For use in integrations and APIs, only lowercase case characters and underscores are allowed, no spaces are permitted.
Label - The field label for UI purposes.
Other settings:
Minimum number (for Number and Amount type) - Optionally set the minimum number allowed for validation purposes, if applicable.
Maximum number (for Number and Amount type) - Optionally set the maximum number allowed for validation purposes, if applicable.
Number of decimals (for Amount type) - Optionally set the number of decimal places for the field, if applicable.
Prefix (for Numbering Scheme type) - Optionally set a prefix to appear before the generated number.
Suffix (for Numbering Scheme type) - Optionally set a suffix to appear after all the generated number.
Number of digits (for Numbering Scheme type) - The length of the number excluding prefix and suffix.
Options (for Selection and Radio Button types) - Define the options for selection:
Key - Unique key identifier.
Text - The option name as it will on the UI.
Default - Optionally select one of the defined options to be the default value.
Order - Set the order in which the options should appear on the UI.
Re-ordering Custom Fields
It’s possible to change the order in which the custom fields appear on the UI so that they are in a logical sequence for the system users. Simply drag and drop them into the correct order using the hamburger icon.
Tip: Custom fields can also be used for capturing additional data from contacts via front-end applications, i.e. the app and portal using the self-service APIs.
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A Custom Form is a stand-alone external form integration that can cover a custom flow of a definitive purpose associated with CRM.COM. |
Typically, a Custom Form is an external implementation designed using CRM.COM’s Back-Office APIs and hosted outside of CRM.COM, which can be loaded and used via the back-end system.
Managing Custom Forms
To use a custom form, navigate to the entity for which a custom form has been defined, e.g. Contacts > My Contacts and select the relevant action from the summary screen.
Custom Form Settings
To create or view existing Custom Forms, navigate to Settings > Platform > Custom Extensibility > Custom Forms.
From here, you can also edit, delete or deactivate a Custom Form.
Designing a Custom Form
Select the Create Custom Form option to create a new Custom Form, where a user can define the URL endpoint where the custom form is hosted, the UI components that the form will be accessed from and loaded into, and the authentication signature that verifies the integrity of such a Custom Form.
Hosted Form URL Endpoint
Custom Forms are designed and developed on external systems. In order to be accessible from within CRM.COM, the URL Endpoint where the form is hosted should be explicitly defined.
Component Icon & Label
Accessing a Custom Form is achieved from a dedicated action button within the back-end system. Styling such an action button is possible by defining the following attributes:
Icon - Represents the graphic representation of such an action and will be associated with the configured label
Label - Represents the action button name, a good label should be short and intuitive
Component Type
Custom Form content can be loaded into two different UI components:
Modal - The content of the Custom Form will be loaded into a modal window (on top of the current back-end system data page)
Embedded - The content of the Custom Form will be loaded into a new data page (within the back-end system)
Component Location
A Custom Form can be accessed throughout the back-end system UI. Currently, a Custom Form can be accessed via:
Zone Pages (back-end system pages)
Contacts summary page
Custom Form Signature
Once the Custom Form has been successfully created, you will be notified of the authentication signature, use this to authenticate your Custom Form when integrating with CRM.COM.
Activating a Custom Form
Remember to Activate your Custom Forms so that they can be used.
Use Cases
Custom Fields - External Webhook Integrations
On creating or updating entities that support custom fields (e.g. Contacts, Payments), you can extend such flows with additional data validations using custom fields external webhook integrations.
Example
When creating a new contact for a business operating in Cyprus, it might be required by the business that the contact provides a valid CY Tax Identification Code (T.I.C.).
The business could create a custom field for such an attribute with an external webhook integration to the Cyprus Tax Department for validating T.I.C codes on creating a contact. This provides the ability to allow (real-time) only contacts that provide a valid CY T.I.C. to register via the contact creation form.Fields - External Webhook Integrations
On creating or updating entities that support custom fields (e.g. Contacts, Payments), you can extend such flows with additional data validations using custom fields external webhook integrations.
Example
When creating a new contact for a business operating in Cyprus, it might be required by the business that the contact provides a valid CY Tax Identification Code (T.I.C.).
The business could create a custom field for such an attribute with an external webhook integration to the Cyprus Tax Department for validating T.I.C codes on creating a contact. This provides the ability to allow (real-time) only contacts that provide a valid CY T.I.C. to register via the contact creation form.
Custom Field Settings
To create or view existing custom fields, navigate to Settings > Platform > Custom Extensibility > Custom Fields.
This screen filters custom fields by entity. Choose the entity for which you wish to view the custom fields, and the screen will be refreshed accordingly.
Select Create Custom Field to create a new custom field. There is no limit to the number of custom fields that can be created per entity.
Field Types
First, choose a field type and format, e.g. if you want a Selector type field, you can choose from three different formats - Selection (drop-down list), Checkbox, Radio Button.
Field Definition
The second stage is to define the field characteristics according to the selected field type. The content of this screen varies according to the type of field selected.
Common settings for all field types:
Entity - Choose the entity you want to create a custom field for. The custom field can be edited and viewedon that particular entity screen.
Description - Custom field description for internal use.
Key - Set a unique key across custom fields. For use in integrations and APIs, only lowercase case characters and underscores are allowed, no spaces are permitted.
Label - The field label for UI purposes.
Tooltip- Provide some informative text for the UI, which appears when the user hovers over the info icon next to the label.
Hide field from user interface- If the toggle is enabled, the custom field is hidden from the user interface, even if it has a value.
Hide field from contact front-end applications?- Enabling the toggle makes the custom field visible on contact front-end applications, i.e. the app and portal.
Other settings:
Minimum number (for Number and Amount type) - Optionally set the minimum number allowed for validation purposes, if applicable.
Maximum number (for Number and Amount type) - Optionally set the maximum number allowed for validation purposes, if applicable.
Number of decimals (for Amount type) - Optionally set the number of decimal places for the field, if applicable.
Prefix (for Numbering Scheme type) - Optionally set a prefix to appear before the generated number.
Suffix (for Numbering Scheme type) - Optionally set a suffix to appear after all the generated number.
Number of digits (for Numbering Scheme type) - The length of the number excluding prefix and suffix.
Options (for Selection and Radio Button types) - Define the options for selection:
Key - Unique key identifier.
Text - The option name as it will on the UI.
Default - Optionally select one of the defined options to be the default value.
Order - Set the order in which the options should appear on the UI.
Reordering Custom Fields
It’s possible to change the order in which the custom fields appear on the UI so that they are in a logical sequence for the system users. Simply drag and drop them into the correct order using the hamburger icon.
Tip: Custom fields can also be used to capture additional data from contacts via front-end applications, such as the app and portal, using the self-service APIs.
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A Custom Form is a stand-alone external form integration that can cover a custom flow of a definitive purpose associated with CRM.COM. |
Managing Custom Forms
Typically, a Custom Form is an external implementation designed using CRM.COM’s Back-Office APIs and hosted outside of CRM.COM, which can be loaded and used via the back-end system.
To use a custom form, navigate to the entity for which a custom form has been defined, e.g. Contacts > My Contacts and select the name of the custom form from the summary screen.
Custom Form Settings
To create or view existing Custom Forms, navigate to Settings > Platform > Custom Extensibility > Custom Forms.
From here, you can also edit, delete or deactivate a Custom Form.
Designing a Custom Form
Select the Create Custom Form option to create a new Custom Form, where a user can define the URL endpoint where the custom form is hosted, the UI components that the form will be accessed from and loaded into, and the authentication signature that verifies the integrity of such a Custom Form.
Name
The name of the custom form. This appears on the UI.
Hosted Form URL Endpoint
Custom Forms are designed and developed on external systems. In order to be accessible from within CRM.COM, the URL Endpoint where the form is hosted should be explicitly defined.
Component Icon & Label
Accessing a Custom Form is achieved from a dedicated action button within the back-end system. Styling such an action button is possible by defining the following attributes:
Icon - Represents the graphic representation of such an action and will be associated with the configured label
Label - Represents the action button name, a good label should be short and intuitive
Component Type
Custom Form content can be loaded into two different UI components:
Modal - The content of the Custom Form will be loaded into a modal window (on top of the current back-end system data page)
Embedded - The content of the Custom Form will be loaded into a new data page (within the back-end system)
Component Location
Select the screen from which the custom form will be accessed through the back-end UI.
Zone Page - The custom form will be accessible from the entity summary screen for:
Contacts
Merchants
Venues
Data Page - The custom form will be accessible from the entity data screen for:
Contacts
Merchants
Venues
Service Requests
Orders
Activities
Custom Form Signature
Once the Custom Form has been successfully created, you will be notified of the authentication signature, use this to authenticate your Custom Form when integrating with CRM.COM.
Activating a Custom Form
Remember to Activate your Custom Forms so that they can be used. You can activate it either from the configuration page or from the summary screen.
Reference Material
You may also find it useful to refer to the following manuals for further reading in relation to custom fields & custom forms.
Back-Office APIs
https://speca.io/CRM/backoffice-admin
Self-Service APIs
https://speca.io/CRM/self-service
Activities
Activities
Automations
Business Network
Contacts
Finance
Payments, Refunds, Top-ups
Leads
Orders
Service Requests
Subscriptions
Devices
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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