In this article, we will cover how to set up User Defined Fields within FieldCentral and some best practices to ensure that the valuable information you collect via the UDFs can be leveraged elsewhere in the platform as well.
User Defined Fields (UDFs) allow users to create custom fields on properties to track property specific information.
Whether you want to track a property’s controller location, square footage, or water source, all of these can be created as UDFs for you and your team to leverage throughout the platform.
Once users have logged into their FieldCentral web account, navigate to the Settings page via the quick access panel.
Select to open “User Defined Fields”
If you have not yet setup any User Defined Fields, this page will be blank. Users will click the green + button in the top right corner to begin.
A window will populate for the user to title their User Defined Field category.
Perhaps you need to know some information about a property for Irrigation services but need a whole different set of information collected for Lawn Care services. One could be labeled “Irrigation” and the other “Lawn Care”.
- To Field? If the data in this field needs to be available to the Techs, check this box.
- Active? Only Active UDFs are available for any purpose.
- Default? (Placeholder for future functionality)
Once satisfied, click “Save”.
Once you have labeled the User Defined Field Category, users will be able to create specific fields to track service/property level information.
Use the drop down arrow on the left hand side of the category title and then the green + button to add each individual question as needed.
When adding a new field, a pop up window will appear for the user to clarify what information they are needing to gather and then select the type of answer this field requires.
Select the appropriate answer type based on the information users are needing to gather via this UDF.
- Yes/No: Stores a Yes or a No. (Ex: Does this property have a rain sensor?)
- Selection List: Stores a selection from a list. Users will create a list of items from which one will be stored. (Ex: Is this property Residential or Commercial?)
- Multi-Selection List: Stores multiple selections from a list. Users will create a list of items from which more than one can be stored. (ex: Where is the backflow located? <North, South, East, West>)
- Text: Stores text. Users will select from a drop down menu between Open Text, Numeric Only, or Date Only. (Ex: Install Warranty)
- Numeric Only will ask the user to clarify what type of numeric value to capture
- Quantity: Number of zones
- Area: Square Footage
- Linear: Edging
- Numeric Only will ask the user to clarify what type of numeric value to capture
- Signature: <Placeholder for future functionality>
- Picture: <Placeholder for future functionality>
It is important to note that if users will be utilizing UDFs to setup Price Matrix, only “text” and “Selection List” can be used to configure these matrices.
Once the type is selected, the user can further configure by either specifying what type of text answer will be permitted or by providing options to select from.
If the user selected “Yes/No”, “Signature”, or “Picture” no additional information is needed to create this UDF.
If using “text” for price matrix, the “Answer” must be a “Numeric Only” option.
If “Numeric Only” option is selected, the user will be asked to further specify what type of numeric value should be entered.
If utilizing a “Selection List” as the Type of UDF, the user will then be prompted to provide what options the user will have to select from when completing the question.
If setting up Irrigation UDFs to then inform a price matrix, it is highly recommended to have a UDF confirming the “Number of Zones” at a property with the Numeric Type of “Quantity”.
If setting up Lawn Care UDFs to then inform a price matrix, it is highly recommended to have a UDF confirming the “Square Footage” of the lawn at the property with the Numeric Type of “Area”.
If utilizing modifiers for your price matrix, users would want to leverage the “Selection List” type of UDF.
Irrigation might use this to capture what the properties water source would be: City vs Well vs Pump.
Lawn Care might use this to capture the properties' difficulty level: Low difficulty (no trees/hill), Medium difficulty (some trees/hill), High difficulty (lots of trees/hill).
Once UDF’s have been setup users can review their full list to ensure they are capturing the data that is important to their business.
Users are always able to use the Edit and Delete functions for the UDF Categories and their sub- questions as needed.
UDFs can be very valuable if your business is wanting to capture certain information about the properties you service so you are better able to service them in the future.
Additionally, having these fields setup will allow users to leverage the price matrix tool for standardized pricing that takes into account the factors that are important to determine accurate pricing for your customers.