How to configure custom fields

Custom fields let you store extra information about your users in Nimble LMS 2, such as their office location or employee number. This article shows Account admins how to add a custom field. You can either give people a list of answers to choose from, or let them type their own answer. The information is then recorded against each user in the Users section.

Top tips before you begin

• Only Account admins can add custom fields.
• Decide which type of custom field you need:
  • a Dropdown field gives people a list of answers to choose from, e.g. a “Location” field with “London” and “New York”. People can only choose one of the answers you set up. They can’t type their own.
  • a Text input field gives people a box to type their own answer in, e.g. an “Employee number” field.
• If you’re adding a Dropdown field, write your list of answers down before you start. Check the spelling, because each answer will appear exactly as you enter it.
• Think about who should be able to see this information. You can choose which roles can see each custom field. This is useful if the information is sensitive.
• Each custom field’s title can be up to 50 characters long.
• If you’re not sure which type of custom field is right for you, our Support team (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm UK time, except Bank Holidays) or your Customer Success Manager will be happy to help.

Adding custom fields for your users

Getting started

1. Select Account settings from the main menu on the left of the screen. The Account settings page will open.

2. Select Custom fields from the list on the left of the page. You’ll see any custom fields you’ve already added. If you haven’t added any yet, you’ll see the message “You will find custom fields here.”

3. Select the Add custom field button. Note: If you haven’t added any custom fields yet, you’ll see two Add custom field buttons. They both do the same thing. The Add custom field page will open.

4. Enter a name for your custom field in the Title box, e.g. “Location” or “Employee number”. The number below the box shows how many characters you have left.

5. Select the Type drop-down list, then choose one of these options:
   a. Dropdown – people can only choose from a list of answers you set up. Next, follow the steps in “Setting up a Dropdown field” below.
   b. Text input – people type their own answer. Next, follow the steps in “Setting up a Text input field” below.

Setting up a Dropdown field

1. Scroll down to the List section.
2. Enter your first answer in the first Item box, e.g. “London”.
3. Enter your second answer in the next Item box, e.g. “New York”.
4. To add another answer, select New item. A new, empty Item box will appear. Enter your next answer in it.
5. Repeat step 4 until you’ve added all your answers.

6. Scroll down to the Other settings section.
7. If you’d like to filter your users by this custom field, select the Show in filters tick box to tick it. This custom field will then appear as a filter in the Users and Enrolments sections.

8. Go to “Finishing your custom field” below.

Setting up a Text input field

1. Scroll down to the Other settings section. You won’t see a List section, because people will type their own answer.
2. If you’d like to search for users by what’s entered in this custom field, select the Show in search results tick box to tick it. For example, if a user’s employee number is 12345, you could search for “12345” and that user would appear in the results.

3. Go to “Finishing your custom field” below.

Finishing your custom field

1. If this information must be filled in for every user, select the Mandatory field tick box to tick it. From now on, you’ll need to fill in this custom field whenever you add a new user. You’ll also need to fill it in when you next edit an existing user’s details. Note: When you make a field mandatory, it automatically adds sensible default visibility settings to the Visibility field (see the next step).

2. Select the Visibility drop-down list, then select each role that should be able to see this custom field. You can choose as many roles as you like:

   • Account admin
   • User admin
   • Course admin
   • Learner admin
   • Enrolment admin
   • Results reviewer

   When you’ve finished, select anywhere outside the list to close it. The roles you’ve chosen will appear in the Visibility box.

3. Select the Add button. A pop-up window will open, asking Confirm adding custom field?. It shows a summary of your custom field. Check the details are correct. To see your list of answers or your chosen roles, select the arrow next to List items or Visibility. If something isn’t right, select Cancel. The pop-up window will close, and you can go back and change your details. Alternatively, once you're happy with the settings, select the Confirm button.

4. You’ll return to the Custom fields page and see a message saying Custom field added. Your new custom field will appear in the list.