Custom fields
Learn how to add custom fields to Keeping.
Custom Fields
Custom fields let you capture structured data on conversations - like order numbers, issue categories, or account tiers. Admins define the fields for each mailbox, and agents fill them in from the conversation sidebar.
Custom fields are available in Advanced and Enterprise plans.
Field Types
Keeping supports five types of custom fields:
Text — Free-form text, up to 1,000 characters. Useful for order numbers, URLs, or short notes.
Dropdown — A predefined list of options. Ideal for categories, issue types, or escalation reasons.
Number — Any numeric value (integer or decimal). Use for quantities, dollar amounts, or scores.
Date — A calendar date in YYYY-MM-DD format. Helpful for deadlines, order dates, or follow-up reminders.
Checkbox — A simple yes/no toggle. Good for flags like "VIP," "Escalated," or "Refund Issued."
Creating Custom Fields
Custom fields are managed from your mailbox settings. You must be an admin to create or edit fields.
Go to Settings → Mailbox → Custom Fields.
Click Add Custom Field.
Enter a name and optional description, then choose a field type.
For dropdown fields, add your options in the list editor. Each option needs a label (what agents see) and a value (stored internally). You can add up to 50 options per dropdown.
Click Save.
Fields appear in the order you define them. Each mailbox can have up to 20 custom fields.
Setting Values on a Conversation
Any agent with access to the mailbox can set custom field values. In the conversation sidebar (both the Chrome extension and the inbox UI), you'll see a Custom Fields section below the standard fields like Assigned To and Priority.
Text and Number fields: Click the field to type a value. The value saves automatically when you click away.
Dropdown fields: Select an option from the list.
Date fields: Click to open a date picker and choose a date.
Checkbox fields: Click the checkbox to toggle it.
A small spinner appears briefly while the value saves. If there's a validation error (for example, entering text in a number field), a red message appears below the field explaining the issue.
The first two custom fields are always visible. If a mailbox has more than two fields, click Show more fields to expand the full list.
Clearing a Value
To remove a value from a text, number, or date field, clear the input and click away. For dropdowns, select the blank option at the top of the list. For checkboxes, uncheck the box.
Activity Logging
Every time an agent sets or clears a custom field value, the change is recorded in the conversation's activity timeline — just like assignment or status changes. The log entry shows who made the change, which field was affected, and the new value.
Deactivating a Field
If you no longer need a custom field, you can deactivate it from Settings rather than deleting it permanently. Deactivated fields:
Appear dimmed and read-only on conversations that already have a value set.
Do not appear on conversations without a value.
Cannot be edited by agents.
Can be reactivated at any time from the Archived section in Settings.
Existing data is preserved — nothing is lost when you deactivate a field.
Moving Conversations Between Mailboxes
When a conversation moves from one mailbox to another, previously set custom field values are preserved in the background but hidden from the sidebar. The sidebar only shows fields defined on the current mailbox. No data is lost — if the conversation moves back, the original values reappear.
Permissions
Create, edit, or deactivate fields
Admin
Set or clear values on conversations
Any agent with mailbox access
Limits
Custom fields per mailbox
20
Dropdown options per field
50
Text field length
1,000 characters
Field name length
100 characters
Option label/value length
100 characters
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