FAQ: Custom Fields

• What are Custom Fields? 
• How do I create a new custom field?
• What custom field types does CQ provide?
• How do I hide a custom field on CQ pages?
• How do I edit a custom field type?
• How do I delete a custom field?

What are Custom Fields? 

Custom Fields allow you to create and store your own annotations across all bill, member, topic, committee or vote pages. For example, you can create an “Organization’s Stance” field with a dropdown list of options like “Support” or “Oppose.” The field will now appear on all bill pages, and you can use the field to specify your organization’s stance on any bill. You can also use that information quickly and easily in reports.

To get started with custom fields, click 'My Account' → 'Account Settings' → 'Custom Fields.'

How do I create a new custom field?

To create a new custom field, select the tab of the page type to which you’d like to add the custom field. Click “New Custom Field,” then enter the name of your field and select the data type. We provide multiple data options to meet all your custom field needs. Click done. The field will now appear on all pages to which you added the field in the pages' "Custom Fields" section. For example, if you created a bill pages custom field, that field will now appear on all bill pages in CQ.

What custom field types does CQ provide?

CQ provides five custom field types.

1. Text: This is a freeform text field where the user can write as much information as desired.
2. Number: This is a text field where the user can enter a number, or a series of numbers.
3. Date: The date/time selection widget allows users to specify a date.
4. List of account users: This is a dropdown list of all users in the user's account.
5. Multiple choice: This allows the user to create a list of options. You can create multiple choice options by entering the first option in the empty text field, then clicking the "+" icon next to the field. Enter the next choice in the same manner, and continue adding fields until you have the desired number of choices. You can drag and drop the fields to appear in a certain order by grabbing the selection tool to the left of each item.

How do I hide a custom field on CQ pages?

To hide a custom field from the pages where it appears, click on My CQ> Account Settings>Custom Fields. Find the field and click the button that says “Visible.” The button should toggle to say “Hidden.” Click on it and it won’t appear on any pages. If you need to make the field reappear on the pages, simply click the button again and it will toggle to say “Visible.” The field will remain in your account until you delete it.

How do I edit a custom field type?

To edit a custom field, click on' My Account' → 'Account Settings' → 'Custom Fields.' Find the field and click the "Edit" button. Change the current field type to the desired field type, then hit "Done."

How do I delete a custom field?

To delete a custom field, click on' My Account' → 'Account Settings' → 'Custom Fields.' Find the field and click the “Edit” button. Select “Delete this field”. Deleting the field will delete it permanently across all pages.

Note: The vote custom fields "Position" and "Vote Caption" cannot be edited or deleted.