In this article you’ll learn about:

• Custom fields
• Use cases for custom fields

Learn more on custom field character limitations here.

What are Custom Fields

Prospects come with a standard group of fields to be populated.  However, if there is a field not native to Outreach you’re looking for and fits your use case, a custom field might be necessary.

Custom fields are located under settings > prospect.  

Here, you’re able to add a custom field or modify an existing one.  Once a custom field has been entered and saved, that field will be available in the prospects settings and  wherever custom fields are applicable.

Custom fields are not for everyone or every instance.  You only want to use custom fields if they are applicable to your use case.  

For example:  If you want to know the shoe size of a prospect, that’s not a standard field in Outreach.  Thus a custom field would be the correct solution.

Custom Fields Use Cases

Templates

Templates allow you to include the custom field information as an auto populating variable.

When creating a template, click on the variable icon at the bottom of the compose window.  Select from the list of variables to choose from.  Variables labeled {{CustomX}}, with X being numbers 1-30, are your custom variables set up in settings.  The double brackets on the left show you which number variable it is, while on the right displays the content for that variable.  

In the example below, the custom variable #1 is “shoe size.”  Notice how the email is formatted as a template, and the dynamic preview to the right.

Triggers

Custom fields can be used to create triggers, automated actions taken by Outreach based on specified conditions.

Under settings > triggers > +add > edit trigger, you’re able to add one of your custom fields to the prospect conditions.  

Plugins

Custom fields can relate to plugins and the way that information maps between Outreach and the specific plugin.  For example: if you have a custom field of “shoe size” within Outreach and a corresponding field inside of salesforce, you can map that connection within outreach.