What are custom fields
Custom fields are fields that help you further customize sessions, items, exhibitors, or people profiles for preferences, interests, or any other valuable information to be categorized within the event app.
They are :
Precise: attendees can use custom fields to easily find sessions, people, items, or exhibitors
Customizable: you have control over the custom field settings and permissions
Time-saving: they give you easier access to information making attendees’ time more efficient
You can use custom fields for the following pages (click on each page name to know how to create specific custom fields) :
What are the different types of custom fields
Short text: for brief entries.
Long text: for longer entries.
Multiple texts: for multiple text entries.
Single choice: for selecting one option from a list (e.g., Country or City).
Multiple choices: for selecting multiple options from a list (e.g., Group member status or Proficiencies).
Multi-Level Choices: A Multi-Level custom field organizes values in a tree structure
URL: for links, such as Websites or LinkedIn profiles.
Number: for numerical entries like Age.
Date: for date entries like Birthday.
File: PDF (.pdf), Word Documents (.doc, .docx), PowerPoint Presentations (.ppt, .pptx), Images (.png, .jpg)
Please note that only single and multiple choice custom fields can be used as search filters in your event.
What are the common use cases for custom fields
Display custom fields on attendees’ profiles to be filled with key information, such as their expected outcomes for the event (networking, meeting vendors, attending sessions, etc.).
Help attendees search and sort the list of participants using custom fields to find interesting profiles to network with based on interests.
Make sessions easy to find with relevant custom fields.
Control Field Visibility:
Control whether a custom field is visible and editable by attendees.
Boost Search Functionality:
Leverage custom fields to create a more powerful search engine that displays valuable event information to attendees.
Streamline Information Access:
Save time with pre-filled custom fields available for people and exhibitors.
Targeted Communication:
Send reminders and follow-up emails targeting attendees with specific custom field values in their profiles.
Comprehensive Reporting:
Find reports under the analytics dashboard that include custom field results.
What is a Multi-Level custom field?
Standard custom fields work well for flat lists of options, but some events need deeper categorization. Multi-Level custom fields let you create nested hierarchies — for example, Industry > Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Generative AI — so that attendees can browse and filter content at any level of detail.
Multi-Level custom fields are available for:
A Multi-Level custom field organizes values in a tree structure. Each value (called a "node") can be a parent containing children, or a leaf with no children. You can build trees up to 7 levels deep.
Example hierarchy:
Industry
Technology
Artificial Intelligence
Generative AI
Healthcare
Biotechnology
Once created, organizers can assign values from the multi-level field to individual records (sessions, people, items, or exhibitors). Attendees can then use these values as search filters in list views, for example, filtering all exhibitors tagged under "Technology" or narrowing down to "Generative AI" specifically.
How to fill out the Excel template
The Excel template contains one row per node in your tree. Here is what each column means:
node_id: A unique identifier for this node. Use short, lowercase text without spaces (e.g.,tech,ai,gen_ai). Required.parent_id: Thenode_idof this node's parent. Leave empty for root-level nodes (top of the hierarchy). Optional (empty = root).label_en,label_fr, etc. : The display name of this node in each of your event's languages. One column per language is included automatically in the template. At least one label is required.
Example
For an event with French and English enabled, the filled template would look like this:
node_id | parent_id | label_fr | label_en |
industry |
| Industrie | Industry |
tech | industry | Technologie | Technology |
ai | tech | Intelligence artificielle | Artificial Intelligence |
gen_ai | ai | IA générative | Generative AI |
health | industry | Santé | Healthcare |
biotech | health | Biotechnologie | Biotechnology |
In this example, "Industry" is a root node (no parent_id). "Technology" and "Healthcare" are children of "Industry". "Artificial Intelligence" is a child of "Technology", and so on.
How do multi-level fields appear on the event app?
On detail pages
When values have been assigned, they appear on the detail pages of Sessions, People, Items, and Exhibitors. The display shows the selected values along with their hierarchical path so attendees understand the full context.
As search filters
Multi-Level custom fields can be used as filters in all list views (Sessions list, People list, Exhibitors list, Items list). To make a multi-level field available as a filter, an organizer must first enable it from Studio:
Once enabled, attendees can browse the field to filter by any level — for example, selecting "Technology" to see all records under that branch, or selecting "Generative AI" for a more specific result.
If the Searchable field property is enabled, the field values are also included in the search engine, so attendees can find matching records by typing a value name in the search bar.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum depth allowed?
A multi-level field supports up to 7 levels of nesting. If your Excel file contains a structure deeper than 7 levels, the upload will be rejected.
Can I create multi-level field values directly from Studio without an Excel file?
No. After the initial creation via Excel, you can’t add new values directly from the field editing panel in Studio.
Can I assign multi-level field values via Excel import of entity data?
No. Multi-level field values must be assigned through the Studio detail page or the Exhibitor Center. They are not included in the Excel import/export templates for entities.
Does selecting a parent automatically select all children?
No. Each node is selected independently. Selecting "Technology" does not select "Artificial Intelligence" or "Generative AI" beneath it — you need to explicitly check each value you want assigned.
Can I create a Multi-Level custom field without using an Excel file?
No. The initial tree structure can only be created by uploading a filled Excel template. There is no way to build the multi-level manually from scratch in Studio. Once the multi-level field has been created via Excel, you can then rename or reorder individual values directly from Studio — but the first import must go through the Excel file.
Custom fields are a powerful tool to enhance the event experience for attendees, exhibitors, and organizers. By allowing for precise categorization and easy access to relevant information, custom fields make your event more organized, efficient, and personalized. Embracing custom fields not only saves time but also fosters a more engaging and meaningful event environment for everyone involved.