Every institution organizes community engagement differently. The people, places, and partnerships that make up your community engagement ecosystem don't always fit neatly into a standardized data model. Collaboratory's Custom Fields for Data Nodes give administrators the flexibility to tailor the core records in their system — including Courses, Sections, P/Is, Members, Units, and Community Organizations — to match how your campus actually works.
Custom Fields for Data Nodes allow administrators to:
Collect institution-specific information beyond the standard data node fields
Designate which fields are visible to the public and which remain internal
Determine which fields are required versus optional for data entry
Archive fields that are no longer relevant without losing historical data
Adapt your dataset as institutional priorities evolve
Navigate to the Custom Fields administrator interface by selecting Settings in the left-hand navigation panel, and then the Manage Fields tab. From there, using the drop down menu, select the Data Node you want to configure.
HEADS UP: If you don't see Manage Fields in your Collaboratory settings, Custom Fields may not be enabled for your institution's subscription tier. Contact your Collaboratory rep for information about enabling this feature.
What Can Be Customized?
Custom Fields support two complementary types of data node customization:
Refining your existing dataset by modifying standard fields on a data node.
Extending your dataset by creating entirely new custom fields.
| Available Customizations |
Existing Fields | Make required or optional, make public or private, archive |
New Custom Fields | Create entirely new questions specific to your institution |
Some core system fields remain protected because they support essential Collaboratory functionality and reporting. These fields cannot be customized.
| Locked Fields |
Community Organizations | Community Partner Type |
Members | Email, Position Title, Position Type, Appointment Unit |
Units | Name, Unit Type |
Courses | Course Code, Course Number, Course Level |
Sections | Section Number, Active Period, Section Term |
HEADS UP: Programs/Initiatives do not have locked fields beyond standard system identifiers. All non-locked fields on any data node are available for configuration.
Understanding the Manage Fields Dashboard
The Manage Fields dashboard is the central workspace for configuring and managing the data fields on each data node. Accessible from Settings > Manage Fields, this dashboard brings all data node customization tools together in one place.
Status
Click into the Status drop-down to designate individual data fields as Active or Archived.
Status | Best For | User Experience | Reporting + Administration |
Active | Current data collection | Visible on the data node record | Continues collecting data and appears in all reports |
Archived | Retired fields | Not visible on the data node record | Historical data is preserved, appears in reports and exports, can be restored |
Required vs. Optional
Use Required only for information that is essential for reporting, accreditation, compliance, or institutional processes. Fields that provide helpful context but are not necessary for every record are often better suited as Optional.
Public vs. Private
This setting determines whether the information appears on the public-facing profile or page for that record.
Public: Helps communicate your institution's partnerships and engagement ecosystem.
Private: Collects information that supports internal workflows without displaying it publicly.
Report
Administrators can choose whether new or existing fields generate an automatic visualization within the Administrative Reports Dashboard.
State
This column provides quick visual indicators about each data field's current configuration.
Icon | Meaning | Implications |
📊 | Field contains data | Historical data exists and is preserved. Certain structural changes (like deletion) are not permitted. |
🔒 | Locked field | Protected system field or contains non-customizable settings. |
🔗 | Dependency | Part of a grouped field relationship (e.g., Location Type subfields). |
Modify Existing Fields
From the Manage Fields page, administrators can:
Make/change a field to Required/Optional
Make/change a field to Public/Private
Archive data fields
Delete unused custom fields that have no associated data
A Note on Grouped Fields
Similar to how certain grouped fields work elsewhere in Collaboratory, the questions that appear under Location Type are treated as a package. If a Location Type subfield is still active, it cannot be archived on its own — the parent Location Type field must be archived first. This ensures data integrity for grouped field relationships.
BEST PRACTICE: If you no longer need to collect location information, archive the parent Location Type field. This will remove the entire group from data entry without requiring you to archive each subfield individually.
Reporting: What Happens When You Modify a Field?
Most customization changes affect future data collection, not historical records.
If you… | Historical Data is… | Reports + Exports | Future Record Entries |
Change Req/Opt | Preserved | No change | New requirement applies to future entries |
Change Pub/Pri | Preserved | No change | Visibility is updated going forward |
Archive a field | Preserved | Continues appearing | Field no longer appears on the record form |
Delete a field | Removed | No reporting available | Field no longer exists |
Create Custom Fields
To begin:
Navigate to Settings > Manage Fields.
Select the Data Node where the new field should appear (e.g., Members, Units, Community Organizations).
Click Add Custom Field.
Field Type
The Field Type defines the type of information a data field accepts.
Text: Names, descriptions, and other written responses
Number: Numeric values
Money: Currency values
Date: Calendar dates
Yes/No: Binary responses
Relationship: Links to existing Collaboratory records
ALERT: Because the Field Type determines how data is stored, it cannot be changed after a custom field has been created.
Understanding "Add a New Custom Field"
Question Text: The label users see. Choose clear, concise, familiar wording.
Info Tooltip: Optional text to provide users with additional clarification or instructions.
Answer Format: Determines the type of information accepted (Text, Yes/No, Date, Number, Money, Relationship).
Question Type: If using Relationship or Text, you must select a Question Type (e.g., Dropdown, Check All That Apply, Paragraph).
Deleting Fields
Deleting a data field permanently removes it from Collaboratory and cannot be undone. This option is intended only for fields that have never collected data. If a field has collected data, Collaboratory automatically prevents it from being deleted.