Selecting the correct custom attribute to store your data will keep everything tidy. This guide will help you with your selection.
Custom attributes are an extremely powerful way for you to store organised data for your business. Selecting the right type of custom attribute is key to ensuring it stays organised.
When you create a custom attribute, you will be given the following options:
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Text
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Decimal Number
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Whole Number
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Checkbox
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Checkbox Required Yes
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Date
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Text Area
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Select List
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Multi-select List
Why is it so important to get it right?
So, you could use Text for any example. However, you might regret it in the future. Let's stay for example you want to record Educational School for a student, for the school they attend.
If you choose Text for this, over time it's likely you'll store many variations. For example:
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King William High School
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KWHS
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King William High Sch
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King William High
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KW
And the list goes on... When you come around to reporting on this, finding out how many students go to a particular school will be a frustrating task. So for this example, a Select List would be more advantageous.
Below we explain each of the types and provide an example where it is best suited.
Text
This is best for a word or a few words that cannot be in a list. On many occasions, it is also a great choice when none of the other attribute types are a good fit.
Example
You want to store a nickname for students.
Decimal Number
You need to store something numerical that isn't a whole number (another option exists for that).
Example
You want to store the hourly rate for a room.
Whole Number
You need to store something numerical that doesn't require decimals (use the option above for that).
Example
You want to maintain an Association Registration Number for a Staff member.
Checkbox
Checkboxes are great for anything that can be answered with Yes or No.
Example
You keep track of the Photo Consent that has been given for each of your Students.
Checkbox Required Yes
This new custom attribute means the customer MUST agree before they can proceed with enrolment. Useful for additional agreements when a customer is registering.
Example:
Any confirmation statements like: I hereby certify that the information provided above is true and correct.
Date
Quite self-explanatory, date type is the best way to store anything date related.
Example
You keep the Expiry Date of Professional Registrations for Staff members.
Text Area
The text area is an alternative to Text that allows multiple lines and is suitable for larger parts of texts.
Example
You might keep Instructions for Locking Up for a Venue.
Select List
The Select List is a great option to keep your data organised if you have a limited set of outcomes. The select list is suited for when only one option is suitable per selection (see multi-select if more than one option could be selected at once).
Example
You keep track of the Educational School that your Student attends.
Multi-select List
A multi-select list is another great option to keep your data organised. This is only applicable if you have a limited set of options to define in advance. However, with a multi-select list, you can assign more than one of them at a time.
Example
You keep a list of medical conditions for each of your Students.
You can list all the medical conditions, but a single student may have more than 1 that apply.
Still stuck on making a choice? Our support team are always here to help!