--- title: Custom fields slug: custom-fields description: How custom fields work in Personizely: the 9 field types, field IDs, collecting values with forms, identifyVisitor and parsers, and targeting them. image: https://archbee-image-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1y1Fr-DMGy_apx7FwibyA/ORDTWfNKMXiY3ZRv0QSgP_personizely-docs-og.png docTags: createdAt: 2026-10-17T09:46:20.453Z --- Custom fields are your own visitor profile fields, such as "Skin type", "Company size" or "Preferred store", added on top of the [default visitor fields](https://docs.personizely.net/visitor-fields-reference). You collect their values with widget forms and surveys, from your own code or with parsers, and then use them to target visitors with the [Visitor fields](https://docs.personizely.net/fields) filter, show them with [dynamic text](https://docs.personizely.net/dynamic-text), and send them to your integrations. **Available on:** all platforms. ## How it works 1. **You create the field** in **Settings → Custom fields**, with a name and a type. Personizely gives it a numeric **ID**. 2. **Visitors get values** when they submit a form or survey that uses the field, when your code calls `ply.identifyVisitor` with `customFieldValues`, or when a parser writes to it. 3. **The value is saved to the visitor's profile** and kept across visits. A new value replaces the old one. 4. **You use it** in targets, dynamic text, the contacts list and exports, webhooks and email integrations. ## Create a custom field 1. Go to **Settings → Custom fields** and click **Add a custom field**. 2. Enter a **Name**, for example "Interest". 3. Choose a **Type**. It can't be changed after you save. 4. For **select**, **radio** and **multiple**, add the **Choices**. 5. Save. The field's **Id** appears in the list. | Option | What it does | Values / default | | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | | Name | How the field appears in forms, filters, contacts and exports | Text | | Type | The kind of value the field holds. Fixed once saved | See [Field types](docId\:km7iOXZLplGl8qZlK582W) | | Choices | The options visitors pick from | For select, radio and multiple. Editable later | To remove a field, **Archive** it. Archived fields disappear from the list and from the Visitor fields filter menu. Values already collected stay on visitor profiles. ## Field types | Type | Holds | Visitor fields filter operators | | ------------ | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **text** | Short text | is, is not, contains, does not contain, is empty, is not empty | | **textarea** | Longer text | Same as text | | **email** | An email address | Same as text | | **number** | A number | is, is not, is higher than, is lower than | | **checkbox** | Checked or not (true/false) | is checked, is not checked | | **select** | One choice from a dropdown | is, is not, is empty, is not empty | | **radio** | One choice from radio buttons | Same as select | | **multiple** | Several choices (checkbox group) | includes, does not include, is empty, is not empty | | **date** | A date | is on, is not on, is before, is after, was yesterday, is today, is tomorrow, is this week, last week, is next week, is this month, last month, is next month | For **multiple**, "includes" with several values selected matches only visitors who chose **all** of them; "does not include" matches visitors who chose **none** of them. ## Using the field ID The ID connects the field to code and dynamic text. It's the number in the **Id** column. | Where | Syntax | | --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `ply.identifyVisitor` | `ply.identifyVisitor({ customFieldValues: { '42': 'wholesale' } })` | | Dynamic text | `{visitor.customField[42]}`, with a fallback: `{visitor.customField[42] or 'our range'}` | | Parsers | Choose the field by name in **Field**; the ID is used behind the scenes | Values sent with `identifyVisitor` are merged with the visitor's existing custom field values, so sending one field doesn't clear the others. ## Collecting values - **Forms and surveys.** Add the custom field to a [form](https://docs.personizely.net/form) or [survey](https://docs.personizely.net/survey) element. Select, radio and multiple fields show their choices as options. - **Your code.** Call [ply.identifyVisitor](https://docs.personizely.net/js-api#plyidentifyvisitordata) with `customFieldValues`. Use the same format as the type: a number for number fields, `true` or `false` for checkboxes, one of the choices for select and radio, an array of choices for multiple, and `YYYY-MM-DD` for dates. - **Parsers.** A [parser](https://docs.personizely.net/parsers-data-parsing-engine) with destination **Visitor** can fill a custom field from a JavaScript variable, cookie, local storage, URL parameter or page element on every page load. ## Behavior details and limitations - **Values belong to identified profiles.** A value saved for an anonymous visitor stays with that browser's profile and moves to the existing profile if the visitor is later [identified](https://docs.personizely.net/identify-visitors) by email or phone. - **The type can't be changed.** To change it, archive the field and create a new one. Values in the old field don't move. - **Changing choices doesn't change saved values.** If you rename a choice, visitors who picked the old name keep it, and filters on the new name don't match them. - **Matching is exact and case-sensitive** for text, select and radio values. - **Archiving hides, it doesn't delete.** Targets that already use an archived field keep working. - **Empty values.** Visitors who never got a value match **is empty** and **is not checked**, and `{visitor.customField[ID]}` renders its fallback. ## Examples - **Quiz-based personalization:** a survey widget saves "Skin type" (radio: Dry, Oily, Combination). A personalization shows matching product recommendations to visitors with "Skin type is Oily". - **Wholesale pricing banner:** your login code sends `customFieldValues: { '42': 'wholesale' }`; a target with "Account type is wholesale" shows a bulk-order bar. - **Birthday offers:** a date field "Birthday" collected by a form; a target "Birthday is this month" shows a birthday discount. ## Troubleshooting - **Field doesn't appear in the filter menu** → it's archived. - **Filter never matches** → the value's capitalization or spelling differs from what you typed in the filter, or the visitor hasn't submitted it on this device and isn't identified. - **`identifyVisitor` doesn't save the value** → the key isn't the field's numeric ID as a string, or the value doesn't fit the type: text for a number field, a string instead of `true`/`false` for a checkbox, a date that isn't `YYYY-MM-DD`, or a string instead of an array for multiple. A value that doesn't fit is rejected, together with the other fields in the same call. ## Related - [Visitor fields reference](https://docs.personizely.net/visitor-fields-reference) - [Visitor fields filter](https://docs.personizely.net/fields) - [Identifying visitors](https://docs.personizely.net/identify-visitors) - [Form element](https://docs.personizely.net/form) - [Dynamic text](https://docs.personizely.net/dynamic-text) - [Parsers](https://docs.personizely.net/parsers-data-parsing-engine)