Custom Fields Setup

Custom Fields let you track information that isn’t part of ClickTime’s standard setup. You can attach them to many data types (people, clients, projects, tasks, divisions, company, and time entries) and then include their values in queries, exports, reports, and Resource Management filters. Manage everything from the Company > Preferences > Custom Fields page.

Where to find it: Company > Preferences > Custom Fields (link on the Preferences page).

Jump to a section:

• Tutorial Video
• Managing Custom Fields
• Custom Field Types
• Associations (where fields appear)
• Limits & Rules
• Custom Fields in Reports & Exports
• Custom Fields in Resource Management
• Troubleshooting

Tutorial Video

Managing Custom Fields

Open Company > Preferences > Custom Fields to view the Custom Fields List (all fields in your account).

• Add: Click Add Custom Field, then enter a Custom Field Name (internal), Display Name (shown in the app), choose a Type and an Association. Type and Association cannot be changed after creation.
• Make required (optional): From the field’s detail page, check Required to enforce completion (supported for Clients, Projects, Tasks, People, Divisions, and Time Entry).
  
• Edit: Use the pencil icon on the list to rename the field or update pop-down options. Association and Type are immutable.
  
• Delete: From the field’s detail page, open Actions > Delete. Deleting removes the field from all forms and permanently deletes existing data in that field.
  

Custom Field Types

Choose the type that best fits the data you need to capture.

• Text: Short free-form text (up to 50 characters). Available for Clients, Projects, Tasks, People, Division, Company, and Time Entry.
  
• Long Text: Multi-line text. Not supported on Time Entry screens.
  
• Number: Numeric-only values. Non-numeric entries are rejected.
  
• Currency: Numeric values formatted with your site’s currency label.
  
• Date: Valid dates using your global Date Setting.
  
• Pop-down List: A dropdown of values you define (Enter/Return creates one value per line).
  
• Yes/No: Two-value list (yes/no). Displays as a checkbox on Time Entry.
  

Associations (where fields appear)

“Association” controls where the field shows up. Supported pages:

• Company Preferences (company-level attributes) — see example below
• Client Detail
• Project Detail — example below
• Task Detail
• Person Detail
• Division Detail
• Timesheet Entry (Week/Day/Timesheet views)

Not supported: Expense Items do not support Custom Fields.

Example: Company Preferences

Example: Project Detail

Example: Timesheet Entry

Limits & Rules

• Time Entry limit: You can associate at most 3 custom fields with time entries (enforced in the UI).
  
• Report Builder surface limit: Up to 15 custom fields appear in the Layout tab (alphabetized by Custom Field Name).
• Naming & order: The Custom Field Name controls sort order in Report Builder and on detail pages. Use a prefix (e.g., “Proj – …”) to group related fields.

• Immutable choices: After saving, Type and Association cannot be changed. Create a new field if you need a different combination.

  

• Required on Time Entry: Required fields block save/submit until completed; the control is highlighted in red with a tooltip.

  

• Report Studio references & deletion: If a custom field is referenced in any Report Studio dataset/model or saved visualization, the field cannot be deleted in ClickTime. 
• DCAA compatibility: When DCAA Compliance is enabled, you cannot add new Timesheet Entry custom fields. Existing Time Entry fields are hidden while DCAA is on.
• Not supported for: Expense Items currently do not support Custom Fields.

Custom Fields in Reports & Exports

There are several ways to include Custom Field data in outputs:

• Exports: In Company > Reports > Miscellaneous, use the export options and check Include Custom Fields to add values to the file.
  
• Report Builder: (Corporate/Enterprise and equivalent plans) Build ad-hoc reports; the first 15 custom fields appear in the Layout tab for selection.
  
• Customizable Data Export (CDE): Export raw timesheet data for a date range. Use Advanced to include all custom field columns.
  
• Report Studio: If your plan includes Report Studio, custom fields behave like other fields with the same association—you can add them to datasets and visualizations. Caveat: Deleting a custom field that’s referenced by any Report Studio object is blocked.

Custom Fields in Resource Management

You can use Project and Person custom fields to filter data directly within Resource Management. This enables more targeted planning, segmentation, and analysis using the attributes your organization already tracks elsewhere in ClickTime.

Enable a custom field for Resource Management

1. Navigate to Company > Preferences > Custom Fields.
2. Open (or create) a Project or Person custom field.
3. Check Filterable within Resource Management.
4. Click Save.

Using custom field filters in Resource Management

• Enabled fields appear in the Resource Management filter panel.
• Project custom fields appear under the Projects filter modal.
• Person custom fields appear under the People filter modal.
• Selecting a value updates the Resource Management grid and totals in real time.
• Multiple custom field filters can be applied simultaneously.
  

Supported field types

Troubleshooting

• “I can’t change the association.” That’s by design. Create a new field with the desired association and migrate values as needed.
• “Users can submit without filling the field.” Confirm the field is marked Required and associated to Timesheet Entry. Required fields block save/submit in Week, Day, and Timesheet views.
• “My field doesn’t appear in Report Builder.” Only the first 15 fields (alphabetized by Custom Field Name) are surfaced in the Layout tab. Rename or export via CDE if needed.
• “Where did my Time Entry fields go?” If DCAA is enabled, Time Entry custom fields are hidden.
• “Delete is disabled.” The field is likely referenced by Report Studio. Remove it from those datasets/visualizations first, then try again.
• “My custom field doesn’t appear in Resource Management.” Confirm the field is associated with Projects or People and that Filterable within Resource Management is enabled, then refresh Resource Management.