Create and use custom fields in QuickBooks Desktop

Learn how to create custom fields to personalize QuickBooks Desktop for Windows and Mac.

In addition to general data fields, you can create custom fields to capture specific customer, supplier, employee, product, and service details. You can add custom fields to sales forms and reports to focus on the info that matters most to your business.

Note: Learn how many custom fields you can have in each edition of QuickBooks Desktop.

Create custom name fields

QuickBooks Desktop for Windows

Use custom name fields to track specific customer, supplier and employee info.

1. Select the Customer, Supplier, or Employee menus. Then select Customer Centre, Supplier Centre, or Employee Centre.
2. Double-click any profile on the list to open and edit it.
3. Select the Additional Info tab. Then select Define Fields.
4. Name your custom field in the Label column.
5. In the Use for column, select the checkbox to add the custom name field to customer, supplier, or employee profiles. You can track the same info for all three groups.

   Tip: If you use QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, you can also add preset data fields from the What kind of data? column. Select Any text to create a free-form text field.

6. Select OK to save the custom field.

Your custom name field now appears in the Additional Info section for the type of people you choose to track.

Create custom item fields

Use custom item fields to track specific info for the products and services you sell.

QuickBooks Desktop for Windows

1. Go to the Lists menu and select Item List.
2. Double-click any item on the list to open and edit it.
3. Select Custom Fields. Then select Define Fields. 
4. Name your custom field in the Label column. Names aren't case-sensitive.
5. In the Use column, select the checkbox to turn on the custom field.
6. Select OK to save the custom field.

Your new custom item field now appears on the Custom Fields list for your products and services. You can also add custom item fields to custom transaction templates.

Track custom name and item fields

Now you can track lots of custom data. Here are a few things you can do with your custom name and item fields.

Add custom item fields to a sales forms

1. Create a new sales form, like an Invoice or Sales Receipt.
2. Select the Formatting tab and then Customize Data Layout. If you are working in a locked template, select Make a Copy.
3. In the window, select the tab for the section of the form you want to add your custom field to.
4. Find your custom item field on the list. Select the Screen or Print boxes to add it.

   Note: Adding a field may affect the layout of your form. If you need to, here's how to adjust the layout.

5. When you're done, select OK.

Add custom name info to a customer, supplier, or employee profile

1. Open a customer, supplier, or employee profile.
2. Select the Additional Info tab.
3. Fill out the field for your custom name field. These fields are freeform. You can enter whatever value you want to track.

Add custom name and item fields to reports

QuickBooks Desktop for Windows

1. Go to the Reports menu and select Report Centre.
2. Open a report on the list. Note: Not all reports can show custom fields.
3. Select Customize Report.
   
4. Select the Display tab. In the columns section, search for the name of your custom name or item field.
5. Select your custom name or item field. Then select OK to add it.
6. Select Refresh on the report.

The custom field shows up as a column on the report.