In Pipedrive, open the account menu, go to Personal preferences, then Data fields, choose the entity (lead/deal, person, organization, product or project) and click + Custom field. You'll need at least a name and a field type. Your plan decides which extra options you get, and the type can't be changed later.
Before you click: permissions and the type decision
Two things are worth sorting out before you add anything. First, adding, editing and deleting custom fields is only available to users with the correct global permissions. If you can't see the option, ask whoever runs the account.
Second, decide the field type now. Is a deal's renewal date a date or text? Is the number of seats a number or text? Getting that wrong means starting again, and I'll explain why below.
Adding the field, start to finish
1. Open Data fields
Open the account menu in the upper right corner and go to Personal preferences > Data fields.
2. Pick the entity
Choose where the field belongs: lead/deal, person, organization, product or project. Leads use the same fields as deals, so a custom deal field is also created for leads with the same name and properties.
3. Click + Custom field
This opens the add field window.
4. Name it and choose the type
Enter a Field name and choose the Field type. Those two are the minimum.
5. Add the optional settings
Pick a field group, a description and where the field is shown, so it turns up in the add and detail views where your team will use it.
6. Save and check
Save, then look for the field in a detail view or as a list view column.
You don't have to go through settings every time. You can also add a custom field from the list view using the gear icon, from the detail view under ... > Customize fields, or during the import mapping step, which is handy when a spreadsheet has a column you haven't set up yet.
Options that depend on your plan
The number of custom fields you can have depends on your plan, and so do some of the settings. The properties table lists:
| Option | Plan listed |
|---|---|
| Field description (lead and deal fields only) | Growth or higher |
| Important fields | Growth or higher |
| Formula fields | Premium |
| Read-only user specification | Premium |
| Pipeline-specific fields | Premium |
| Required fields | Premium |
The plan line-up has changed recently, so check what your own account includes before you plan a process around Required or Formula fields.
The type is permanent, and deleting wipes the data
The Pipedrive Knowledge Base article on custom fields is clear on two points that catch teams out. The field type can't be changed once it's created. You can edit the name, group, description, user specification, the places it's shown and quality rules, but not the type. And deleting a custom field deletes the field and all its existing data from the account.
So if you picked text where you needed a number, the fix is to create a new field with the right type, move the data across, then retire the old one. Never delete first.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Keeping your fields tidy over time
Each custom field has an API key you can copy from the ... menu, which your developer or connector tool will ask for. Admins can also click View field stats to see where a field is filled in or used in filters. That's the quickest way to spot fields nobody uses before your deal screen turns into a wall of empty boxes.
How HubSpot and Notion handle custom data
HubSpot lets you create custom properties for your own business data, and new custom properties hold null values unless you set a default.
Notion database properties add context such as due dates, owners and URLs, with types like Text, Number, Select, Status and Date.
If you're weighing up CRMs, my comparison of HubSpot and Pipedrive and my list of Pipedrive alternatives are worth a read.
My verdict on custom fields
Add fewer than you think you need. Every field should answer a question you'll filter or report on, such as deal source or renewal month. Choose the type as if you can never change it, because you can't, and check field stats every few months to clear out the ones your team ignores.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Where are custom fields in Pipedrive?
Account menu, Personal preferences, Data fields.
Can I change a custom field type later?
No. The type can't be changed once it's created.
Do deal custom fields appear on leads?
Yes. Leads use the same fields as deals.
Who can add custom fields?
Users with the correct global permissions.
What happens if I delete a custom field?
The field and its existing data are deleted from your account.
