GoHighLevel Custom Values vs Custom Fields: What Is the Difference?
Custom values and custom fields sound similar but do different things. Custom fields store information about an individual contact or record. Custom values store reusable information you reference across the account. Mixing them up leads to personalization that does not work and data that lives in the wrong place.
Table of Contents
- 01.The core difference
- 02.Custom fields
- 03.Custom values
- 04.Custom fields versus custom values
- 05.When to use each
- 06.Common setup mistakes
- 07.Personalization and workflows
The core difference
A custom field belongs to a contact or record and holds a value that is different for each one. A custom value is an account-level piece of information you reuse in many places, like a business name or a booking link. One is per-contact, the other is per-account.
Custom fields
Custom fields are attached to contact records, opportunities and other records. A field like Lead Source or Last Service Used is different for every contact. You use custom fields when the information varies from person to person and needs to be stored on the record itself.
Custom values
Custom values are reusable pieces of information defined at the account level. A custom value like your business phone number or a generic calendar link is the same everywhere you reference it. You use custom values when the information is constant and you want to update it in one place.
| Custom fields | Custom values |
|---|---|
| Belong to a contact or record | Belong to the account or business |
| Different for each contact | The same everywhere they are used |
| Store per-contact information | Store reusable account information |
| Used for personalization per contact | Used for consistent content across the account |
| Example: Lead Source, Last Appointment | Example: Business name, booking link |
When to use each
Use a custom field when the value changes from contact to contact and you need to store it on the record. Use a custom value when the value is constant and you want to reference it in emails, SMS or pages without hardcoding it. Choosing the wrong one is a common setup mistake.
Common setup mistakes
A frequent mistake is storing reusable information in a custom field, which means you have to update it on every contact when it changes. The opposite is using a custom value for something that should vary per contact, which means every contact gets the same value. Match the type to whether the information is per-contact or constant.
Personalization and workflows
In emails and SMS, custom fields personalize the message to the contact while custom values insert consistent account information. A message might use a custom field for the contact's first name and a custom value for your booking link. Understanding which is which keeps personalization working.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between custom values and custom fields in GoHighLevel?
Custom fields store information about an individual contact or record and are different for each one. Custom values store reusable account-level information, like a business name or booking link, that is the same everywhere you reference it.
When should I use a custom field versus a custom value?
Use a custom field when the value varies from contact to contact and needs to live on the record. Use a custom value when the information is constant and you want to update it in one place across the account.
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