Pipedrive Custom Fields
Adapt Pipedrive to your business. The right fields = actionable data. The wrong fields = a CRM nobody fills in.
⏱️ TL;DR: Only create fields you'll actually use for filtering, reporting, or automating. Prefer dropdown lists over free text fields. Make only critical fields required. Fewer fields = better adoption.
Why Create Custom Fields?
Pipedrive's native fields don't cover all your business needs. Custom fields allow you to:
- Qualify your leads — Budget, timing, decision-maker identified
- Segment your data — Industry, size, source
- Automate actions — If field X = Y, then do Z
- Generate reports — Performance by segment
⚠️ The Golden Rule
Only create a field if you know exactly how you're going to use it. An unused field pollutes and discourages your sales reps.
Available Field Types
Pipedrive offers several field types. Choose the right type from the start — it's hard to change later.
| Type | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Text (single line) | Short free value | Project name, Internal reference |
| Text (multi-line) | Notes, descriptions | Need context, Qualification notes |
| Dropdown (single) | Single choice from options | Source (Inbound, Outbound, Referral) |
| Dropdown (multi) | Multiple choices possible | Products interested in, Identified needs |
| Numeric | Numbers only | Number of employees, Annual budget |
| Monetary | Amounts with currency | Project budget, Current MRR |
| Date | Specific date | Follow-up date, Contract end |
| Date range | Period | Project duration |
| Yes/No | Boolean | GDPR OK, Decision-maker identified |
| Phone | Number with formatting | Direct line |
| Address | Address with geolocation | Delivery address |
💡 Prefer Dropdown Lists
A "Source" field as free text will give you: "linkedin", "LinkedIn", "LI", "Linked In"... Impossible to analyze. A dropdown list enforces consistency.
Fields on Deals, People, or Organizations?
Each entity type can have its own fields. Put the info in the right place:
| Entity | Type of Info | Field Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Organization | Company info (stable) | Industry, Size, Revenue, Website, Country |
| Person | Individual info (stable) | Job title, LinkedIn, Decision-maker (yes/no) |
| Deal | Opportunity info (variable) | Source, Budget, Timing, Product, Competitor |
📊 Simple Rule
If the info changes with each deal → field on the Deal. If the info stays the same for all deals from the same contact → field on Person or Organization.
Creating a Custom Field
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Access settings
⚙️ Settings → Company settings → Data fields
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Choose the entity
Select Deal, Person, or Organization in the tabs
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Add the field
Click "+ Add custom field"
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Configure the field
Name, type, options (if list), and pipeline visibility
Essential Fields for a B2B CRM
Here are the custom fields I systematically install for my clients:
On Deals
| Field | Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Dropdown | Know where your deals come from (Inbound, Outbound, Referral, Event...) |
| Budget confirmed | Yes/No | Qualify deal solidity |
| Timing | Dropdown | This month, this quarter, this year, not defined |
| Decision-maker identified | Yes/No | Are we talking to the right person? |
| Main competitor | Dropdown | Analyze losses by competitor |
| Product/Service | Dropdown | If you sell multiple offerings |
| Deal type | Dropdown | New business, Upsell, Renewal |
| Acquisition channel | Dropdown | LinkedIn, Cold email, SEO, Ads... |
On Organizations
| Field | Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Dropdown | Segmentation and targeting |
| Size (employees) | Dropdown | 1-10, 11-50, 51-200, 200+ |
| Revenue | Dropdown or Monetary | Qualify potential |
| ICP Score | Dropdown | A (perfect), B (good), C (average), D (off-target) |
| Country | Dropdown | For multi-country teams |
On People
| Field | Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Job title | Dropdown | CEO, VP, Director, Manager... |
| Seniority level | Dropdown | C-Level, VP, Director, Manager, IC |
| LinkedIn URL | Text | For social selling |
| Marketing opt-in | Yes/No | GDPR compliance |
Required Fields: Use Sparingly
Pipedrive allows you to make fields required. But beware: too many required fields = sales reps filling in garbage just to move forward.
When to Make a Field Required?
- ✅ The info is critical for the next process step
- ✅ The info is easy to obtain at this stage
- ✅ The info is verifiable (not vague self-reporting)
Relevant Required Field Examples
- Source (at deal creation) — Essential for reporting
- Lost reason (when deal is lost) — To analyze failures
- Budget confirmed (at Negotiation stage) — For reliable forecasting
⚠️ Never Make Required
Fields like "Qualification notes" or "Need context" as free text. Sales reps will write "." or "test" to move on.
Display Fields in the Pipeline
You can display certain fields directly on the Kanban pipeline cards. Handy to see info without opening the deal.
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Open pipeline settings
Click ⚙️ next to pipeline name → "Customize deal card"
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Add fields
Drag fields you want to see on the card (max 3-4 to stay readable)
Recommended fields to display: Source, Product, Timing.
Group and Order Your Fields
With many fields, your forms become unreadable. Organize them into logical groups.
In Settings → Data fields, you can:
- Create groups (e.g., "Qualification", "Technical Info", "Admin")
- Reorder fields by drag-and-drop
- Hide rarely used fields (they remain accessible but not displayed by default)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Creating a field for every piece of info
20 fields on a deal = endless form. Keep 8-12 fields max on deals.
❌ Using text fields when a list would do
Free text = unusable data in reporting. Prefer dropdown lists.
❌ No naming conventions
One field called "Source", another "Channel", a third "Origin"... chaos. Standardize.
❌ Changing fields mid-stream
Deleting or modifying a used field = data loss. Think before creating.
Custom Fields Checklist
- ☑️ Each field has a clear use (filter, report, automation)
- ☑️ Dropdown lists rather than free text
- ☑️ Maximum 10-12 fields per entity
- ☑️ Required fields limited to strict necessities
- ☑️ Fields organized in logical groups
- ☑️ Team trained on when/how to fill them