--- title: "custom objects" description: "Learn all about Custom Object and access our step-by-step instructions, FAQs, and everything you need to know!" url: https://help.ivorey.io/en/articles/13631392-custom-objects collection: "CRM" updated: 2026-11-06 language: en --- # custom objects Learn all about Custom Object and access our step-by-step instructions, FAQs, and everything you need to know! ## Before You Dive In Not everything you need to track fits neatly onto a contact profile. If you run coaching packages, client projects, applications, memberships, or anything else with its own set of details and its own lifecycle, a Custom Object gives that information a proper home, separate from your contacts but still connected to them. Where custom objects work in IvoreyTM? Custom Objects are supported across many areas of IvoreyTM, but not all of them yet. It helps to know where they currently work, so you can plan your setup with confidence. Currently supported: - Contacts and Opportunities, through associations - Workflows, as triggers and actions - Forms, Surveys, and Quizzes - Dashboards and Reporting - APIs and Webhooks - Custom Fields and Tasks Not currently supported: - Email Campaigns, Bulk Email, and Bulk SMS - Conversations - Funnels and Websites, for dynamic Custom Object data - Calendars and Scheduling - Reputation and Reviews - Payments and Invoicing - Company records What is the difference between contacts, opportunities, and custom objects? **Contacts** store information about people, and **Opportunities** track sales deals moving through your pipeline. **Custom Objects** are for everything else your business needs to track that does not belong to either, such as programs, applications, properties, or projects. Each Custom Object record can be connected back to a contact or opportunity, so you get a full picture of your client relationships without cluttering their contact profile with unrelated details. Learn when a custom object is (and isn't) the right fit: Custom Objects work best for structured, repeatable records, things like client program enrolments, project files, or applications, where the same type of entity happens again and again and needs consistent fields and automation. They are not the right fit for simple segmentation. If you just need to group or filter your existing contacts, tags, custom fields, and Smart Lists will usually do the job better and with less setup. This guide is perfect if you want to: - Track and organise business data that does not belong on a single contact, Company, or Opportunity record - Plan and build a Custom Object with the right fields and connections - Automate what happens inside IvoreyTM when a Custom Object record is created or updated > **Warning:** Custom Objects are a powerful way to organise and automate your business data, but they are not a replacement for Contacts, Courses, Memberships, Payments, Calendars, or Conversations. Keep using those features for what they do best, and bring in a Custom Object when you need to track something that does not fit neatly anywhere else. * * * ## Plan Your Custom Object Before You Build It Taking a few minutes to plan your Custom Object before you build it will save you rework later. A handful of details, including the internal name and primary display field, cannot be changed once the object is created, so it pays to get these right from the start. > **Info:** Once you create a Custom Object, its Internal Name and Primary Display Field cannot be edited. Choose these carefully before you continue. Before creating your object, it helps to plan out: - The object's name and Primary Display Field, which is what identifies each record - The custom fields you need to capture on each record - Whether any fields need to be unique, to prevent duplicate entries - How the object should connect, or associate, to your Contacts, Opportunities, or other Custom Objects - What you want to automate once a record is created or updated You can create up to 10 unique fields per object, so it is worth mapping out your fields and structure before you begin. * * * ## How to Set Up Custom Objects ### Step 1: Create the Object Start by creating your Custom Object and giving it a name your team will recognise. Click here for the written steps 1. From the IvoreyTM main menu, go to Settings > click Objects > and click the \[+ Add Custom Object\] button 2. Add details about the object 1. Enter a **Singular Name** (e.g. Program Enrolment) 2. Enter a **Plural Name** (e.g. Program Enrolments) 3. Review the **Internal Name** and **Primary Field**. You can adjust the internal name at this point only, by clicking the **** icon beside it 4. Add a label for your **Primary Display Field** (e.g. Program Name) 5. Choose an **Icon** and add a **Description** to help you and your team remember what this object is for 3. Click the **\[Create Custom Object\]** button Delete a Custom Object (Irreversible) 1. Click the **⋯ (three dots)** next to the object’s name. 2. Choose **Delete**. 3. Type **DELETE** to confirm. > **Info:** Deletion removes the object and all records, associations, workflows, and custom fields linked to it; this cannot be recovered. * * * ### Step 2: Add Your Custom Fields Once your object is created, add the fields you planned in the previous section. This is also where you can set up unique fields, if you need to prevent duplicate records. > **Info:** If you downgrade a unique field back to non-unique, you cannot make it unique again. Double check this setting before saving any changes. Click here for the written steps 1. Click into your new object from the **Objects** page 2. Click **\[+ Add Field\]** to create a custom field (e.g. Cohort, Enrolment Status) 3. Choose a **field type** for each field you add 4. Enter a field name 5. Select Folder Name 6. If you want to prevent duplicate entries, such as an enrolment ID or internal reference number, toggle the field to **\[Mark as unique field\]** Note: only Single Line Text, Multi Line Text, Number, and Phone field types can be set as unique, and you can set up to 10 unique fields per object. Uniqueness is enforced across your entire account, including the platform, workflows, forms, and API. 7. Click **\[Create custom field\]** to update your object * * * ### Step 3: Connect the Object to Contacts and Opportunities Associations link your Custom Object records to the Contacts or Opportunities they relate to, so you can see the full picture from either side. Click here for the written steps 1. From the IvoreyTM main menu, go to Settings > click Objects > go to Associations > and click \[+ Add Association\] 2. Choose the object you want to connect it to (e.g. Contact or Opportunity) 3. Add a label to describe the relationship (e.g. "Enrolled In"), so it is clear when viewing connected records 4. Set the relationship type (e.g. one Contact can have many Program Enrolment records) 5. Click \[Save\] to finalise the association * * * ## Using Custom Objects in Workflows Once your object and its fields are set up, you can automate around it. Object based workflows run on your Custom Object record itself, rather than the Contact, so you can trigger actions the moment a record is created or updated. > **Info:** You need to create your Custom Object and its fields before you can build a workflow around it. ### Step 1: Build a Workflow Based on Your Custom Object Start your workflow by choosing the object it should be built around, then set the trigger that starts it. Click here for the written steps 1. From the IvoreyTM main menu, go to **Workflows** > click **\[+ Create Workflow\]** > and select your custom object from the list of object based workflows 2. Click \[+ Add New Trigger\] > and choose a trigger: 1. \[Object\] Created: starts the workflow when a new record is added 2. **\[Object\] Changed**: starts the workflow when a record is updated 3. **Inbound Webhook**: starts the workflow when data is received from an external source 3. Add any filters you need > click **\[Save Trigger\]** * * * ### Step 2: Add Your Workflow Actions Once your trigger is set, add the actions you want to happen automatically. Click here for the written steps 1. Click **\[+\]** to add an action, such as: 1. **Create \[Object\] or Associated Record**: creates a new custom object record, or a linked record 2. **Update \[Object\] or Associated Record**: updates fields on the record, or a linked record 3. **Clear Fields of \[Object\] or Associated Record**: clears selected fields on the record 4. **Add to Notes**: Adds a note to the object record 5. **Custom Webhook**: sends your custom object data to an external tool 6. **Google Sheets**: logs your custom object data to a spreadsheet Note: You can also combine these with standard workflow tools like **If/Else**, **Wait**, and **Update Custom Value**, to build more advanced automations. 2. Once your actions are added, toggle your workflow to **\[Publish\]** > and click **\[Save\]** 3. Test your workflow by creating or updating a record, then check the **\[Execution Logs\]** tab to confirm it ran correctly * * * ## Frequently Asked Questions Who can create or edit a Custom Object? Only account admins can create or edit Custom Objects. Regular team members have read-only access to them. How many Custom Objects can I create? You can create up to 10 Custom Objects. What happens if I delete a Custom Object? Deleting a Custom Object is permanent. It removes the object along with all of its records, associations, workflows, and custom fields, and this cannot be recovered. Can a Custom Object replace features like Courses, Memberships, or Payments? No. Custom Objects are built for tracking business records, not for replacing your marketing, calendar, payment, or reputation tools. Keep using those features for what they're designed to do, and use Custom Objects to track the extra business details around them. Can I use fields from more than one Custom Object in the same Form, Survey, or Quiz? We recommend using fields from only one Custom Object per Form, Survey, or Quiz builder, to avoid setup issues. * * * ## Need Help? Hit the support chat widget inside IvoreyTM - we can: - Walk you through any of the steps - Troubleshoot anything that’s not working We’re here and ready to help via the chat widget in the bottom right of your IvoreyTM account. Or if you are looking for done-for-you support, you can browse our current services [here](https://ivorey.io/services) 🤍 ## Related - [all about the CRM: a master help guide](https://help.ivorey.io/en/articles/11458202-all-about-the-crm-a-master-help-guide.md) - [create and manage tasks](https://help.ivorey.io/en/articles/11424986-create-and-manage-tasks.md) - [custom values](https://help.ivorey.io/en/articles/11631559-custom-values.md) - [custom fields](https://help.ivorey.io/en/articles/12010338-custom-fields.md)