Overview
This article covers the Custom Fields feature, which lets admins build their own fields for Patient and Provider profiles directly in Motivity — no engineering request required. You'll learn how to create and manage fields as an admin, how they show up on Patient and Provider profiles, and how the built-in activity Timeline keeps a record of every change.
Note: Custom Fields are configured in Admin Settings and appear on Patient Details and Provider Basic Info profiles. Setting up fields requires admin-level access — see "Managing Access" below for what staff can see.
Why This Matters
Every organization tracks a few things Motivity doesn't have a built-in field for — maybe it's an internal program code, a transportation note, or a specific intake question your team always asks. Instead of filing a development request, you can build that field yourself in a few clicks, with the same validation, organization, and audit trail you'd expect from any other field in Motivity.
Managing Access
Custom Fields use two separate layers of access, so you can control who builds fields versus who simply uses them:
Managing field definitions — Creating, editing, and deleting fields in Admin Settings requires an access level with that permission.
Using fields on profiles — Staff can be granted view-only or view-and-edit access to Custom Fields (and their Timeline) on Patient and Provider profiles, separate from the admin-level permission above.
This means you can let clinicians or schedulers fill in custom field values without giving them the ability to create or restructure the fields themselves.
Setting Up a Custom Field (Admins)
Custom Fields are managed from one central screen, so you always know where to go to add, edit, or retire a field.
To create a custom field:
Navigate to Admin Settings → Custom Fields.
Select Add Custom Field.
Fill in the field details:
Field Label — the name staff will see on the profile
Relates To — whether the field applies to Patient, Provider, or both
Category — an optional grouping label, used to organize fields on the profile
Type — choose from Text, Text-Area, Number (Whole or Decimal), Date, Single-Select, Multi-Select, Radio Button, or Check-Box
Field Values — for Single-Select, Multi-Select, or Radio Button types, add the tag-style options staff will choose from
Required — toggle on if the field must be filled out
Select Save.
Your field will appear immediately in the Custom Fields table in Admin Settings, and on the matching Patient or Provider profile.
Tip: You can reuse the same field label on both a Patient field and a Provider field — they're tracked independently, so there's no conflict. What you can't do is create two fields with the same label on the same entity (Patient or Provider), including a label that matches one of Motivity's existing system fields.
Viewing and Filtering Your Fields
The Custom Fields table in Admin Settings gives you a full view of everything you've built, with columns for Field Label, Relates To, Category, Type, Required, and Status — each with its own filter. There's also an Include Inactive toggle (off by default) if you want to see fields that have been turned off.
Where Custom Fields Show Up
Once created, your custom fields appear at the bottom of the relevant profile:
Patient fields appear on Patient → Details
Provider fields appear on Provider → Basic Info
Fields are grouped by Category (alphabetically, then by creation order within a category), with any ungrouped fields listed afterward. Active fields display first; if a field has been made inactive, it moves to its own section below, shown as read-only.
If your organization hasn't set up any custom fields yet, staff will see a simple message instead: "No custom fields have been added by your company administrator."
Entering values: Staff fill out custom fields the same way they would any other field on the profile — values are validated automatically based on the field type (for example, a Number field won't accept letters, and a Date field requires a valid date).
Editing and Retiring Fields
You can make changes to a custom field at any time from Admin Settings → Custom Fields, though what's editable depends on whether the field has been used yet.
Before any values have been saved: Everything is editable, including the field's Type, and you can delete the field entirely if you no longer need it.
After at least one value has been saved: The field's Type and Delete option lock, but you can still edit the Label, Category, Field Values, Required toggle, and Active status. If every saved value is later cleared, the field becomes fully editable again.
Deactivating vs. Deleting:
Deactivating a field removes it from view going forward, without touching any values already saved on existing records. This is the safer option if you think you might need the field again later, or if historical data should stay intact.
Deleting a field removes it permanently. You can only delete a field that has never had a value saved on it.
The Custom Fields Timeline
Every custom field comes with its own built-in Timeline, so there's always a clear record of what changed and when. The Timeline logs:
Every value change (showing both the prior and new value)
Field deactivation and reactivation
Changes to the field's Type
Timeline entries are permanently read-only and shown most-recent-first, giving you a reliable audit trail for any organization-defined data point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same field label for both a Patient field and a Provider field?
Yes. Patient and Provider custom fields are tracked independently, so the same label can be reused across both without conflict.
What happens to data already entered if I deactivate a field?
Nothing — deactivating only removes the field from view going forward. All previously saved values stay intact and aren't affected.
Can I change a field's Type after it's been used?
No, not directly. Once at least one value has been saved, the Type locks. If you need to change it, you'll need to clear all saved values first, which will make the field fully editable again.
Have questions about Custom Fields? Reach out to our support team — we're happy to help! 💙
Last Updated: 9/11/2026 by Tatum Winslow