Key takeaways
- Add a field only if someone will filter, route or write by it.
- Use choice fields for anything you want to count or segment.
- Different sales motions need different fields; copy no one's list whole.
- Review fields each quarter and retire the ones nobody fills in.
What fields to track in a CRM before adding custom ones
Track the basics on every contact, company and deal before adding custom fields: who the person is, where they work, who owns them and where each deal stands. Most CRMs hold these already, so check before creating your own.
- Contacts: name, work email, job title, company, owner and lead source.
- Companies: website, industry, headcount band and location.
- Deals: name, stage, amount, currency, close date and probability.
Which custom fields for sales suit an outbound motion
An outbound motion needs fields that explain why a lead was chosen and what happened next. Segment, the trigger that prompted contact and the reason a lead was disqualified let you learn which lists are worth repeating.
Keep these as choice fields where you can. A segment written five ways in free text cannot be counted; a choice list can.
Which B2B CRM fields suit inbound and account management
Inbound needs fields that capture what the buyer asked for; account management needs fields that track the life of a customer. The motions share a CRM but rarely the same custom fields.
For inbound, record the form or content that brought them in, the product they asked about and the timeline they gave. For account management, record the renewal date, the seats or units in use and whether a champion is still in place.
Which field type should each custom field use
Choose the field type by how the value will be used: count it, sort it, compare it or read it. The right type stops bad data at the door, which is far easier than cleaning it later.
- Choice: segments, sources, reasons and anything you will count.
- Date: renewals, trial ends and agreed next-step dates.
- Number: seats, units or anything you add up or sort.
- Yes or no: a single fact, such as whether the decision maker is confirmed.
- Text: context that will be read rather than grouped.
How many custom fields is too many
You have too many custom fields when people skip them or fill them in differently. Empty or inconsistent fields make filters lie, which is worse than having no field at all.
Review fields each quarter. Retire any field that is mostly empty, merge near-duplicates and let one admin approve new ones.
CRM field examples by motion
Illustrative custom fields; adapt the names to your own sales motion.
| Field type | Used for | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Choice | Outbound: which list and message the lead belongs to |
| Lead source | Choice | All motions: where the lead came from |
| Outreach trigger | Text | Outbound: the hire, launch or news behind the first message |
| Product interest | Choice | Inbound: what the buyer asked about |
| Renewal date | Date | Account management: when the contract comes up |
| Seats in use | Number | Account management: how far the customer has adopted |
| Decision maker confirmed | Yes or no | All motions: whether the buyer is known |
Where Pebbles Ai fits
Common questions
Should custom fields be free text or choice lists?
Use a choice list whenever you want to count, filter or report by the field. Keep free text for notes and context that will not be grouped.
Who should be able to create CRM fields?
One admin or a small group. When everyone can add fields, near-duplicates appear and reports stop agreeing.
What is the difference between a custom field and a tag?
A field holds one value of a known type, such as a date or a choice. A tag is a loose label that is quick to add but harder to keep consistent.
About this page. Written by the Pebbles Ai team for people who run sales, marketing and growth. Last updated .
