Fields
Fields are the columns of a Data Set. Every field has a name and a type.
A Data Set can have up to 50 fields, and must always have at least one.
Field Types
| Type | Accepts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Any text | The default, and the safest choice if you are unsure. |
| Number | Whole or decimal numbers | Sorted numerically rather than alphabetically. |
| Date | 2026-03-14, or a full date/time such as 2026-03-14T09:30:00 | Sorted chronologically. |
| A valid email address | ||
| URL | An absolute http:// or https:// address | Relative addresses are rejected. |
| True/False | true, false, yes, no, 1, 0 | Stored and exported as true / false. |
An empty cell is always allowed, whatever the field's type. Types only constrain values that are actually entered.
note
True/False is shown as boolean in the REST API.
Adding a Field
- Click Add Field in the grid toolbar.
- Enter the Field Name (maximum 200 characters).
- Choose the Field Type.
- Click Save Field.
The new field is added as the last column, and is empty in every existing record.
Field names must be unique within the Data Set (ignoring case). Attempting to reuse a name shows:
A field named 'Region' already exists in this Data Set.
Renaming a Field or Changing Its Type
- Click the caret on the field's column header.
- Choose Rename / Change Type.
- Edit the name and/or type.
- Click Save Field.
Renaming a field is always safe. Links, Views, dynamic values and stored answers all reference the field by its internal ID, not its name.
Changing the type is checked first. If any existing value in the column would be invalid under the new type, the change is rejected:
The field type cannot be changed to number because existing values would become invalid.
Clear or correct the offending cells first, then change the type.
tip
Changing a type to Text always succeeds, because Text accepts anything.
Hiding a Field
Choosing Hide in this View from the column header menu removes the column from the currently selected View only. The field and its data are untouched, and it remains visible in other Views.
This is how you keep internal columns (notes, IDs, sync timestamps) out of a View that feeds a template control.
To unhide, open View Config and untick the field under Column Visibility.
Deleting a Field
- Click the caret on the field's column header.
- Choose Delete Field.
- Confirm.
The field and its values in every record will be deleted. This cannot be undone.
Deletion is blocked if the field is in active use by a template link:
This field is used as a Display Field or in a Table Column Mapping and cannot be deleted.
This check looks at the latest version of each template. Re-point or remove the link first (see Linking to Controls), then delete the field.
A Data Set must always retain at least one field:
A Data Set must have at least one field.
note
Deleting a field that is referenced by a View filter or sort is allowed. The filter or sort is simply ignored from then on, rather than breaking the View.
Field Order
Fields are displayed in the order they were created — new fields are appended to the right — and that order is also used for CSV export columns. Field order cannot be changed from the Data Set page, but it can be set through the REST API using the field's position.
Related Pages
- Records — the rows that fill the columns.
- Views — hiding and ordering fields per use.
- Data Set Dynamic Values — using a field's value elsewhere in a checklist.