Custom Lists
Custom Lists are catalogs of options you define yourself (for example "Customer Type" with the options Wholesale, Retail and Distributor) to use as the data type of a Custom Field on almost any card or transaction in AdmCloud, instead of letting the user type free text.
What it is and what it's for
A Custom List has a name (for example "Packaging Colors") and a collection of Options, each with its own name and, optionally, a short code. Once created, the list becomes available as a data type when defining a Custom Field, so that field shows up as a dropdown with your options instead of a free-text box.
It's useful for standardizing the capture of business-specific information that AdmCloud doesn't offer natively, avoiding typing errors (inconsistent casing, synonyms, typos) and letting you filter and report consistently on that data.
Screens in this area
| Screen | What it does |
|---|---|
| List | Lists every Custom List in your company by name. From here you create a new one or open an existing one's detail. |
| Create / Edit | The form with the list's Name and Notes. Options aren't captured here: they're added from the Detail screen, once the list is saved. |
| Details | The already saved list in read-only mode, with the full table of its Options and a button to add a new Option without leaving the screen, plus the change log. |
How to create a Custom List, step by step
- Open the Custom Lists list and click New.
- Enter the Name of the list, for example "Vehicle Type" or "Discount Reason". This is the name you'll later see when choosing the data type of a Custom Field.
- Optionally add Notes to remind yourself or another user why this list was created.
- Save. The system automatically takes you to the newly created list's Detail screen.
- Add its Options from the Detail screen: click New Option, enter the option's Name (for example "Truck") and, if you need it, a short reference Code, then save. Repeat this step for every option you want to show up in the dropdown.
- Use the list when creating a Custom Field in any of the Customization areas (Chart of Accounts, Items, Locations, Opportunities, Projects, Contacts, Relationships/Customers/ Vendors, Transactions, Payroll, among others): when choosing the "List" data type, pick the Custom List you just created.
Where your Custom Lists are used
Once created, a Custom List can be linked from:
- A Custom Field of type "List" on Chart of Accounts, Items, Locations, Serials, Units of Measure (UOM), Bills of Materials (BOM), Subsidiaries, Opportunities, Projects, Contacts, Contact Classes, Relationships (Customers/Vendors/Prospects), Transactions and Payroll Transactions.
- A Custom Report filter.
- A Custom Record field.
- A Plugin asset (configuration data).
Because of that, a Custom List can't be deleted while it's still linked to any of these uses — see Validations on save below.
Key fields
| Field | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Name | Identifies the list; it's required and must be unique across all your Custom Lists. It's the text you'll see when picking it as a Custom Field's data type. |
| Notes | Optional free text to document the list's purpose, useful if another user has to maintain it later. |
| Option → Name | The text the user sees when picking a value from the dropdown on the Custom Field. It's required and must be unique within that same list (you can reuse the same option name on a different list). |
| Option → Code | An optional short identifier for the option, useful as a reference for integrations, reports or data migrations. |
Validations on save
- List name required and unique: it can't repeat the name of another Custom List in your company.
- Option name required, and it can't repeat the name of another option on the same list.
- An option must always belong to a list: it can't be saved without pointing to which Custom List it belongs to.
- You can't delete a Custom List that's in use. The system blocks the deletion and shows the name of the field or filter using it if the list is linked to a Custom Field (on Fixed Assets, Items, Locations, Opportunities, Projects, Relationships, Contacts, Accounts, Serials, Transactions, Trips/TMS, Units of Measure, Subsidiaries, Bills of Materials, Payroll Transactions or Contact Classes), to a Custom Report filter, to a Custom Record field or to a Plugin.
- Deleting a list with no active links also deletes all of its Options.
Availability and permissions
- Access is controlled by the "Customization" permission on the user group, with separate levels for view, add and edit.
- Available on the Enterprise plan, together with the rest of the Custom Fields functionality.
Tips and common mistakes
Think about the Custom Field you're about to create first. Build the Custom List with its options before going to the Custom Fields screen for the area you need it in (for example, Items or Opportunities), so it's already available when picking the "List" data type.
If you can't delete a list, check where it's used first. The error message shows the name of the field, filter or plugin referencing it; remove that reference (or the whole Custom Field) before trying to delete the list again.
Only use the option's Code if you need it for integrations or migrations. Most lists only need the Name; the Code is useful when you want to map the option to a fixed value from an external system or your historical data.