Custom attributes for contacts

Custom attributes let you store additional data on contacts beyond the default fields. Whether you need to track a customer's subscription tier, preferred language, or account ID, custom attributes give your team the flexibility to capture the information that matters most to your workflow. Custom attributes are available on the Business and Enterprise plans, and administrators create them.

Why use custom attributes?

Every business collects different data points about its customers. The default contact fields,name, email, phone number,cover the basics, but they rarely tell the whole story. Custom attributes let you:

• Personalize conversations by surfacing relevant details (e.g., plan type or company size) directly in the contact sidebar.
• Automate with automation rules that check attribute values as conditions.
• Maintain a single source of truth so agents don't have to switch between tools to find key information.

Creating custom attributes

Follow these steps to add a new custom attribute:

1. Navigate to Settings > Custom Attributes.
2. Click New Attribute.
3. Under Applies To, choose whether the attribute is for a Contact or a Conversation.
4. Enter a descriptive Display Name (e.g., Subscription plan). The key (e.g., subscription_plan) is built from it and can't be changed later.
5. Select the Type (Text, Number, Link, Date, List or Checkbox). For a List, type each option into Options and press Enter.
6. Click Create Attribute. The new attribute immediately appears in the right panel of every conversation and, for contacts, on the contact's Attributes tab.

Best practices

• Use clear, consistent naming. Stick to a naming convention,such as lowercase with underscores,so attributes are easy to identify at a glance.
• Choose the right data type. Selecting "list" for a field with a fixed set of options (e.g., plan tiers) prevents typos and keeps data clean.
• Avoid duplicating default fields. Before creating an attribute, check whether the information is already captured by a built-in field.
• Review periodically. Delete attributes that are no longer in use to keep the interface uncluttered for your agents.

Common pitfalls & troubleshooting

• Attribute not showing up? Make sure you selected the correct model (Contact vs. Conversation) when creating it.
• Inconsistent data entries? Consider switching from a free-text type to a list type to standardize values across your team.
• Accidentally created a duplicate? Delete the extra attribute from Settings > Custom Attributes before agents begin populating it, to avoid data fragmentation.

Frequently asked questions