Learn how to create, edit, and remove custom fields on sales orders (SOs). Custom fields are managed by the account owner under Settings → Custom Fields.
If you haven't enabled custom fields, check out Custom fields overview.
Before beginning
You must be signed in as the account owner. Only an owner can create, rename, or remove fields.
Custom Fields must be enabled for your account (from Settings → Katana Labs → Custom Fields).
Decide on the name and type of each field before you create it — the field type can't be changed after creation.
Creating a custom field
Go to Settings → Custom Fields.
Click Add custom field.
Choose whether the field will be for a sales order (the order itself) or specifically for sales order row (the line items inside an order).
Enter a name for the field. This is what others will see on the SO card, on the row, and as a column on the Sell screen.
Choose a field type:
Text — free-form text
Number — numeric values, including decimals
Date — a calendar date
Checkbox — an on/off toggle
Single-select — list of predefined options where only one can be selected
Multi-select — list of predefined options where multiple can be selected
URL — a web link
If Single-select or Multi-select is chosen, enter a list of options.
Click Save.
The new field appears immediately on every SO (or SO row, depending on where you place it) and is available as a column on the Sell screen.
Note: There is no limit to the number of custom fields you can create.
What to name the field?
A few practical tips:
Be specific. "PO number" is clearer than "Reference."
Match how your team already talks. If your team says "Customer PO," call it that.
Keep it short. Long names get truncated as column headers and on the SO card.
Avoid duplicates. Katana doesn't prevent two fields from having the same name, so be careful you're not creating multiples.
Editing a custom field
You can change the name of any custom field. Single and Multi-select fields can have their list of options changed. The field type can't be changed.
To edit a field:
Go to Settings → Custom Fields.
Click the field you want to edit.
Update the field.
Click Save.
What happens if you rename a field
If you rename a custom field:
The new name appears immediately on the SO card and the Sell screen column.
Pre-existing values on SOs are kept — only the label changes, not the data.
Saved views may still show the previous label until the page is refreshed or the column is removed and re-added.
What happens when you edit Single or Multi-select options
For Single-select and Multi-select fields, you can add new options at any time.
When you remove an option:
SOs that already use the removed option keep the value — you'll still see it in the field. Users can edit the value to one of the remaining options.
The removed option no longer appears in the choices.
Changing a field's type
A custom field's type cannot be changed after it is created.
If you need a different type for the same purpose:
Create a new custom field with the desired type and a name.
Move values from the old field to the new one (manually or via the API).
Once values are migrated, remove the old field.
Removing a Custom Field
To remove a custom field:
Go to Settings → Custom Fields.
Click the field you want to remove.
Click Delete.
Confirm.
What happens if you remove a field
The field disappears from the SO card, Sell screen, and any new exports or PDFs.
The values from the fields currently stored on SOs are kept hidden for 90 days before being permanently removed.
If the field was placed on a PDF template, the template still renders, but the field area appears blank.
Before you delete...
Is the field used in any PDF template? If so, edit the template to remove the reference first.
Does the field appear in an active integration or saved view? Let others know it's being removed.
Are you sure you don't need the data?
FAQs
Can a custom field be required?
No
Can I validate the format of a value (for example, that a URL is well-formed)?
No
Can I import custom field values from a spreadsheet?
Not via Katana's importer. For bulk updates, use Zapier, Make, or the public API.
What happens to custom fields if I cancel and re-subscribe?
Custom field definitions and values persist with your account.
Will custom fields show up in Shopify / Xero / QuickBooks / my other integrations?
Whether a specific integration uses custom fields depends on that integration.
Your feedback is invaluable. Let us know your thoughts on this article or anything in Katana you'd like to see improved: [email protected]