Setting up custom fields

Add custom fields to both your listings page and the reservation page to customize specific parameters or preferences for your listings and to differentiate between reservations for the same listing. You can add custom fields as variables to automated messages, or apply them to filter or add information to your reservation reports. Learn more about our best practices for custom fields.

Limitations:

• You can't use the same name for different custom fields.
• You can change the way you use your custom field after it is created, but you can’t edit the field name, variable name, or type after saving the custom field.
• While changing a custom field name is not supported, you can create a new custom field and manually copy the values from the old field to the new one. Contact us if you need to bulk update a large number of values. Alternatively, you can delete the custom field and create a new one.
• Rearranging the order of custom fields is not supported.
• Including default variables inside custom fields is not supported and will cause an automated message to fail.
• Nested custom fields is not supported. Although you can create custom fields within other custom fields, they cannot be sent in an automated message. If included, the automated message will fail.
• Custom fields that contain dashes can't be added to automated messages and will fail. Create custom field names without dashes to generate a custom variable with an underscore instead.
  For example:
  • Incorrect: Custom field name "Minimum-age" has a {{minimum-age}} variable 
  • Correct: Custom field name "Minimum age" has {{minimum_age} variable

There are two types of custom fields: 

Property custom fields

These differentiate between listings by assigning unique values to the same custom field. For example, a property custom field like “Dogs allowed” (Yes/No) can be set to “Yes” for some listings and “No” for others. You can also use property custom fields as a way to add internal notes to a property.

Reservation custom fields

These distinguish between reservations for the same listing by assigning unique values to the same custom field. For example, a reservation custom field like “Guest birthday” can display “06/11” for one reservation and “08/30” for another.

Creating a new custom field

To create a custom field, you must have the relevant user role.
Follow these steps to create custom fields.

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click the icon dropdown menu and select Operations mode.
3. Click Automations and select Custom fields.
4. Under Custom fields, click either the Properties or Reservations tab, depending on the type of custom field you'd like to create.
5. Click on New custom field.
6. Fill in the required fields:
   • Field name

     This is the custom field’s name. Keep in mind, the field name automatically changes to the acceptable format once you type it in.
     For example: Are dogs allowed? might change to are_dogs_allowed?

   • Variable name

     This will be automatically generate according to the field’s name.
     For example: {{are_dogs_allowed?}}

   • Type

     There are several types you can choose from, including number, date, free text, and yes/no values.

     • When you create an "Options" custom field, create the different options you wish to associate with this field. 
       If you create "Team member" or "Contacts" custom fields, after finishing the setup, navigate to your listing's custom fields section.  Then, from the dropdown menu, select the relevant option.
   • Visibility

     Switch the visibility of the custom field on or off for per users permissions.
     "Public" is the default setting and enables all users to view the custom field in the reports.
      To allow visibility only for users with the relevant permissions, switch the toggle on and it will change to "Restricted".

   • Mandatory (reservations)

     You can make a custom field mandatory to fill in when creating a manual reservation. Switch the toggle on to set a field as mandatory.

     All reservation custom fields will be shown under "Extra information". When creating a manual reservation, you are required to fill in only the ones marked as "Mandatory".

7. Click Save to apply changes.
8. Once you've created a custom field, adjust its value according to the relevant listing/reservation it relates to.

Editing an existing custom field

You can change the visibility of the custom field after it is created, or make a reservation field mandatory or optional upon creating a manual reservation. However, you can’t edit the field name, variable name, or type after saving the custom field. If you need to change a custom field name, you can delete the custom field and create a new custom field instead.

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click the icon dropdown menu and select Operations mode.
3. Click Automations and select Custom fields.
4. Under Custom fields, click either the Properties or Reservations tab.
5. Locate the relevant custom field.
6. Switch the “Visibility” toggle (for properties) or the "Mandatory" toggle (for reservations) on or off.
7. Click Save to apply changes.

Deleting an existing custom field

You can delete a custom field at any time. Once a custom field has been deleted, the data that was entered into it will be erased from Guesty. 

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account. 

2. In the top navigation bar, click the icon dropdown menu and select Operations mode.

3. Click Automations and select Custom fields.

4. Under Custom fields, click either the Properties or Reservations tab.
5. Locate the relevant custom field.
6. Click the trash bin icon on the right.
7. Click the Delete button in the popup window.
8. Click Save to apply changes.

Viewing a custom field variable