Custom Fields

In Rentec Direct, a Field or data Field refers to a fillable textbox such as First Name, Last Name, Lease Begin Date, Rent, etc., which contains information essential to landlords and property managers for record keeping and historical documentation.

Rentec Direct software uses these Data Fields for filtering information, search options, reports, and creating essential forms like leases, rental agreement renewals, 30/60/90 day letters, etc., that can be emailed to tenants or owners for electronic signatures or as notice.

Many companies keep records of other information that may be unique to an individual or specific to your company, preference, or state requirements, such as tenant vehicle type or license plate number, pet information, or emergency contacts. Rentec Direct property management software's Custom Fields feature allows you to add custom data fields to tenants and properties and for PM clients, owners to enter information that may not be a default in your Rentec Direct software but is information that is helpful or required for your company.

Information entered in Custom Fields can be accessed and edited by using the Rentec Direct Global Search Tool and by editing tenants, properties, and owners. 

The Custom Field option will help save time when creating various forms allowing you to create one form that can be used for all tenants. 

Creating a Custom Field

Account Administrators can add Custom Fields to the profile or edit page, of tenants, properties, and for PM clients, property owners. When a custom field is created, a fillable textbox will become available in the profiles of ALL of that subject (If a custom field is added for tenants, a custom field will be available in every tenant profile)

The following instructions and information will help you set up and manage custom fields with ease.

In your Rentec Direct account: 

1. Click on Settings
2. Under Program, click on Custom Fields
3. Click the +Add Field button (For Tenant, Property, or Owner)
4. Enter a short Field Name (that reflects the custom field, such as "emergency contact")
5. Check the Searchable box if you would like this new custom field to be searchable from the software Global Search tool
6. Click on Save Changes

Pro Tip: One or more Custom Fields can be added for each of the three options. To add additional Fields, repeat steps 3-6 above.

Entering Information to Custom Fields

The following steps will walk you through identifying and entering information into a custom field. 

In your Rentec Direct account:

1. Click on Tenants
2. Right-click on a Tenant and select Edit Tenant
3. Under Custom Fields enter data
4. Click on Update Tenant

Using Custom Fields in Forms, Leases, and Agreements

Rentec Direct provides a feature allowing forms to be emailed for electronic signature, emailed as a notice, or printed.

There is a variety of non-state-specific Form Templates provided in your Rentec Direct account that can be modified or a custom form can be uploaded and modified to add Data Fields that will automatically import information from various areas of your Rentec Direct account. 

Custom Fields that are created will be included in the fields options and can be added to your custom forms allowing information to be imported into forms. Click here to learn more about the Custom Forms Editor.

The following steps walk through how to add data fields, including custom, to forms. In this reference, a Lease Renewal Template is being used, including the custom field, to confirm if Emergency Contact information has changed.

In your Rentec Direct account:

1. Click on Settings
2. Under Program, click on Forms 
3. Click on Form Templates 
4. Click on the form (This example is the Lease Renewal Notice Template)
5. Add any text you may need 
6. Place the cursor on the form where you want the Custom Data Field to import
7. Click on the Data Fields dropdown
   1. Hover over the Data Field (This example is for a Tenant Field)
   2. Scroll down to the Custom Field to be imported
   3. Click on the Field
      
      Pro Tip: You will see placeholder information formatted like %custom_emergency_contact% displayed in the form where you placed the cursor.
8. Using the dropdown, change the Group from Draft to a Form 
9. Click on Save Form

How a Custom Field Appears in a Form, Letter, or Notification

When it's time to send a form that includes data fields (Including Custom Fields) 

In your Rentec Direct account:

1. Click on Tenants
2. Right-click on the Tenant and select Forms
3. Using the dropdown select the Form
4. Click on
   1. Sign Electronically if signatures are required or
   2. Use Email to send notices or documents that do not require signatures
5. The Primary Signer and Counter Signer will prefill from data fields
6. To just view the document
   1. Send Test which can be viewed in your email or
   2. Download
7. The final product sample below has red indications of the fields that were pulled from other areas of your Rentec Direct account Data Fields. The Emergency Contact information is a result of the Custom Field created.

Custom Fields Versus Private Notes

Examples of Custom Field for Tenants

• Tenant Pet Information --  breed and name of pets, vaccination status, and pet license renewal dates.
• Tenant Car Information -- make, model, and license plate information and/or parking permit information.
• Lawn Maintenance -- yard maintenance to note who will take care of the property's lawn; tenant or owner.

Examples of Custom Fields for Properties

• Mortgage Information
  You can include information about the mortgage for the property, like the name of the bank or other financial institution, as simple reminders for yourself.
• Security Deposit Account Information
  Some states require a landlord or property manager to share the bank name and address where a tenant's security deposit funds are being held. A custom field for this information is a great idea because you can use the field to auto-populate with the correct information in lease documents or other forms created in the forms editor.
• Owner Information
  Some states require a property manager to share the name and contact information of the property owner with the tenant. The new Custom Fields feature allows you to do just that, you can include an Owner Name custom field and Owner Address custom field (or whatever your state requires) and then you can use that information to auto-populate any forms created within the forms editor.

Examples of Custom Fields for Owners

• Contract Start Date
• Contract Renewal Date
• Disbursement Date
• Management Fee Amount
• Management Fee Type
• Referred By