[Status: Launched! 🚀] Custom field manager

Hi Stuart! I love how you've structured this, and this is a great direction of thought. Are there any other features which are currently available in the Workspace, but which should, in your opinion, have a management system of their own?

Here are a couple....

Report Manager

The ability to manage reports and snapshots (including timeline snaphots) through a single interface to enable (for e.g.):

• Easy access/visibility of snapshot lists
• Sorting of reports
• Report sharing management
• Creation of report folders (as alternative to maintaining in browser folders - duplicating effort) 
• Easy duplication of reports (to use an existing report as a template without the need to re-create all the filter settings)
• Chart view and table view options for each report created (to allow both views of a report to be accessed without the need to re-create report or go through edit which loses the existing report)

Folder management

The "right-click" options in the folder hierarchy are good for quick changes at a folder level.  It would be helpful to have a single folder management interface, to enable: 

• Management of folder hierarchies, with visibility of folders in different parts of the hierarchy
• Folder rules (workflow, default view....) to be set across multiple folders
• Grouping of folders for sharing purposes with visibility of sharing rules applied
• Folders used in the folder hierarchy to be distinguished from folders used as tags (such that "tags" could be excluded from the hierarchy)
• Management of custom fields applied to each folder (at a more tailored level than the current inherited approach)
• One-click archiving (and retrieval) of folders and their tasks

Stuart A Change Consultant

Hi Stuart, thanks for more details! 

Report Manager

Right now Reports do have their own tab, so I just want to make sure I understand. You like them having their own tab, but it sounds like you want that area to be a little more streamlined so that you can see Snapshots on the same tab where you're looking at Reports? We have a request for the option to duplicate Reports if you could +1 that request it would be fantastic. 

Folder Management

This sounds really interesting! Again just want to make sure I have this right: so you would have something like an admin section where you could control settings for different Folders and get an overview of the structure?

Report manager - Yes, more streamlined with easier access to the functionality (snapshots, etc).  The report tab is a list of reports with some templates for new reports.  The ability to structure/sort this list (using folders, etc.) would help.  And the snapshot details are hidden within each report (i.e. you need to open a report to see the related snapshot library), so managing snapshots could be brought up a level.

Folder management - yes

Stuart A Change Consultant

That helps a lot thank you Stuart! I know you're looking for just generally a more streamlined view for Reports - but there's also this post on Folders for Reports which may be an interesting one for you to upvote. 

Per Olga K's request to share my use case for custom fields.

We use 'folders' to represent clients, as we don't have projects per say, we have ongoing engagements, and use Wrike to deploy and manage granular recurrent tasks.  (we run outsourced accounts & business ops)

We use tagging folders to manage controls across task sets and create targeted / priority views via reports.  However, there are certain data sets that are specific to top level clients, such as tax numbers, services types, licences, software specs, reporting basis, registrations, managers, contacts for different roles etc... this is CRM territory, however the UX doesn't allow this without:

• Ability to manage custom fields specifically as stand alone and relational data
• Ability to arrange the visibility & display of custom field data in the working location (folder, project, task) and not have to go to a report
• Ability to 'use' custom field data such as hyperlinks in real time
• Ability to import and update records

Agree with the need for Custom field manager

Also the ability to bulk upload lists to the custom fields.

Agree strongly with the original request.  I would add that the permission to create and manage Custom Fields not be given to regular users, but only to Admins.  This will cut down on the creation of redundant Custom Fields, and is more appropriate for this kind of data structure that can span the system.

Hi Paul and John, thanks for your input here, it really does help with the internal discussions when this feature is reviewed by our Product Team. Please make sure to upvote the original post if you haven't already 👍

Different thread, similar requirement: https://help.wrike.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115002246585-Custom-Fields-Create-anywhere 

Stuart A Change Consultant

We strongly support and request a proper custom field manager as well as Sharing manager.

Custom Fields manager: should provide quick visibility on what fields are being used and where. Should allow spotting duplicates and keeping a project clean and organized.

Sharing manager: Quickly visualize what folders or projects are being shared with what individuals. At the moment, there is no way of globally managing sharing at all.

Thank you!

Nicolas Villarreal Art Outsourcing Producer

This is a valuable point Nicolas, especially around a global view of what Folder/Projects are shared. Thanks for sharing your input here.

I would like to tag onto this as well. Having a separate interface that managers custom fields as well as managing the order in which they appear. I currently have 60+ fields. If I create a new one I have a lot of dragging and side scrolling to do to reorganize the field order. 

The custom field manager is something that is desperately needed.

Agree on custom field manager, causing MAJOR headaches for us right now. 

Additional functionality: ability to restrict cross pollination of duplicate fields across folders.

We are seeing that custom fields are not even organized the same way from task to task in the same project.  It would be as simple to have them appear in alphabetically order to give some simple organization.

I agree with Christine!  It would be great if they could appear alphabetically, perhaps by group type.  It also be nice to have the option to manually rearrange the order but have the default by alphabetically.  Another option could include grouping by type.  Any changes would be an improvement.

Custom fields desperately need management tools. There is no way to delete custom fields that have been created, so if admins accidentally create multiple of the same field, it can be difficult to know which is the one you want to use. There is also the issue of custom fields being necessary to build reports off tasks. The field still shows up in the top of every project built from the template, but if it's just there for reporting, I don't want members to be able to touch them. Yet, there is no way to hide the field from them and still have it do what I need it to do. There is currently no other way to build a report off a task.

A specific page to manage custom fields would be ideal. Currently, we have fields that are only used for reporting, or are no longer used at all, or multiples of the same kind of field, and they're cluttering up the project and confusing users. A simple way to clean these up and hide those only used to build reports would be a game changer.

I agree with, and have encountered the same situations Maria (and others) describe.  Custom field management (including the ability to delete custom fields from the account) should be available to account admins.

I would like to be able to see my custom fields in a column when I am in folder/project/task view.

• Ability to arrange the visibility & display of custom field data in the working location (folder, project, task) and not have to go to a report

Good point Rob - It seems like there is no consistency to where the custom fields are within our projects, each project shows them in a different order in the list view, which makes it very difficult when trying to make updates. I would love to be able to control that. Further, I would love to be able to highlight some or segment them (with lines or sub-headers) to designate which are required before a project can be completed. This would greatly help our team manage hundreds of incomplete fields every month required for reporting and results sharing. 

Another requirement is for metadata associated with custom fields or at least an option to assign metadata to 'Important' custom fields. Who updated what and when.

I agree strongly with Laura Walz & Ricky Wong.  I hope we're able to see some upgrades on these issues soon! 😄

Agreed!!!! The current process is challenging at best and not user friendly.  A custom questions manager would allow us to set permissions regarding custom questions (like who can add, edit, delete/archive or view only).  I have some renegades just adding custom questions without regard to other projects, it's a nightmare!!  They do not appreciate the impact to things they can't see. Some features to consider are the ability to view all custom fields from one platform.  Determine and edit Parent level. Permission levels: Editor, Viewer, Publisher, and delete ability.  Share capabilities: Project level (exception options, viewable in tree/tier view, similar to the select all option in editing, just uncheck those that do not apply), Task level, Subtask, etc. As well as, Groups and Users (like now but from the manager). 

Custom field management. Please and Thanks!

Yes please!! We are having issues finding custom fields and where they are created so we can try and delete them. And even when they are deleted they still show up!

As we go through a wider roll out we will require more custom fields and the management of them will be key to the success of this, especially on the reporting side!

Any updates on this request?  This continues to be a huge issue for us.

I think we need to get 60 votes on the first/main post before devs will look at it. Share it with anyone with a Wrike account who can upvote!

Have been wanting this for some time.  Would be a huge time saver.

Stacey Gill Munich Re

We're at over 60 votes! Hope someone looks at this soon - still really hoping to see some management for custom fields, especially with the number that we use.