Task Custom Fields
Extend tasks with 14 field types - text, number, currency, date, dropdown, rating, relationship, and more - with visibility controls across the detail page, list columns, board cards, and Gantt view.
Custom fields let you add structured data to tasks beyond the built-in fields (name, status, priority, dates, assignees, tags). Need to track estimated hours, client name, budget, severity, external ticket ID, or a link to a related contact? Add a custom field and it appears on every task in your Space.
Custom fields are defined once at the Space level and can be scoped to tasks, projects, contacts, and companies - or any combination. This article focuses on how they appear and behave on tasks. For the full custom fields system including creating fields, relationship fields, rollups, and financial metrics, see Custom Fields Overview.
Custom Fields are a Pro feature
Creating and using custom fields requires a Pro license. All 14 field types, per-Space configuration, visibility controls, relationship fields, and rollups are included on Pro. See License Settings.
What you can do
Add custom fields to tasks
14 field types including text, number, currency, date, dropdown, multi-select, checkbox, rating, progress, URL, email, phone, and relationship
Edit field values
from a slide-out panel accessible on every task
See key field values inline
on the task detail page without opening the full panel
Show fields as columns
in List View - sortable, filterable, and editable
Access fields on board cards
via a dedicated Fields button that opens the panel
Edit fields from Gantt View
using the selection toolbar's Fields button
Filter and sort by custom field values
Organise fields into zones
Metrics, Timeline, Categories, Details, and Connections - automatically grouped by type
Control visibility per-task
hide specific fields on specific tasks without deleting them
Hide fields from the inline row
while keeping them in the full panel
Search for fields
by name within the panel
Edit the field definition
directly from the panel without going to Settings
How to use custom fields on tasks
Where fields appear
Once custom fields are configured for tasks in your Space, they appear in multiple places:
- Task Details Page - a compact row shows key field values inline; click it (or any field chip) to open the full Fields panel
- List View - fields marked for list visibility appear as sortable, editable columns
- Board View - task cards with custom fields show a Fields button that opens the panel for that task
- Gantt View - selecting a task bar shows a Fields button in the selection toolbar
All of these open the same Fields panel, so your editing experience is consistent no matter which view you're in.
The Fields panel
The Fields panel is a slide-out view that shows all custom fields for the task, organised into zones:
- Metrics - number, currency, rating, progress
- Timeline - date, datetime
- Categories - dropdown, multi-select, checkbox
- Details - text, textarea, URL, email, phone
- Connections - relationship fields
Each zone is collapsible - click the zone header to expand or collapse. You can also drag zones to reorder them. The panel has a search bar for finding specific fields quickly.
Within each field, you can:
- Edit the value inline (pickers for dates and dropdowns, text input for text fields, star picker for ratings, and so on)
- Toggle visibility on this task - hide a field that doesn't apply to this specific task
- Toggle quick-row visibility - keep the field in the panel but hide it from the inline summary row
- Edit the field definition (name, options, type-specific settings) without leaving the panel
The inline quick row
Above the main task content on the Task Details Page, a compact row displays key field values - statuses, currencies, ratings, dates, and any other fields you've marked to show in cards. Two view modes are available:
- Badge view (default) - a single-line row of compact colored badges
- Table view - a 2-column grid for easier reading when you have many fields
The view mode preference is remembered per Space. Click any badge to jump straight to that field in the full panel.
When two or more currency fields have values, PrimeTask automatically displays a currency total so you can see budgets, expenses, or revenues at a glance.
Custom field columns in List View
Fields configured to show in the list view appear as columns alongside standard fields. You can:
- Sort tasks by a custom field value
- Edit values inline - checkbox fields toggle with a click; other types open the Fields panel on click
- Filter by field values via Quick Filters or Advanced Filters - see Task Filters & Sorting
- Aggregate number and currency columns with totals at the bottom of the list
Column width, order, and visibility are saved per Space and can be captured in a saved view.
Custom fields on Board View cards
Task cards in Board View show a Fields button when custom fields exist for the task. Clicking the button opens the Fields panel without leaving the board. This keeps cards visually clean while giving you one-click access to all field data.
Custom fields in Gantt View
When you select a task bar in Gantt View, the selection toolbar shows a Fields button. Clicking it opens the same Fields panel used everywhere else. You can edit values, toggle visibility, and manage the field definition directly from Gantt View.
Field types
All 14 field types are available on tasks:
| Type | What it stores | How it displays |
|---|---|---|
| Text | A single line of text | Plain text |
| Textarea | Multiple lines of text | Multi-line in the panel, truncated in badges |
| Number | A numeric value with optional min/max | Formatted number |
| Currency | A monetary value with currency code | Formatted currency |
| Date | A date | Localised date |
| Datetime | A date and time | Localised date and time |
| Dropdown | One option from a list | Colored badge |
| Multi-select | Multiple options from a list | Multiple colored badges |
| Checkbox | A boolean toggle | Check mark or dash |
| Rating | A 1–5 star rating | Stars |
| Progress | A percentage 0–100 | Progress bar |
| URL | A web address | Clickable link |
| An email address | Clickable mailto link | |
| Phone | A phone number | Displayed with phone icon |
| Relationship | A link to other tasks, projects, contacts, or companies | Entity badges with names |
For details on relationship fields (single/multi-link, bidirectional) and rollups (sum, average, min, max, count), see Relationship Fields & Connections and Rollups & Financial Tracking.
Things worth knowing
Visibility has three layers
PrimeTask gives you fine-grained control over where fields appear:
Field definition settings
show in card (appears in inline row and Board View), show in list (appears as a List View column)
Per-task field visibility
hide a specific field on a specific task while keeping it configured for the Space
Per-task quick-row visibility
hide a field from the inline row but keep it in the full panel
These settings let you adapt a single field definition to different contexts - a "Client" field might show on external tasks but not internal ones, or a "Technical Notes" field might live in the panel but stay off the quick row.
Fields are defined per-Space
Every Space has its own set of custom fields. Fields defined in your Work Space don't appear in your Personal Space. When you share a Space (via File Sync or iCloud), field definitions sync to all members. See Custom Fields Overview.
Fields that apply to multiple entity types
A single field can apply to tasks and projects, tasks and contacts, or any combination. For example, a "Severity" field could apply to tasks (bug severity) and contacts (account criticality). The field is defined once and values are tracked independently per entity.
Currency support and totals
Currency fields support per-task currency codes and 14+ ISO currency codes including BTC. When a task has two or more currency fields with values, PrimeTask automatically shows a total in the inline row. This is the foundation for project-level financial tracking - see Rollups & Financial Tracking.
Inline field editing from the panel
The Fields panel lets you edit field definitions directly - rename a field, add dropdown options, change the currency code, adjust min/max values - without opening Settings. This keeps your workflow fast when you're iterating on your field structure.
Configuring fields
Custom fields are created and configured from Settings → Category Management → Fields tab. See Category Management Settings and Custom Fields Overview for the full configuration workflow, including the Field Setup Wizard with built-in templates.
Common questions
"How do I add a custom field to my tasks?"
Open Settings → Category Management → Fields tab, create a field, and set its Entity Scope to include Tasks. The field appears on every task in the Space immediately. See Custom Fields Overview.
"Why don't my custom fields show as columns in List View?"
Check the field's Show in List setting in the field configuration. Only fields with this enabled appear as List View columns. You can also control which columns are visible from the column management options in the filter bar.
"How do I filter tasks by a custom field value?"
Use Quick Filters or Advanced Filters. Dropdowns, multi-select, checkboxes, ratings, currency, and relationship fields all support filtering. See Task Filters & Sorting.
"Can I set custom field values when creating a task?"
Custom field values are set from the Fields panel after the task is created. Open the task's detail page and edit values in the panel.
"What's the difference between a field zone and a field tab?"
Zones are automatic categories (Metrics, Timeline, Categories, Details, Connections) that group fields by their type on the task detail page. They're built-in and not user-configurable.
"Can I use relationship fields to link tasks to contacts or projects?"
Yes - relationship fields can target any entity type (task, project, contact, or company) and support single or multi-link, directional or bidirectional. See Relationship Fields & Connections.
Where to go next
| If you want to… | Read this |
|---|---|
| Learn about the full custom fields system | Custom Fields Overview |
| Create custom fields with a guided wizard | Field Setup Wizard |
| Link tasks to other entities | Relationship Fields & Connections |
| Sum values across tasks in a project | Rollups & Financial Tracking |
| Use custom fields on CRM contacts and companies | Custom Fields for CRM |
| Filter and sort tasks by custom field values | Task Filters & Sorting |
| Configure fields from Settings | Category Management Settings |
| See the full task detail page | Task Details Page |
| Upgrade to unlock custom fields | License Settings |
| Return to the Tasks hub | Tasks Overview |