--- title: How to create/edit my own person fields? description: "**Note** New personal data fields naturally interfere with the data structures of your ChurchTool. You should therefore only use them carefully and cautiously. First think about whether you can implement the other personal data fields better using [groups](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/groups/) or *tags*.…" url: "https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/settings-people/how-to-create-edit-my-own-person-fields/" updated: "2026-10-12" category: People / Settings --- # How to create/edit my own person fields? **Note** New personal data fields naturally interfere with the data structures of your ChurchTool. You should therefore only use them carefully and cautiously. First think about whether you can implement the other personal data fields better using [groups](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/groups/) or *tags*. ## 1. Open Manage Information about People You can find all person fields – the predefined ones and your own – in the *People* module (1) under *Master data* (2). Click on *Manage Information about People* (3) there. [![Screenshot Settings for People with the card Manage Information about People](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/01_People_Master-data_Information-about-People.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/01_People_Master-data_Information-about-People.png) The fields are grouped by category, e.g. *Categories*, *Address*, *Information* and *Data protection* (4). For each field, you can see the field type, the security level and – for selection fields – the available options at a glance. Use *Sort* (5) to change the order of the fields within a category and *Add Field* (6) to add a new field. [![Screenshot Manage Information about People with category, Sort and Add Field](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/02_Information-about-People_Overview.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/02_Information-about-People_Overview.png) ## 2. Edit an existing person field To edit an existing field, simply click on the field in the list. This opens the details page of the field. [![Screenshot details page of a person field](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/03_Person-field_Details.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/03_Person-field_Details.png) - At the top, you can see whether the field is activated. If you no longer need a field, you can switch it off with *Deactivate* (1) instead of deleting it. - You can recognize details that you can change by the pencil icon (2), e.g. the security level. - Under *Additional settings* (3), you define how the field is used. The switches are saved immediately: - **Show when creating new persons** - The field is displayed for filling in when new persons are created. - **Offer as placeholder** - The field can be selected from the list of placeholders, e.g. for an e-mail. - **Available in the routines** - The field can be used in routines. - **Clear the field when archiving** - The content of the field is deleted automatically as soon as the person is moved to the archive. - **HTML at the end of the line** - Here you normally use
for a line break. - For selection boxes, multiselects and either/or choices, the details page also shows the options of the field. We show you how to create them in the article [How do I create selection options for a personal data field?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/settings-people/how-to-create-selection-options-for-a-personal-data-field/) - You can delete your own fields at the bottom of the details page. This also deletes all values that have been entered in this field for people. **Note** Some details cannot be changed. You can recognize this by the fact that they have no pencil icon. For predefined fields, for example, the name cannot be changed. ## 3. Create a new person field To add a new field, click on *Add Field* in the category in which the field should appear. [![Screenshot Add Field in the category Information](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/04_Add-field.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/04_Add-field.png) Enter the information for your new person field here: [![Screenshot dialog Add Person Information](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/05_Add-person-information.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/05_Add-person-information.png) - **Title** (1) - The name of the field, e.g. *Background check submitted on*. - **Field type** (2) - Here you determine what kind of field you want to add: - *Selection box*: Here you can select exactly one option from a list. The field can also be emptied again. In the article [How do I create selection options for a personal data field?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/settings-people/how-to-create-selection-options-for-a-personal-data-field/) we show you how to create the selection options. - *Date field*: Only one date can be entered. - *Fieldtype: date and time* - *Either/or choice*: In such a field, exactly one of the options offered can be selected. Once filled in, it can no longer remain empty. In the article [How do I create selection options for a personal data field?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/settings-people/how-to-create-selection-options-for-a-personal-data-field/) we show you how to create the selection options. - *Checkbox*: The field contains a checkbox that can be marked for *Yes* or left blank for *No*. - *Comment field*: Pure text field with free input, but multiple lines. - *Multiselect*: One or more of the options offered can be selected here. In the article [How do I create selection options for a personal data field?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/settings-people/how-to-create-selection-options-for-a-personal-data-field/) we show you how to create the selection options. - *Number field*: Pure text field, but only numerical values are permitted. - *Text field*: Pure text field with free input. - **Security level** (3) - The security level of the field. It determines which people are allowed to view or edit the information. The default is level 1. - **In use** (4) - The field is active and can be used. - **Length** - Only appears for text, comment and number fields: the maximum number of characters allowed. Once you have entered all the details, click on *Save*. The new field then appears at the end of the category. You can then make the additional settings, e.g. *Offer as placeholder*, on the details page of the field (see section 2). ## Video instructions to watch **Important** In the video, we are still talking about *DB fields*. This is the old term for *person fields*. However, the content of the video is still up to date. You no longer need to define *table columns* when creating your own personal data fields. Your ChurchTools now does this automatically for you. In addition, the procedure for creating your own *selection, multiple selection and either/or selection fields* has changed. You no longer need to have the database table created by our support team. Once you have created one of these fields, it will appear in the list of master data and you can specify your selection option for the new field as described here. ## Read more - [How do I create selection options for a personal data field?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/settings-people/how-to-create-selection-options-for-a-personal-data-field/) - [What are security levels?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/permissions-management/security-level/21-what-are-security-levels/)