What You’ll Learn
- How to create a new custom field
- Configuring field settings
- Adding options for select and radio fields
- Reordering fields on the form
Step 1: Access Custom Fields
Go to Member Blog → Custom Fields in your WordPress admin dashboard.
Step 2: Create a New Field
Click the Add New Field button at the top of the page.
Step 3: Configure Basic Settings
Field Label
Enter the name that members will see. Use clear, descriptive labels.
Examples:
- “Event Date” (clear)
- “Price” (clear)
- “Date” (too vague – date of what?)
Field Key
The unique identifier for this field. Auto-generated from the label or enter your own.
- Use lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores only
- No spaces or special characters
- Cannot change after creation
Examples: event_date, product_price, difficulty_level
Field Type
Select from 15 available field types. See the Field Types Guide for detailed information on each type.
Step 4: Configure Field Options
Required Field
Toggle on to make this field mandatory. Posts cannot be submitted without filling in required fields.
Placeholder Text
Hint text displayed inside the field before the user types anything.
Example: “Enter the event location” or “e.g., 49.99”
Default Value
Pre-filled value for the field. Use when most users would enter the same value.
Help Text
Instructions shown below the field to guide users.
Example: “Enter price in USD without the dollar sign”
Step 5: Add Options (Select, Radio, Multi-Select)
For selection fields, you need to define the available choices.
Adding Options
- Click Add Option
- Enter the Label (what users see)
- Enter the Value (what gets saved)
- Repeat for each option
Example: Difficulty Level
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Beginner | beginner |
| Intermediate | intermediate |
| Advanced | advanced |
| Expert | expert |
Setting a Default Option
Click the star icon next to an option to make it the default selection.
Reordering Options
Drag the handle icon next to each option to change the display order.
Step 6: Save the Field
Click Save Field to create your custom field. It will immediately appear on the post creation form.
Reordering Fields on the Form
Control the order fields appear on the post form:
- Go to Member Blog → Custom Fields
- Hover over a field row
- Drag the handle icon on the left
- Drop in the desired position
- Order saves automatically
Editing an Existing Field
- Find the field in the Custom Fields list
- Click Edit
- Make your changes
- Click Save Field
Note: You cannot change the Field Key after creation. To change it, delete the field and create a new one.
Deleting a Field
- Find the field in the list
- Click Delete
- Confirm deletion
Important: Deleting a field does not delete data stored in existing posts. The values remain in the database but are no longer displayed on the form.
Best Practices
- Use clear labels: Members should understand what to enter
- Add help text: Reduce confusion with brief instructions
- Mark truly required fields: Don’t over-require – only fields essential to the post
- Group related fields: Put similar fields near each other
- Test the form: Create a test post to see the member experience
Related Documentation
- Custom Field Types Guide
- Conditional Logic for Custom Fields
- Displaying Custom Fields on Posts