Managing Line Item Custom Fields in Sales Orders
Summary
Luminous now allows you to view and edit custom fields for individual line items when creating or updating a Sales Order. Custom fields—configured by your admin for your organization—can capture data like serial numbers, weights, special handling notes, or any additional item-level details that your business needs.
By default, these custom fields are hidden in the Sales Order line items grid, but you can easily show, populate, validate, and persist them with your orders using simple UI controls. This feature increases the flexibility of your sales orders and supports improved data capture for downstream processes.
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How to Use Line Item Custom Fields
1. Enable Custom Fields Columns
Custom fields are hidden by default to ensure your grid remains clean. To show (enable) them:
1. Open a Sales Order (new or existing).
2. Go to the line items section.
3. Click the Column selection menu (usually a grid/columns icon at the top-right of the line items table).
4. In the menu, locate the "Custom Fields" section.
5. You'll see all available custom fields (e.g., “Serial Number”, “Weight (kg)”, “Fragile”) with checkboxes.
- Note: All custom fields are unchecked by default.
6. Check the box next to the custom field(s) you want to display.
7. The corresponding columns will immediately appear in your line items grid.
Screenshot: "Custom Fields" options in the columns menu.
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2. View and Edit Custom Field Values
Once enabled:
- For each line item, you'll see a new cell for every custom field you've displayed.
- Click into the field to edit, just like any other cell.
- Input type depends on the field:
- Text: freeform input (e.g., Serial Number)
- Number: numeric input (e.g., Weight)
- Date: date picker
- Boolean: checkbox (e.g., Fragile)
- List/Dropdown: select from configured options
Tooltips and field type indicators are provided for clarity.
#### Example:
SKU | Description | Serial Number | Weight (kg) | Fragile |
SKU-12345 | Widget A | SN12345 | 2.5 | [✓] |
SKU-67890 | Widget B | SN67890 | 1.2 | [ ] |
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3. Save Custom Field Values with Your Sales Order
- When you Save or Submit the Sales Order, the values you entered in custom fields for each line item will be included and persisted.
- If a custom field is required (as configured by your admin), you must fill it in for every line item; otherwise, the order cannot be submitted and you will see a validation error indicating which fields need attention.
Validation Example:
- If "Weight (kg)" is required and left blank for any line item, Luminous will highlight the cell and prevent submission until it is filled.
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4. Resetting and Preferences
- Column visibility preferences are remembered:
Your custom field column selections will automatically reapply when you revisit the Sales Order form (stored in your browser's local storage).
- If you wish to hide all custom fields again, use the "Reset Columns" option in the columns menu. All custom fields will be hidden and their toggles unchecked.
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5. Field mapping for custom fields on line items
Fields can be mapped from your various sales channels to be used within Luminous for these line items. The field mapping occurs in the channel settings where you will select the field from the source channel and which field within Luminous that you want the data to be mapped to. The source channel must have the appropriate field data coming in via the integration to function properly.
Learn more about field mapping here.
Feature Behavior and Edge Cases
- Custom fields are always hidden by default—you must manually enable them per user/browser.
- Field types and input controls:
- Each field respects its type (text, number, date, boolean, list) and validates accordingly.
- Required custom fields:
- Validation is enforced only for fields marked as required in field configuration and only if the column is enabled and visible.
- Persisted data:
- Custom field values are stored and loaded correctly when you revisit or edit a Sales Order.
- Values "stick" to line items and are included in order updates and downstream processes (e.g., invoices—if custom fields exist there too).
- Empty/null values:
- Custom field columns show empty cells if no data was entered yet.
- Admin/Configuration dependency:
- The available custom fields and their requirements/options are set up by your admin in the system settings.
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Real-world Use Cases
- Serial Number Tracking:
Show the "Serial Number" column to record item-specific serials per customer order.
- Logistics & Shipping:
Use a "Fragile" checkbox or "Weight (kg)" field to ensure correct handling and shipping.
- Date-sensitive items:
Use a "Warranty Expiry" (date) field to populate item-specific expiry or renewal deadlines.
- Product Variations:
Use a dropdown-based custom field (e.g., "Color") to select required variations per line item.
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FAQ
Q: Do custom field selections apply for other users?
A: No, column selections are saved per user/browser.
Q: What happens if I add a required custom field after entering some line items?
A: The Sales Order will require that you fill in the required custom field for all visible line items before saving.
Q: Will these custom fields be included on exports, printouts, or other modules?
A: If those modules incorporate line item custom fields, your values will be included. Consult your admin for specific integrations.
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Summary Table
Custom Field Type | Input Control | Example Use |
Text | Simple text input | Serial Number, Label |
Number | Numeric input (with validation) | Weight, Length, Quantity |
Date | Date picker | Expiry Date, Ship Date |
Boolean | Checkbox | Fragile, Gift Wrap |
List/Dropdown | Dropdown menu | Color, Material, Grade |
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Final Notes
- You are in control: Show only the custom fields you need.
- Easy inline editing.
- Required fields help ensure data quality.
- Selections and data persist, saving you time on repeat edits.
Have other questions or need custom fields added? Reach out to your Luminous administrator for setup or support.
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Need help?
Contact support at [support@joinluminous.com](mailto:support@joinluminous.com) or visit our [Help Center](https://joinluminous.com/help) for more guides!