What are Conditional Custom fields?

Custom fields allow organizations to add context to card charges and reimbursement requests. Each field contains structured data, and by selecting (or 'coding') a relevant value, it's easier to filter, search, and generate insights. For example, a 'Department' field enables finance teams to analyze spending trends across functions—such as comparing Sales and R&D.

Spend categories are linked to custom fields. When a specific spend category is selected, predefined values for the associated custom fields can be automatically populated. Think of spend categories as a “dictionary” that translates plain English terms (e.g., Employee Benefits: Fitness & Health) into finance-relevant coding terms (e.g., GL Account, Tax Code, and more). This helps reduce confusion, ensure consistency, and automate data entry, minimizing manual work.

A capability named Conditional Custom Fields allows authorized users to control which custom fields are shown on a form (e.g., card request) or a modal (e.g., transaction view), based on the selected spend category. Together, these capabilities create a powerful combination that streamlines the selection and coding process, reduces noise, and ensures the right context is captured to support better decision-making.

Follow the steps below to set conditional custom fields:

1. Navigate to a Spend Category, scroll down to the Conditional Custom Fields section, and click the 'Add Custom field' button. 

2. Check one or more custom fields that will appear on the form or modal when this spend category is selected.

3. Apply a default value and click the 'Save' button to store your selection. 

4. When a user requests a card or submits an expense and selects a spend category that contains conditional custom fields, those will appear on the form or the modal. 

Notes:

• Clicking the 3-dots offers to edit or delete the condition. 
• If a field is a parent of another, selecting one will also select the other automatically.  

• It is also possible to set Conditional Custom Fields from the custom field menu. Navigate to a Custom Field, check the 'Spend Categories' box under the mapping section, select one or more Spend Categories, and click the 'Save' button to store your selection.