Custom Fields - Invenicum

Overview

Custom fields allow you to define specific attributes for your inventory items beyond the standard fields. Each field can have its own data type, validation rules, and display format, enabling you to track exactly the information you need.

Field Types

Invenicum supports seven custom field types, each optimized for different data:

Text

General text input for names, descriptions, and labelsUse cases: Serial numbers, notes, conditions

Number

Numeric values without decimalsUse cases: Quantity, year, edition number

Price

Monetary values with decimal precisionUse cases: Purchase price, current value, MSRP

Date

Date picker for temporal dataUse cases: Purchase date, warranty expiration, release date

Dropdown

Predefined list of optionsUse cases: Condition, status, category, platform

Boolean

Yes/No or True/False valuesUse cases: Complete-in-box, working, favorite

URL

Web addresses with validationUse cases: Product page, manual PDF, related links

Field Type Implementation

Custom field types are defined using an enum:

// From custom_field_definition.dart:5
enum CustomFieldType {
  text,
  number,
  date,
  dropdown,
  boolean,
  url,
  price,
}

Type Properties

Each field type has associated properties:

Technical Name (dbName)

// From custom_field_definition.dart:18
String get dbName {
  return name.toLowerCase();
}

Used for API communication and database storage. Always lowercase.

Display Name

// From custom_field_definition.dart:25
String get displayName {
  switch (this) {
    case CustomFieldType.text:
      return 'Texto';
    case CustomFieldType.number:
      return 'Número';
    case CustomFieldType.date:
      return 'Fecha';
    case CustomFieldType.dropdown:
      return 'Desplegable';
    case CustomFieldType.boolean:
      return 'Sí/No (Booleano)';
    case CustomFieldType.url:
      return 'URL';
    case CustomFieldType.price:
      return 'Precio';
  }
}

User-friendly name shown in the interface.

Keyboard Type

// From custom_field_definition.dart:66
TextInputType get keyboardType {
  switch (this) {
    case CustomFieldType.number:
      return TextInputType.number;
    case CustomFieldType.price:
      return TextInputType.numberWithOptions(decimal: true, signed: false);
    case CustomFieldType.url:
      return TextInputType.url;
    case CustomFieldType.date:
      return TextInputType.datetime;
    default:
      return TextInputType.text;
  }
}

Optimizes mobile keyboard for data entry.

Field Validation

Custom fields include built-in validation:

URL Validation

// From custom_field_definition.dart:86
case CustomFieldType.url:
  final urlPattern = RegExp(r'^(https?|ftp):\/\/[^\s/$.?#].[^\s]*$');
  if (!urlPattern.hasMatch(value)) {
    return 'Introduce una URL válida';
  }
  break;

Ensures URLs:

Start with http://, https://, or ftp://
Have a valid domain structure
Don’t contain invalid characters

Price Validation

// From custom_field_definition.dart:94
case CustomFieldType.price:
  final pricePattern = RegExp(r'^\d+([.,]\d{0,2})?$');
  if (!pricePattern.hasMatch(value)) {
    return 'Introduce un precio válido (ej: 123.45)';
  }
  break;

Validates monetary values:

Must be numeric
Allows comma or period as decimal separator
Maximum two decimal places
No negative values

Custom Validation

// From custom_field_definition.dart:82
String? validateValue(String? value) {
  if (value == null || value.isEmpty) return null;
  
  // Type-specific validation
  switch (this) {
    // ... validation logic
  }
  return null; // Validation passed
}

Field Formatting

Some field types automatically format values:

Price Formatting

// From custom_field_definition.dart:108
String formatValue(String value) {
  switch (this) {
    case CustomFieldType.price:
      final double? number = double.tryParse(value.replaceAll(',', '.'));
      if (number != null) {
        return number.toStringAsFixed(2);
      }
      return value;
    default:
      return value;
  }
}

Ensures consistent decimal formatting:

Input: “123” → Output: “123.00”
Input: “45.6” → Output: “45.60”
Input: “99,99” → Output: “99.99”

Creating Custom Field Definitions

When setting up an asset type or template:

Add Field Definition

Define a new custom field with:

{
  "name": "Purchase Price",
  "type": "price",
  "required": false,
  "defaultValue": "0.00"
}

Configure Properties

Set field properties:

Name: Display label for the field
Type: One of the seven field types
Required: Whether the field must be filled
Default Value: Initial value for new items
Helper Text: Guidance for users

Add Dropdown Options (if applicable)

For dropdown fields, define the available options:

{
  "name": "Condition",
  "type": "dropdown",
  "options": [
    "Mint",
    "Near Mint",
    "Excellent",
    "Good",
    "Fair",
    "Poor"
  ]
}

Test Validation

Create a test item to verify:

Validation works correctly
Formatting is applied
Default values appear
Required fields are enforced

Using Custom Fields in Asset Types

Custom fields are associated with asset types:

Define the Asset Type - Create or edit an asset type
Add Custom Fields - Specify which fields apply to this type
Create Items - New items will include these custom fields
Modify Later - You can add or remove fields without affecting existing data

Adding new fields to an asset type doesn’t modify existing items. The new fields will appear empty for existing items until you edit them.

Field Type Selection Guide

When to Use Text

Best for:

Short descriptive content
Identifiers and codes
Notes and comments
Names and labels

Avoid for:

Data that needs validation (use specific types)
Limited options (use dropdown)
Numeric calculations (use number or price)

When to Use Number vs Price

Use Number for:

Whole values (quantity, year, count)
Non-monetary measurements
Integer ranges

Use Price for:

Monetary values
Values requiring decimal precision
Financial calculations
Currency amounts

When to Use Dropdown vs Boolean

When to Use URL

Best for:

External references
Documentation links
Product pages
Media resources

Features:

Automatic validation
Clickable in item views
Protocol enforcement (http/https/ftp)

Advanced Field Patterns

Calculated Fields

While custom fields store static data, you can create calculated values:

// Example: Calculate total value
double totalValue = items
  .map((item) => double.tryParse(item.customFields['purchase_price'] ?? '0') ?? 0)
  .reduce((a, b) => a + b);

Conditional Fields

Show fields based on other field values:

// Example: Show "Region" only if "Platform" is set
if (item.customFields['platform'] != null) {
  // Display region field
}

Field Dependencies

Create relationships between fields:

// Example: Auto-populate "Estimated Value" based on "Condition"
String estimateValue(String condition, String basePrice) {
  final base = double.tryParse(basePrice) ?? 0;
  switch (condition) {
    case 'Mint':
      return (base * 1.5).toStringAsFixed(2);
    case 'Good':
      return base.toStringAsFixed(2);
    case 'Fair':
      return (base * 0.6).toStringAsFixed(2);
    default:
      return basePrice;
  }
}

Best Practices

Field Design

Use descriptive field names
Choose the most specific type
Provide helpful defaults
Add clear helper text
Keep required fields minimal

Data Consistency

Use dropdowns for standardized values
Implement validation where needed
Format values consistently
Document field purposes
Review fields periodically

User Experience

Group related fields
Order fields logically
Use appropriate keyboard types
Show examples in helper text
Make common fields easily accessible

Performance

Don’t create excessive fields
Index searchable fields
Use appropriate data types
Cache field definitions
Optimize validation logic

Common Field Combinations

Purchase Information

[
  {
    "name": "Purchase Date",
    "type": "date"
  },
  {
    "name": "Purchase Price",
    "type": "price"
  },
  {
    "name": "Retailer",
    "type": "text"
  },
  {
    "name": "Receipt",
    "type": "url"
  }
]

Condition Tracking

[
  {
    "name": "Overall Condition",
    "type": "dropdown",
    "options": ["Mint", "Near Mint", "Good", "Fair", "Poor"]
  },
  {
    "name": "Complete in Box",
    "type": "boolean"
  },
  {
    "name": "Includes Manual",
    "type": "boolean"
  },
  {
    "name": "Condition Notes",
    "type": "text"
  }
]

Technical Specifications

[
  {
    "name": "Model Number",
    "type": "text"
  },
  {
    "name": "Serial Number",
    "type": "text"
  },
  {
    "name": "Manufacturer",
    "type": "text"
  },
  {
    "name": "Year Manufactured",
    "type": "number"
  },
  {
    "name": "Product Page",
    "type": "url"
  }
]

Troubleshooting

Validation Not Working

If field validation isn’t being enforced:

Check that the field type is correct
Verify validation rules in field definition
Ensure the app is updated to latest version
Test with explicit invalid values
Review console logs for validation errors

Field Not Appearing

If a custom field doesn’t show up:

Verify field is added to the asset type definition
Check that the asset type is assigned to the item
Refresh the item detail view
Ensure the field isn’t hidden by conditional logic
Verify you have permission to view the field

Formatting Issues

If values aren’t formatting correctly:

Confirm the field type matches the data
Check regional settings (decimal separators)
Verify the formatting function is being called
Test with standard format inputs
Clear cached field definitions

Next Steps

Asset Types

Configure asset types with custom fields

Templates

Use templates with pre-defined custom fields

Import Data

Import items with custom field values

Reports

Generate reports using custom field data

Get Started

Core Features

Configuration

User Guide

Advanced

​Overview

​Field Types

Text

Number

Price

Date

Dropdown

Boolean

URL

​Field Type Implementation

​Type Properties

​Field Validation

​URL Validation

​Price Validation

​Custom Validation

​Field Formatting

​Price Formatting

​Creating Custom Field Definitions

​Using Custom Fields in Asset Types

​Field Type Selection Guide

​Advanced Field Patterns

​Calculated Fields

​Conditional Fields

​Field Dependencies

​Best Practices

Field Design

Data Consistency

User Experience

Performance

​Common Field Combinations

​Troubleshooting

​Next Steps

Asset Types

Templates

Import Data

Reports

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Field Types

Field Type Implementation

Type Properties

Field Validation

URL Validation

Price Validation

Custom Validation

Field Formatting

Price Formatting

Creating Custom Field Definitions

Using Custom Fields in Asset Types

Field Type Selection Guide

Advanced Field Patterns

Calculated Fields

Conditional Fields

Field Dependencies

Best Practices

Common Field Combinations

Troubleshooting

Next Steps