Data Types

When you add a field to an entity type, you choose one of nine data types. The data type determines what kind of value the field holds and what configuration options are available.

The interface calls a field a "data type." The REST API calls it a variable. This page uses "data type" to match the interface.

Data type reference

Data type	Supports row-data import	Description and options
String	Yes	Free text.
Integer	Yes	Whole number.
Decimal	Yes	Decimal number (floating-point).
Date/Time	Yes	A date or date-and-time value. The precision setting controls whether the field stores a date only or a date with time: + * Day — date only (no time component). * Second — date and time, down to the second. + Precision can be changed after the field is created, but changing it on a field that is already in use may affect integrations that consume the value.
Link	Yes	A reference to a single record of another entity type. When adding a link field, you choose the target entity type — the kind of record this field points to. + A link field can also point to a file. When the target is set to File, the field becomes a file-upload control. + See expressions for how link fields interact with auto-fill.
Set	No	A multi-value set of items. The item type is configured through the field’s generic settings. Items can be primitives (strings, numbers, dates) or references to entity records. A set of string items serves as a yes/no value or as a fixed list of choices, for example "Yes" and "No".
Collection	No	A multi-value collection of references to records of a specific entity type. The target entity type is configured through the field’s generic settings.
Map	No	A key-value map. The key type and value type are configured through the field’s generic settings. Keys can be primitives or entity/field references.
Expression	No	A computed field whose value is derived from other fields on the same record or on linked records. Expression fields are read-only — users do not enter values directly. + See expressions for the expression syntax and evaluation rules.

Data type

Supports row-data import

Description and options

String

Yes

Free text.

Integer

Yes

Whole number.

Decimal

Yes

Decimal number (floating-point).

Date/Time

Yes

A date or date-and-time value. The precision setting controls whether the field stores a date only or a date with time: + * Day — date only (no time component). * Second — date and time, down to the second. + Precision can be changed after the field is created, but changing it on a field that is already in use may affect integrations that consume the value.

Link

Yes

A reference to a single record of another entity type. When adding a link field, you choose the target entity type — the kind of record this field points to. + A link field can also point to a file. When the target is set to File, the field becomes a file-upload control. + See expressions for how link fields interact with auto-fill.

Set

A multi-value set of items. The item type is configured through the field’s generic settings. Items can be primitives (strings, numbers, dates) or references to entity records. A set of string items serves as a yes/no value or as a fixed list of choices, for example "Yes" and "No".

Collection

A multi-value collection of references to records of a specific entity type. The target entity type is configured through the field’s generic settings.

Map

A key-value map. The key type and value type are configured through the field’s generic settings. Keys can be primitives or entity/field references.

Expression

A computed field whose value is derived from other fields on the same record or on linked records. Expression fields are read-only — users do not enter values directly. + See expressions for the expression syntax and evaluation rules.

Generic fields

Four of the nine data types — Link, Set, Collection, and Map — are generic: they require additional configuration that specifies the type of their contents.

For a link field, the generic configuration is the target entity type (or File).

For a set field, the generic configuration is the item type — one of the primitive types (integer, decimal, string, date/time, expression) or an entity reference.

For a collection field, the generic configuration is the target entity type whose records the collection holds.

For a map field, the generic configuration includes both the key type (a primitive or an entity/field reference) and the value type.

Common field options

Every data type supports the following options:

Required

When enabled, the field must have a value before a record can be saved.

Unique

When enabled, no two records of the same entity type may have the same value for this field. The system checks existing records when the unique flag is turned on; if duplicates already exist, the change is refused.

The unique check applies to entity types belonging to the Document, Counterparty, Directory, Task, Employee Group, or Proposal super types.

Description

An optional text description displayed as help text on the field.

Every field on a new record starts empty unless an expression or auto-fill fills it.

System variables

In addition to the custom fields defined by the administrator, every built-in record type (Deal, Document, Counterparty, Display, Customer, Contact, Employee, and others) has a fixed set of system variables. System variables are read-only fields managed by the product — for example, a deal’s stage, a document’s author, or a display’s address.

System variables cannot be edited, removed, or added by the administrator. They appear alongside custom fields in list views and filter builders so that both kinds of fields can be used uniformly for sorting, filtering, and display.

See columns and filters for how system variables and custom fields work together in lists.