Yes, you can add custom fields to Flodesk subscriber opt-in forms to collect a small amount of extra information beyond name and email.

This article explains what custom fields are, how to add them, and what they can (and can’t) be used for.

Custom form fields are member-created fields that let you collect additional subscriber data beyond:

• First name

• Last name

• Email address

Examples of custom fields include:

• Phone number

• City or state

• Instagram handle

• Wedding month

• Favorite product or interest

The information collected through custom fields is saved to the subscriber’s profile and can later be used for email personalization and workflow conditions.
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Custom fields in Flodesk are optimized for email list growth, not advanced data collection.

Here’s what’s not currently supported:

• Hidden custom fields

• Multiple-choice, dropdown, checkbox, or radio fields

• Date pickers or validated formats, including validated number inputs

• Password or encrypted fields

• Website contact forms or client intake forms

All custom fields:

• Are plain text only

• Have no data validation

• Must be filled out manually by the subscriber

If you need subscribers to self-segment during signup, use Preference options instead of custom fields. Preference options connect directly to segments.

1. Open your form in the Form builder.

2. On the main form builder screen, click directly into a form field (for example, click inside the “Email address” field). This opens the Fields tab in the right sidebar.

3. Click Add field.

4. Select Custom field.

5. Enter your field label under "Display name" (this is what subscribers see on the form. In our example below, we added a custom field called 'Phone number.').

6. Map the field to:

   • An existing data field, or

   • A new data field you create during setup

7. (Optional) Check Required to make the field mandatory.

You can select from the existing data fields if you had created any in the past—for example, during your CSV file upload. You can also create a new field by typing the field name (in our example, 'phone number') and clicking Create.

Every custom form field must be mapped to a subscriber data field.

If a field is not mapped:

• The subscriber’s response will not be saved

• The data won’t appear in their profile

• You won’t be able to use it for personalization or workflows

Once mapped, the data appears under the subscriber’s profile in Audience → Segments & data.

To keep forms fast and conversion-friendly, you can add up to 6 total fields per form, including:

• First name

• Last name

• Email address

• Any custom fields

If you reach the limit, you’ll see this message:

“To maximize conversion, we recommend 6 fields or fewer.”

You can use custom field data in two main ways:

Insert custom field values directly into email Text blocks using the @ personalization menu.

Use conditions like:

• Custom field matches

• Custom field contains

This lets you trigger different paths based on subscriber responses.

Let's see an example.

If you are a wedding photographer and your opt-in form asks for your subscriber's wedding month, you can use this data in your emails to make your subscribers feel uniquely seen. For this, you need to add a Text block to your email and use the @-sign to access the available personalization options.

Custom fields are shared across your account.

If a subscriber submits different values for the same field on different forms:

• The most recent submission overwrites the previous value

Example:

• First form: City = San Francisco

• Second form: City = Miami

• Subscriber profile will show: Miami

Custom fields currently support text only.

This means:

• Dates, numbers, and formatted values are saved as plain text

• There are no dropdowns, calendars, or validation rules

Important: you can't add an encrypted (i.e. typing masked by stars) password field in a Flodesk opt-in form.

Flodesk can work with Zapier in two different ways, depending on whether Flodesk is receiving data or sending data. This distinction is important.

When Flodesk is set as the action step in a Zap, Zapier can send information into your Flodesk account.

This means:

• Data collected in another tool (like a quiz, checkout, or form on another platform)

• Can be added to a subscriber’s custom fields in Flodesk

For example:

• Someone fills out a quiz on another platform

• Zapier sends their quiz result into a custom field in Flodesk

• That value is saved on the subscriber’s profile and can be used for personalization or workflows

This direction is supported.

When Flodesk is set as the trigger in a Zap, Zapier can detect that something happened in Flodesk (for example, a new subscriber was added).

However:

• Custom field values are not included

• Zapier cannot pull custom field data out of Flodesk and pass it to another platform

This direction is not supported currently for custom fields.

If you need your custom field data in another tool:

• You’ll need to export it manually

You can do this by:

1. Downloading a CSV of your audience from Flodesk

2. The CSV will include all custom field values

3. Uploading that CSV to your other platform

• You can add custom fields to subscriber opt-in forms

• Forms support up to 6 total fields

• Custom fields are plain text only

• Hidden fields and multiple-choice fields are not supported

• Custom fields are mapped to subscriber data, not segments

• For self-segmentation, use Preference options instead

Can I add a custom field to a Flodesk form?
Yes. You can add custom fields to subscriber opt-in forms on all plans.

Can I add hidden fields to forms?
No. Hidden custom fields are not supported.

Can I add multiple-choice or dropdown fields?
No. All custom fields are plain text only.

How many fields can I add to a form?
Up to 6 total fields, including name fields and email address field.

Are custom fields meant for contact or intake forms?
No. Flodesk forms are optimized for email opt-ins, not advanced data collection.

Can custom fields connect directly to segments?
No. Custom fields map to subscriber data. Use Preference options for segmentation.

Can I collect dates or numbers with validation?
No. All responses are stored as simple text.

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