Creating Data Collection Fields

Fields are the individual data points you collect from groups. Each field captures a specific piece of information such as a name, number, or uploaded document.

Creating a New Field

Navigate to Settings > Group Fields
Find the section where you want to add the field
Click Create a Field in the section header
Configure the field options (see below)
Click Save

Field Configuration Options

Field Name

Enter a descriptive name that clearly indicates what information you're collecting. This name is displayed to groups when they fill out the form.

Examples:

"Director Name"
"Total Membership Count"
"Insurance Certificate"
"Show Title"

Shared Field Type

Shared fields automatically sync with corresponding system fields. When a group updates a shared field, the value is also used elsewhere in CompetitionSuite.

Shared Type	Data Type	Purpose
Not Shared	Any	Standalone field, data stays only in Data Collection
# of Members	Number	Syncs with group's official member count
Show Title	Single-line Text	Syncs with group's show/program title
Director's Name	Single-line Text	Syncs with group's director name

Note: When using a shared type, the field type is automatically set and cannot be changed.

Field Type

Select the type of data you want to collect:

Type	Description	Use Case
Single-line Text	Short text response	Names, titles, short answers
Multi-line Text	Longer text area	Descriptions, notes, addresses
Number	Whole numbers only	Membership counts, quantities
Decimal	Numbers with decimal points	Fees, measurements
Checkbox	Yes/No toggle	Acknowledgments, confirmations
File Upload	Document attachment	Insurance certificates, waivers, music files

Group Access

Control whether groups can see and edit this field:

Access Level	Description	When to Use
No Access	Only organization admins can view and edit	Internal notes, admin-only data
Read Access	Groups can view but not edit	Information you set that groups need to see
Write Access	Groups can view and edit	Information groups provide

Max Length (Text Fields Only)

For single-line and multi-line text fields, you can set a maximum character limit. Leave blank for no limit.

Example: Set to 100 for short responses, 500 for longer descriptions.

Approval Required

When enabled for Write Access fields, group edits are submitted for your review rather than taking effect immediately. This is useful for sensitive information or when you need to verify changes.

Workflow with Approval Required:

Group submits a change
Field shows "Pending" status
You review and approve or reject the change
Approved changes become the current value

Collect at Membership

When enabled, this field appears during the membership signup process. Groups must complete these fields when purchasing their membership.

Note: Only available for Write Access fields.

Required at Membership

When enabled (along with Collect at Membership), groups cannot complete membership signup without providing a value for this field.

Note: Only appears when "Collect at Membership" is enabled.

Show in Judge App

When enabled, judges see this field's value in the Judge App when scoring the group. Useful for:

Show titles
Director names
Performance notes
Group identifiers

Note: Only available for Group Fields.

Restrict Division Access

Limit which divisions can see or edit this field. When enabled, you can select specific divisions that should have access.

Use cases:

Different requirements for scholastic vs. independent groups
Division-specific compliance fields
Tiered membership levels with different data requirements

Example Field Configurations

Show Title Field

Name: Show Title
Shared: Show Title
Type: Single-line Text (auto-set)
Group Access: Write Access
Show in Judge App: Yes

Membership Count Field

Name: Total Members
Shared: # of Members
Type: Number (auto-set)
Group Access: Write Access
Collect at Membership: Yes
Required at Membership: Yes

Insurance Certificate Upload

Name: Certificate of Insurance
Shared: Not Shared
Type: File Upload
Group Access: Write Access
Approval Required: Yes
Collect at Membership: Yes
Required at Membership: Yes

Internal Notes Field

Name: Admin Notes
Shared: Not Shared
Type: Multi-line Text
Group Access: No Access

Editing an Existing Field

Click on the field name in the field list
Update the configuration options
Click Save

Note: You cannot change the field type after creation. If you need a different type, create a new field and archive the old one.

Field Status Labels

Fields display colored labels indicating their configuration:

Label	Color	Meaning
shared	Magenta	Field syncs with system data
collect at membership	Orange	Field appears during membership signup
group read	Gray	Groups can view but not edit
group write	Green	Groups can view and edit
approval required	Red	Group changes require admin approval

Archiving a Field

To stop collecting data for a field while preserving existing data:

Click on the field name
Click Archive
The field appears italicized and grayed out

Archived fields:

Are hidden from groups
Retain previously collected data
Can be reactivated

Reactivating a Field

Click on the archived field
Click Reactivate

Removing a Field

To permanently delete a field and all its data:

Click on the field name
Click the dropdown arrow next to Archive/Reactivate
Select Remove
Confirm the deletion

Warning: Removing a field permanently deletes all data collected for that field. This cannot be undone.

Clearing Field Data

To delete all collected values for a field without removing the field itself:

Click on the field name
Click the dropdown arrow next to Archive/Reactivate
Select Clear Existing Data
Confirm the action

This resets all group responses to empty while keeping the field available for future data collection.

Tips

Use shared fields when the data should be accessible elsewhere in the system
Enable approval for sensitive data like insurance documents
Restrict by division when requirements differ across your organization
Enable "Show in Judge App" for information judges need during adjudication
Archive instead of removing to preserve historical data