Purpose of this article
This article explains how custom fields work in Scaler, including where they are created, how they are made available to portfolios, and how they are currently used in the platform.
What are custom fields
Custom fields allow you to collect additional, organisation-specific data points that are not part of Scaler’s standard data model.
They are typically used to:
- Capture organisation-specific or strategy-specific information (e.g., installations such as heat pumps or bike racks)
- Support internal analysis or operational tracking
- Temporarily collect data for a specific initiative
A common driver for using custom fields is to stop relying on parallel Excel sheets for property-type or country-specific variables that should sit alongside your core asset data.
Custom fields do not replace standard Scaler fields and should be used intentionally.
Custom fields are part of the Scale plan. If you don't see Custom Fields in your Data Collection Portal, contact your Scaler Account Operations Manager.
Custom fields workflow (high-level)
Using custom fields in Scaler follows a controlled three-step process:
- Create and configure custom fields at the company level
- Confirm the Custom Fields section is enabled at the portfolio level (enabled by default)
- Enter data for those fields at the asset level
Each step must be completed for custom fields to be visible and usable.
1. Create and configure custom fields (company level)
Navigation path:
Data Collection Portal → Company → Company settings → Data collection → *Custom data collection fields*
Only users with admin access can create or edit custom fields.
When creating a custom field, you define:
Field name— The label shown to users
Description— Tooltip text explaining what the field captures
Field type— How data is entered (numeric, text, date, dropdown, boolean)
Unit(where applicable)
Once the first custom field is created at company level, the Custom Fields section becomes available across portfolios.
Reordering custom fields
Custom fields can be drag-and-drop reordered in company settings. The order set here is reflected when users view and enter custom fields at the asset level.
2. Confirm Custom Fields are enabled (portfolio level)
All fields appear in a single section, called Custom Fields.
Important default behaviour:
When custom fields are first created at the company level, the Custom Fields section is enabled by default for all portfolios in that company.
Navigation path:
Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → settings → Data collection → Data collection settings → Enable by Collection tab
From here, the Custom Fields section can be:
- Left enabled (default)
- Disabled for portfolios where the fields are not relevant, to avoid confusion during data collection
3. Enter and manage data (asset level)
Once the Custom Fields section is enabled for a portfolio, fields can be populated at the asset level.
All updates to custom field values are recorded in Scaler's audit trail — who changed what and when — the same as for any standard field.
Navigation path:
Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → Asset list → edit asset → *Custom Fields*
The Custom Fields section appears as the last section in the asset-level data collection view.
Custom fields can be entered in three ways:
1. Manually in the Data Collection Portal
Edit each asset and update values directly in the Custom Fields section.
2. Via Data Requests
Custom fields can be included alongside standard fields when sending data requests to portfolio contacts.
3. In bulk via the Scaler Spreadsheet
Custom field values can be exported and re-imported in bulk:
- Download: Go to Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → Asset list, select assets, click Download in the floating action bar, then choose Custom selection to pick which custom fields to include.
- Bulk edit: The downloaded spreadsheet contains a dedicated Custom fields sheet showing all custom fields enabled for the selected portfolio.
- Re-upload: Update values in the sheet and re-upload to apply changes across all assets at once.
Where custom fields appear in Scaler
Custom fields originate in data collection but flow into selected downstream surfaces:
Data Collection Portal
- Manual entry at asset level (Custom Fields section)
- Included alongside standard fields in Data Requests
- Bulk import and export via the Custom fields sheet in the Scaler Spreadsheet, and selectable for inclusion in asset-list downloads via Custom selection
- Referenced from Custom consumption formulas to drive per-asset estimation logic. For example, a Heat-pump installation type dropdown field can switch the formula used to estimate consumption per asset. See Custom calculations: formulas, lookup tables, and emission factors.
Analytics Portal
- Metrics — Number-type custom fields can be used in custom Metric definitions, with a choice of
AverageorSumaggregation. Other field types (text, date, dropdown, boolean) are not currently selectable.
- Custom Dashboards — Number-type custom fields can be visualized as custom graphs in the Custom Dashboard tool, including bar, line, area, pie, and doughnut chart types.
Custom Dashboards are part of the Scale plan. If you don't see the Custom Dashboard tool in your Analytics Portal, contact your Scaler Account Operations Manager.
Best practices
- Use custom fields sparingly — prefer standard Scaler fields whenever available
- Avoid duplicating existing platform fields
- Document why each custom field exists and who owns it
- Review and retire unused custom fields periodically
Things to keep in mind:
- Custom fields are not mapped to reporting frameworks
- They do not feed into Scaler's standard ESG calculations (energy, GHG, water, waste). For derived KPIs based on Number-type custom fields, use Custom Metrics in the Analytics Portal.
- Overuse can increase complexity and reduce data consistency
Additional resources
- Data requests: Overview — Custom fields can be collected via Data Requests
- How to use the Scaler Spreadsheet (bulk upload) — Entering custom field data in bulk