CRM setup should make customer work easier, not noisier. Configure fields and layouts when your team needs to track a durable piece of business information across people, companies, or opportunities.

What this guide helps you do

• Choose which fields show in customer lists and records.
• Create or edit custom fields for durable business data.
• Keep layouts focused so teammates can scan the record quickly.

Before you start

• List the decisions your team makes from customer data.
• Confirm the field does not already exist under another name.
• Decide who may create fields and who may edit sensitive values.

Do it manually

1. Open Customers and choose Tools or Object settings.
2. Select the object you want to configure, such as People, Companies, or Opportunities.
3. Review existing fields, visible fields, writable fields, and read-only fields.
4. Create a custom field only when the value will be reused for filtering, reporting, follow-up, or automation.
5. Update list columns or record layout sections to show the fields your team uses most.
6. Save the layout and test it on a real customer record.

Ask Faster AI

• Review our customer fields and suggest a cleaner layout for a home services business. Do not apply changes until I approve them.
• Create a custom field plan for preferred service type, budget range, and lead source, then show where each field should appear.
• Check whether this new field should be a text, select, date, number, or relation field.

Review before saving or applying

• Avoid creating fields for temporary notes; use notes or tasks instead.
• Use clear labels that teammates understand.
• Check field permissions before adding sensitive information.
• Preview layout changes on desktop and small screens before rolling them out to the team.

Common issues and fixes

• If a field is not editable, it may be read-only or managed by another connected system.
• If a column is missing, update the saved view or layout, not just one row.
• If custom fields become cluttered, archive unused fields after confirming they are not used in views or workflows.

Example CRM setup article

For an example of choosing only the fields a team will actually use, read the CRM-with-AI afternoon walkthrough. Setting Up a CRM with AI in an Afternoon.

Connected workflows

• Map form submissions to customer records
• Create a segment from customer behavior
• Use customer activity for follow-up
• Review Money activity for a customer

Placeholder media

• Screenshot placeholder: add an annotated screenshot of configure crm fields and layouts with customer names, emails, phone numbers, amounts, file names, and private notes blurred.
• Video placeholder: add a short walkthrough that starts in Customers, shows the manual path, then shows how to ask Faster AI and review the result before saving, sending, merging, or assigning work.

Related help

• Set up CRM with AI
• Use saved customer views
• Find and merge duplicate records