Objects
Create your own record types beyond contacts and opportunities, such as off-plan developments, and link them to clients.
3 min read
Squaremeters has three built-in record types (objects): Contact (client), Opportunity and Company. For most estate agencies these are enough. But sometimes you need a separate list of records, with their own fields, that link to clients. The Objects page lets you create a custom object for this.
When should you use a custom object?
A custom object makes sense when all three are true:
- The record has its own details (name, location, completion date, price range…).
- The same record can be linked to more than one client.
- You want to see a list of these records on its own.
Estate agency examples:
| Custom object | Fields | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Developments | Development name, location, completion date, number of blocks, price range | See every buyer interested in a development in one list |
| Investors | Name, preferred area, budget range | Track clients who buy several units separately |
| Partner agencies | Agency name, contact person, fee split | Track joint sales |
Note
If the information belongs to a single client (e.g. their budget), use a custom field instead. Custom objects are more powerful but take more effort to set up and use.
Important
Records you enter in a custom object are not added to the assistant's listing knowledge automatically. The listings and developments the assistant describes on the phone come from the list loaded during setup. If you want the assistant to talk about a new development too, pass it to your consultant. See Listing knowledge.
Open the object list
- Open Settings → Objects. Standard and custom objects are listed with their record counts.
- For a new object, click Create Custom Object at the top right.
Create a custom object
- Enter the Singular Name (e.g. "Development") and Plural Name (e.g. "Developments").
- In Primary Display Property, enter the field shown as each record's title, e.g. "Development name".
- In Description, write briefly what the object is for.
- Click Save.
Fields and associations
Once the object exists:
- Add fields: location (Single Line), completion date (Date Picker), price range (Monetary), unit types (Multiple Options). Field types are the same as in Custom fields.
- Create an association: link the object to Contact. You can then pick the development a client is interested in from their record, and see all interested buyers from the development's record.
- Add records: enter your developments one by one.
In current versions of the interface the association and field settings may move; look for tabs such as Fields and Associations on the object's settings page.
Tip
Start small: one custom object and 4–5 fields. Expand as your team gets used to it. If you'd like help setting it up, write to your consultant.
Limitations
- Custom object and record limits can depend on your plan.
- Deleting an object deletes all its records and associations.
- Standard objects (Contact, Opportunity, Company) can't be deleted.
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