SugarCRM is a customer relationship management software. It comes with default modules grouped into sales, marketing and service functions.  Every business has unique requirements and due to this they might want to get custom fields of their own within SugarCRM.

What are Standard Modules and Custom Modules

Standard Module

Standard modules are the modules that come by default in SugarCRM instance like Accounts, Contacts, Leads, Opportunities and Campaigns. These modules comes with predefined fields, relationships, Logichooks and validations.

Custom Module

Not every time the business requirement can be met with the standard module, and calls for the modules designed specifically to meet the business requirement. We can create a custom module in SugarCRM using module builder. For example if XYZ company sells medical devices and wants to maintain customer group specific price list,  So we can create a custom module ‘PriceList’ based on the above requirement. 

Sometimes a completely new custom module may not be and a field addition to standard module suffice. In this article, we will see how to create a custom field and custom panel in layouts for Standard modules without having to write code. We will be using SugarCRM “Studio”.


Navigating to SugarCRM Administration Panel 

To create a custom field in SugarCRM the user must have an “Administration” access for SugarCRM instance. Follow the below steps to navigate to SugarCRM admin panel

  • Login to your SugarCRM instance (as admin)
  • As shown below click on the Profile drop-down menu and click on “Admin”

Screenshot of SugarCRM Administration Panel

  • The below screenshot shows the Administration panel in Sugar

Screenshot of Admin Panel in SugarCRM

  • In “Administration page”  scroll down and find developer tools panel and click on “Studio” as marked in below screenshot

Screenshot of developer tool in SugarCRM

  • SugarCRM Studio contains a list of modules present in SugarCRM including Standard and custom modules. We can select modules from studio to edit and create a custom field.

Screenshot of Studio in SugarCRM

Creating a Custom field in the Accounts module 

In this article, we will be creating a custom module within the Accounts module. So we select “Accounts” module from SugarCRM studio as shown in below screenshot.

Screenshot of Selecting Module from Studio in SugarCRM

  • As can be seen in the screenshot below, all fields are listed of Accounts module, click “Add field” as shown in the screenshot to add a new custom field to the list

Screenshot of Adding a field to Account module in SugarCRM

  • Once clicked ‘Add Field’, a fresh tab will open as shown in the screenshot,

Screenshot of a field with details in SugarCRM

  • Select “Data Type” based on the requirement of custom field the below screenshot show list of data-type in SugarCRM.

Screenshot of DataType of field in SugarCRM

  • In this example, we are selecting “TextField”. Enter the details and click on save

Screenshot of a field with details in SugarCRM

  • The below screenshot shows field (express_agreement) is successfully created and listed in the respective modules field list

Accounts ⇒ Fields ⇒ Edit Fields 

Screenshot of a custom field is created

Setup layouts for Accounts module to Display field  

  • After successful creation of field we to add to the record layout follow the below steps to navigate as shown below screenshot

Screenshot of setup layouts for Accounts module

  • Select “Record View” to field in the record view section  

Screenshot of record view in SugarCRM

  • The below screenshot show “Record View” and list of field present in the “Accounts” module. 
  • Record view has drag-drop feature

Screenshot of layout in SugarCRM

Adding Panel to Layout 

  • SugarCRM has a drag-drop feature we can add a custom panel to record 
  • Select panel and drag-drop to “Record View” Layout as shown in below screenshot

Screenshot of Adding a panel to Layout in SugarCRM

  • By clicking on “Edit Icon” in the panel we rename to the panel the below screenshot show rename panel to “Express Agreement Details”

Screenshot of rename panel in SugarCRM

  • Now the panel has been created and renamed successfully. 

Adding Field to Panel  

  • The “Toolbox” contains a list of field present in Accounts module 
  • In “Step 2” we created the field “express agreement” now drag-drop to panel as shown below screenshot 
  • Now click on the “Save” button

Screenshot of panel renamed successfully

  • Now click on “Save & Deploy” button as shown in below screenshot and changes will reflect in record view. 

Screenshot of Save and Deploy in SugarCRM

  • By following the above steps we can create a custom field in other modules in SugarCRM.