Custom Field Access Control (CFAC)

By default, every custom field in The Layer is visible to and editable by all users. CFAC adds optional rules on top of that default, so sensitive data (for example, bank details) can be limited to the people who need it.

Access rules are set for each custom field individually. Each rule applies to Global (all entities) or to one entity (Lead, Customer, Opportunity or Contact) and one action (Read or Edit) and denies access to the users and/or teams you select.

Important: CFAC works by exclusion, not by granting access. To restrict a custom field, exclude the users or teams who should not be able to view or edit it.

Read and Edit: Users excluded from Read access cannot Edit the field either. If a user should neither view nor edit a custom field, excluding them from Read access is enough.

Admin users with access to Settings -> Custom Fields can restrict access in two ways: for an individual custom field, or in bulk across a selection of custom fields for multiple users or teams at once.

Global custom fields appear across all entities, so a Read or Edit exclusion set here applies to the field in every entity in The Layer.

This is accessible from Settings -> Custom Fields

This is accessible from Settings -> Custom Fields -> Edit Lead Fields

This is accessible from Settings -> Custom Fields -> Edit Customer Fields

This is accessible from Settings -> Opportunity Custom Fields

This is accessible from Settings -> Contact Custom Fields

You can exclude users or teams from a single custom field, either globally or in specific entities only. For example, if a user should be able to read or edit a custom field on Leads but not on Customer records, you can set that up.

To set this up, go to Global custom fields, or to the entity where you want to exclude access (Leads, Customers, Opportunities or Contacts). See ‘Where to find custom fields’. The screen below appears.

The Global custom fields list works the same way:

Search for the custom field.

Find the custom field you want to restrict, then click the icon next to it in the Exclusion column.

The exclusion window opens.

The window header shows the following:

Custom Field Exclusion – confirms that you are about to exclude users or teams from reading or editing the selected custom field.

Lead – the custom field entity, showing which entity the exclusion applies to.

Account Number – the custom field name, confirming which custom field you are about to restrict.

Read – users and teams selected here cannot view the custom field.

Edit – users and teams selected here cannot edit the custom field.

N.B: Users excluded from ‘Read’ access cannot ‘Edit’ the field either, so if users should not be able to view or edit a custom field, excluding them from ‘Read’ access is enough.

Search for specific users using the search bar if needed, then tick the users who should be excluded from ‘Read’ or ‘Edit’ access.

Search for specific team and tick the team that should be excluded from ‘Read’ or ‘Edit’ access. All users in the selected team will be excluded from ‘Read’ or ‘Edit’ access.

Users or teams that already have a global exclusion are shown as selected and greyed out (marked ‘Global’) in every entity’s exclusion window, as in the example below. You cannot change a global exclusion from this window.

To remove it, go to Settings -> Custom Fields -> Bulk Exclusion

To exclude users or teams from viewing or editing all or most custom fields, use the ‘Bulk Exclusion’ button in the ‘Global Custom Fields’ section.

In this view you can filter custom fields and users and apply exclusion rules more quickly.

Note: A ‘Read’ or ‘Edit’ exclusion set in this Global view applies to all entities (Lead, Customer, Opportunity, Contacts). To apply a rule to specific entities only, set it on the custom field within that entity instead. See ‘Individual custom field exclusion’

‘R’ stands for Read and ‘E’ for Edit.

– a filled box means the exclusion is set, so the user cannot read the custom field.

– a blank box means no exclusion is set, so the user can read the custom field.

The same applies to ‘E’ for editing.

Note: The users excluded from the Read access will not be able to Edit it by default.

In this view you can search for a specific custom field or custom field group and exclude multiple users or teams in one go.

Apply filter for specific custom field / custom field group

Use the filter to search for a custom field group or a specific custom field, as shown below.

Apply filter for specific team or individual users

To show only the users or teams you need, click ‘Clear All’, then search for a specific user name or team. For example, use this to apply an exclusion rule to account managers only.

Click R or E to apply the exclusion to all filtered custom fields, then click Save.

Click the arrow next to R or E to sort by exclusions already applied, in ascending or descending order.

Users excluded from the Read functionality will see a lock pad and message advising them that they do not have the permission to view the information. The pencil icon is also not available.

Users excluded from the Edit functionality will see an ‘i’ icon instead of a pencil against the custom field, however will be able to view the information presented in the custom field.

The easiest way to maintain access to custom fields is to follow these steps:

1. Understand the purpose and use of each custom field group
Custom field groups in The Layer may be created for different purposes and different teams. Before setting any permissions, agree internally which fields exist, what each one is for, and which teams need edit or read access. Review this with all team leaders.

​Example: Custom field groups for Bank Details, Additional Customer Information, Forms. Not all users need access to Bank Details.

2. Define team-level access
Identify which teams should not have access to a specific custom field group or to individual custom fields within it. If only some members of a team lose access, don’t exclude the whole team, instead exclude individuals.

Example: Finance information may need to be editable by the Finance team only, so Edit access is removed for all other teams.

3. Define individual user access
Once team exclusions are set, exclude any individual users who need further restrictions. Excluding a team excludes all of its members, and access can’t be given back to one member. If one person in a team needs access, exclude the other members individually rather than the team.

Example: One member of the Sales team carries out credit checks and needs to see finance information. Instead of excluding the Sales team, exclude the other Sales users individually.

The Bulk Exclusion matrix view is the best way to see exclusions on Global custom fields. It does not show exclusions set on custom fields in individual entities; if you need these, your Account Manager can provide them as an Excel export.