Custom Fields attach structured metadata to Stories (and Bugs only for Severity) so you can filter, group, and report on work by dimensions meaningful to your org. Use Custom Fields for categorical data: priority levels, affected systems, required skill sets, or product areas.
Custom Fields vs. Labels
- Custom Fields help you establish a more structured process in your Workspace.
- Labels are great because anyone in your Organization can create them, but they should be used as a lightweight, unstructured way to organize your work.
Custom Fields
All Shortcut Workspaces include five predefined Custom Fields. Configure predefined field values in Settings > Custom Fields.
| Field | Applies To | Default Values | Customizable | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Area | All Stories | Customizable (e.g., Backend, Frontend, DevOps) | Values, colors, order | Route work to teams by system or domain |
| Skill Set | All Stories | Customizable (e.g., React, Node, Design) | Values, colors, order | Match Stories to people with the right skills |
| Product Area | All Stories | Customizable (e.g., Accounts, Billing, Search) | Values, colors, order | Group work by product feature or module |
| Priority | All Stories | P1, P2, P3, P4 | Values only (colors/order/icons fixed) | Flag urgency and importance for backlog grooming |
| Severity | Bug-type Stories only | Critical, High, Medium, Low | Values only (colors/order/icons fixed) | Classify bug impact and urgency |
Filtering and Display
Filter Stories, Status page, Epic detail, Reports, and Team detail pages by any Custom Field value. Stories and Epic cards display assigned Custom Field values as colored pills, giving your team context at a glance.
Clicking a Custom Field value anywhere in Shortcut opens a filter view of all Stories with that value, making it easy to drill into work by category.
Advanced Custom Fields
Advanced Custom Fields are available on Team and Business/Enterprise plans and allow you to create unlimited custom dimensions tailored to your organization. To configure Advanced Custom Fields, navigate to Settings > Custom Fields > Create Field.
Advanced Custom Fields:
- Customizable title (e.g., “Affected Customer Segment”)
- Customizable description (visible when hovering or editing)
- Customizable icon (choose from library)
- Customizable values (add/remove as your org evolves)
- Workspace limit: up to 20 Advanced Custom Fields per Workspace
- Admin-only management: only Administrators can create, edit, or delete Advanced Custom Fields
Use Advanced Custom Fields for org-specific categories: affected customer segments, regulatory compliance tags, business unit, or internal cost center. Treat them like predefined fields once created—they behave identically in filtering, display, and reporting.
Note: Deleting an Advanced Custom Field removes all data associated with it. Archive or rename instead if you may need historical reference.
Plan Limits
| Plan | Predefined Fields | Advanced Custom Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes (5 fields) | Not available |
| Team | Yes (5 fields) | Available (up to 20) |
| Business/Enterprise | Yes (5 fields) | Available (up to 20) |