# Special categorizations: custom fields

Custom fields are a way to categorize articles in any way besides [standard categorizations](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/configuration-guide/page/standard-categorizations). They can be quite simple (text, date etc.), or they can be used to create special options related to your journal.

For a specific article, custom fields are available and may be corrected in the [metadata module](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/editor-guide/page/the-metadata-module "The metadata module").

[![image.png](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/DZ0fuaUwlgxiJJTT-image.png)](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/DZ0fuaUwlgxiJJTT-image.png)

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Custom fields configuration is available here:

[![image.png](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/vR6fhJLHSWEwzSNg-image.png)](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/vR6fhJLHSWEwzSNg-image.png)

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### Simple custom fields

There are five types of "simple" custom fields:

[![image.png](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/o3SqDneEI39HxTLl-image.png)](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/o3SqDneEI39HxTLl-image.png)

For example, let us imagine that for each article, I want to track the number of pages.

I can configure a custom field accepting only numbers, so:

![image.png](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/J5QfSZnKPQYvCcRl-image.png)

In the article page, I will retrieve my field and can input the relevant data for this article:

<table border="1" id="bkmrk--5" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 74.321%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 100%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td>[![image.png](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/ziVGFmSqBABKLSEX-image.png)](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/ziVGFmSqBABKLSEX-image.png)

</td></tr></tbody></table>

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### List custom fields

The custom fields **select / checkbox / radio** are used to create a flat list of selectable options. When creating such a custom field, you will have to provide the corresponding list of options:

[![image.png](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/clW0kiuY4ztfhejm-image.png)](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/clW0kiuY4ztfhejm-image.png)

The configured options will then be selectable in the article page:

[![image.png](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/AxvJouvjaXpUNaGD-image.png)](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/AxvJouvjaXpUNaGD-image.png)

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### Custom fields and other tools

- Custom fields can be updated automatically: 
    - [when sending an e-mail](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/configuration-guide/page/attaching-rules-to-templates)
    - [when the author answers a submission questionnaire](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/configuration-guide/page/configuration-of-questionnaires)

- Custom fields can be used to:  
    
    - handle [specific workflows](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/configuration-guide/chapter/workflow-configuration)
    - dispatch articles to editors with [automatic assignments](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/configuration-guide/page/editorial-assignments#bkmrk-automatic-assignment)
    - perform [advanced searches](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/editor-guide/page/advanced-and-saved-searches) on articles
    - display [visual flags](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/configuration-guide/page/flags) on article pages and article lists
    - [process data](https://doc.nestor-edp.org/books/editor-guide/page/articles-lists-views-and-exports) about your journal