Custom Notes let your school define its own student note types, each with its own set of fields — for example a text box, a date, a number, a dropdown of school-defined options, or a checkbox. Once at least one custom note type is configured, a Custom category appears when staff add a student note, and the note captures your custom fields alongside the usual note text. Custom Notes must be enabled for your school — contact support if you cannot see it.
Custom Notes let your school define its own student note types, each with its own set of fields — for example a text box, a date, a number, a dropdown of school-defined options, or a checkbox. Once at least one custom note type is configured, a Custom category appears when staff add a student note, and the note captures your custom fields alongside the usual note text. Custom Notes must be enabled for your school — contact support if you cannot see it.
Setting up custom note types
Custom note types are managed on the Custom Notes Configuration page, found in the Admin/Setup area. Any staff member can access the page once the feature is enabled.
Creating a note type
- Open Custom Notes Configuration. Existing types are listed in a table showing Name, Description and Actions.
- Click Add Type.
- In the Note Type window, enter a Name (up to 100 characters) and an optional Description (up to 500 characters), then click Save.
- Use the Edit and Delete buttons on a row to change or remove a type. Deleting asks you to confirm and cannot be undone.
Screenshot: Custom Notes Configuration page with the note types table and Add Type button
Adding fields to a note type
Click a note type row to expand its fields panel ("Click on a note type to view and manage its custom fields").
- Click Add Field.
- In the Field Definition window, enter a Name (up to 100 characters) and choose a Type:
| Field type | What staff see when entering the note |
|---|---|
| Text | A single-line text box |
| Number | A whole-number box (zero or above) |
| Date | A date picker (dd/mm/yyyy, defaults to today) |
| Dropdown | A filterable dropdown of your options |
| Checkbox | A tick box |
- Tick Required if staff must complete the field before saving a note.
- For a Dropdown, add each option in the Dropdown Options list — type the option text (up to 100 characters) and click Add. Duplicate options are rejected, and a dropdown must have at least one option before it can be saved.
- Click Save.
Fields are listed with Name, Type and Required, and you can drag the rows to reorder them — the order here is the order staff see when entering the note.
Screenshot: Field Definition window with the Type dropdown and Dropdown Options list
Entering a custom note against a student
Once types exist, staff add custom notes wherever they normally add student notes (for example from the student's notes screen or Teacher Home):
- Add a note as usual and choose the Custom category. This category only appears when Custom Notes is enabled and at least one type is configured.
- Choose the note type in the Type dropdown.
- The type's fields appear below in the order you configured. Required fields show Value required. and must be completed before the note will save.
- Complete the note and save.
When viewing a saved custom note, it shows a Type: line with the note type's name, and when editing, the window title includes the type (for example "Edit [student] [type] Note"). Custom notes are counted alongside other note categories in the student's note counts.
Screenshot: Adding a student note with the Custom category, Type dropdown and custom fields
Notes and behaviour
- Custom note types belong to your school — each school defines its own.
- Custom notes are stored as ordinary student notes under the Custom category, so they behave like other notes, including support for restricting an individual note to specific users or roles.
- If the feature is turned off, or all custom note types are removed, the Custom category no longer appears when adding notes.