Custom fields

User-defined metadata fields applied to nodes, with configurable types and validation.

Custom fields are user-defined metadata attached to nodes. They let users capture project-specific information that Tree's default node properties don't cover.

Field types

Custom fields support several data types:

  • Text for short notes or labels
  • Number for estimates, scores, or counts
  • Date for deadlines, milestones, or reminders
  • Dropdown for choosing from a predefined list
  • Checkbox for boolean flags
  • URL for links to external resources

Each field can be required or optional, and can have validation rules (for example, number ranges or dropdown options).

Where custom fields apply

Custom fields can be applied:

  • Globally at the project level, so every node in the project has the field
  • Per node type, so only nodes of a specific custom node type have the field
  • Per node in some cases, for ad-hoc metadata that doesn't fit a global schema

What they're used for

Custom fields are useful for capturing data that's specific to how a team works: estimated hours, priority scores, stakeholder names, external ticket IDs, or any other structured information.

Tree's status model is computed from the graph, so custom fields are for descriptive metadata rather than workflow control. They describe nodes; they don't change how the graph behaves.

Tier availability

Custom fields are part of the core feature set, available on Free, Paid, and Team.

LAST UPDATED · 2026-05-12