Users of Clio, the cloud-based law practice management platform, now have the ability to add custom fields to matters and contacts, the company announced today. That means that users can add data-entry fields of their own in addition to the pre-defined data fields provided by Clio.

Clio’s new custom fields feature supports “typed data,” meaning that users can specify that a custom field should be a text field, checkbox, date, currency, number, picklist or contact or matter reference, the announcement said. Custom fields will be fully integrated with Clio’s document automation system, which means that you can create automated documents that draw from the custom fields as well as form the standard fields. (See screencaps below.)

“Custom Fields has been one of our most-requested features, and we’re thrilled to deliver a whole new level of application flexibility to our customers,” Jack Newton, Clio’s co-founder and CEO, said in today’s announcement. “Every practice area has specific data-related needs; Clio users can now tailor their matters and contacts according to their specific practice requirements.”

The announcement was made in conjunction with Clio’s fourth anniversary this week. It is the longest-running among the several companies that now provide practice management in the cloud.

The menu for adding a custom field to the matters interface.

A custom field added to the new-contact dialog.

Custom fields added to the matter interface.

An automated document template incorporating a custom field.

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Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.