Custom Attributes#
Custom Attributes let you extend Desk’s data model with fields specific to your business — customer tier, account ID, subscription plan, device type, or any other structured metadata. Attributes can be attached to either contacts or conversations.
Attribute Types#
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Text | Account code, external CRM ID |
| Number | MRR, contract value, seat count |
| Link | URL to internal dashboard |
| Date | Contract renewal date |
| List | Plan tier (Basic / Pro / Enterprise) |
| Checkbox | Paid customer (yes/no) |
Creating an Attribute#
Go to Desk → Settings → Custom Attributes → Add Attribute. Configure:
- Display name and key (the key is used by the API)
- Applies to — Conversation or Contact
- Attribute type — one of the six types above
- Description — agent-facing tooltip
- For list type: the set of allowed values
Viewing and Editing#
Custom attributes appear in the right panel of a conversation (for conversation attributes) or in the contact profile (for contact attributes). Agents with edit permission can update values inline.
Use in Automation and Filters#
Custom attributes can be used as:
- Filter conditions in the conversation list and custom views
- Rule conditions in automation (e.g., “if
plan_tieris Enterprise, assign to VIP team”) - Report dimensions for segmenting performance metrics
Populating via API#
Attributes can be set programmatically through the public API when creating or updating contacts and conversations, making it easy to sync data from your CRM, billing system, or product database into Desk.