# Custom Fields in Access Requests

URL: /en/docs/user-guide/access-requests/custom-fields
Last Updated: 2026-07-30T21:15:44.135Z

## Description
How the Trust Center collects custom fields during access requests and how required fields are handled.

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## Content
import { Callout } from "fumadocs-ui/components/callout";
import { Steps, Step } from "fumadocs-ui/components/steps";

# Custom Fields in Access Requests

This guide explains how custom fields are shown to visitors, how required fields are enforced, and how we try to auto-fill missing details using safe web search.

## What shows up in the modal

* **Always ask** fields are shown in the request modal immediately. Required ones must be filled before submit.
* **Non–always ask** fields stay hidden. We first try to gather them automatically (see below). If any required ones are still missing, we’ll prompt the visitor for those specific fields in a second step.
* Fields can target either **contacts** or **accounts**. We route answers to the right collection automatically.
* Select and multi-select fields are displayed with your localized option labels.

## Auto-filling hidden required fields

We attempt a lightweight web search based on the visitor’s email domain to pre-fill hidden required fields (for example company region or segment). This only runs for required fields that are not marked `always_ask`.

<Callout type="info">
  We never send the visitor’s email to the search—only the domain is used.
</Callout>

If the search doesn’t return values for those required fields, the visitor sees a secondary prompt to provide them manually before the request is accepted.

## Persistence rules

* Custom field answers are stored when a **new account** is created from the request. Existing accounts/contacts are not updated.
* Answers are attached to the collection defined on the template (`accounts` or `contacts`).
* Required validation happens server-side. Missing required fields will block submission until provided (either upfront or after the secondary prompt).

## Visitor flow summary

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Visitor fills the modal with email, selected documents, and any **always ask** custom fields.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    We try to auto-fill hidden required fields via domain-based web search.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    If any hidden required fields remain, the visitor is prompted to provide them before the request is accepted.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    For new accounts, provided custom fields are stored alongside the account/contact and the access request proceeds.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## FAQs

* **Can we skip the web search step?** Yes—set fields to `always_ask` to collect them directly in the modal.
* **Do we ever update existing records?** No. Custom fields are only attached when a new account/contact is created from the request.
* **How are languages handled?** Field titles and option labels honor your translations; we fall back to English when needed.