Deep Dive: Customize Your Member Fields Data and Display
Last updated: October 5, 2026
In addition to creating custom fields for member records, Novi has a default set of fields that can be shown and/or required on company and individual records.
Turn on or off, or edit, any of these fields according to the information your association wants to collect. In the backend, go to Fields > Member Fields. This displays the list of member fields that can be edited.
Important Note: Limited admins cannot update member fields.
→ Learn More: 📄 Granting Users Full, Limited, or Page Editor Admin Access To Your Novi Database
Member Fields > Display Columns
Notice the building and person icons listed in the far left column under Company/Person. This column identifies if the field is shown on a 1) company record or 2) a person's record.
Tip: use the Search bar or Filter options to narrow down the list of results:
Columns
Section
The Section column explains what type of information is collected, including:
Contact Info
Marketing Info
Personal Contact Info
General Profile Info
Field
The Field column lists the name of each field and describes the information being collected.
The remaining columns are the settings that can be edited to show in specific areas of Novi.
Show on Backend
This means that at a minimum, the field displays on records to admins on the backend.
If a field is not marked to Show on Backend, the field will also not display on the frontend, to prevent collecting data on the frontend that isn't accessible by admins.
Admin Create
Fields marked as Admin Create shows on the backend modal when admins create a new person or company record.
If a field is marked Require on Backend, the Admin Create setting will automatically be marked since the field is required of admins.
Admin Create replicates the Key Information requirements unless admins make manual adjustments to the Admin Create column.
Show on Frontend
Fields marked as Show on Frontend are shown to users on their profiles in the Member Compass, but they are not required to be filled out.
Key Information
Fields marked as Key Information are designated by admins to be collected upfront during the Join process, self-renewals, and when a person creates a new account.
Fields not marked as Key Information do not appear during these processes, but can be edited by the user later in their Member Compass. Learn more about how to add or remove fields from your new member signup form.
Require on Frontend
Fields marked as Require on Frontend do not let frontend users bypass adding data when joining, creating accounts, saving profiles, or self-renewing.
Fields that are required on the frontend typically collect important contact information and may also be tied to calculating dues.
Require on Backend
Fields marked as Required on Backend are required to be added by admins. This option should be used sparingly since admins cannot bypass adding data to the field while working on the record.
Don't require any field that isn't necessary, as the requirement does not allow a record to be saved without the information.
Additional Visibility Settings
Select fields have additional visibility settings that can be adjusted by clicking the Edit link in the Action column on the far right.
These settings allow admins to limit the visibility and limit the ability for users to make changes to these values.
Add Instructional Text to Billing and Shipping Address fields
Instructional text can be added to the Billing Address, Shipping Address, and Email fields for both companies and individuals.
→ Learn More: 📄 Billing Address vs Shipping Address
Instructional text helps ensure that users provide the most accurate and relevant information. For instance, admins may add instructional text in the Email field to prompt users to enter professional email addresses instead of personal ones.
Click the Edit link on the far right under the Action column.
A modal appears to add instructional text. Use this region to explain the purpose of the field to frontend users.
Q&A
Why aren't the Name fields displayed in the Member Fields list?
All name fields (e.g. First Name) are required by the Novi system and therefore cannot be edited.
What happens when a person has already created their user account before I make a frontend field required?
The next time that person edits their profile in their Member Compass, they must add data to the field before they can save their profile. There won't be anything else in the system to prompt them to complete that information.
If an address is required, is country required too?
Yes, if the country field is visible. When an address field is required, and the country field is visible, the country is required along with the rest of the address. If the country field is hidden, country is not required.
Can I change the name of the Parent Member field?
Yes! It's possible to change the display name of "Parent Member" on the frontend, add instructional text, and change visibility settings.