The LMS fully supports the addition of custom profile fields. These fields can be made Mandatory for users and added to Self-Registration forms. They can also contain further information about the user, which can be used to assist with reporting requirements.
How to add a Custom Profile Field:
Navigate to Site Administration > Users > User Profile field
Once accessed, there may be already custom fields set up within this section. These custom fields can be sorted into different profile categories, an example can be seen below:
The categories then sit within the users profile with the category header in place:
Adding a new Profile Category
Once in the User Profile fields section, a new category can be added at the bottom of the screen.
On the next screen, all that is required here is for a name to be given to the Category. Note, this should be unique. Once the name has been chosen, clicking 'Save Changes' will move back to the list of categories and fields within said categories.
- Cog Wheel - Will allow the Category to be edited so the name can be changed.
- Red X - Will delete the category along with any profile fields contained with the category.
- Arrows - Allows the Category to be moved up or down. Should categories need to sit above another.
When a new category has been added, it will not automatically be visible on the users profile until fields have been added to the category.
Adding fields
To add fields to a category, this can be done by the drop down box at the bottom of the Custom Fields screen:
On the next page will be where the profile field is configured.
What does these settings mean?
| Setting Name | Meaning |
| Name | Name given to the field, this will be displayed on the users profile. (Mandatory) |
| Short Name | A unique name given to the profile field. (Mandatory) |
| Description of the field | A description of what this custom field will contain of the users information. (optional) |
| Is this field required? | Forces the user to complete the information. Note - Required fields are not required during account creation, instead if necessary users are asked to provide missing information after their first log in. (optional) |
| Should the data be unique? | Should the information on each users profile be different. (optional) |
| Display on signup page? | If Self-Registration is enabled on the LMS, this field will show as a column to be completed. (optional) |
| Who is this field visible to? |
The options are: Not visible: For private data only viewable by users with the moodle/user:viewalldetails capability in user context or the moodle/course:viewhiddenuserfields capability in course context. (optional) |
| Category | The category where the field should sit within. Following the above example, this would be the category "Testing new Category" |
Specific settings:
Each field will have their own specific settings:
Checkbox
- Checked by default - Should the tick box be ticked for all users once saved or not.
Advanced Date/Time
- Allow past dates? - Should dates in the past be allowed. If using this for Start date for example, then this would be enabled.
- Allow future dates? - Should dates in the future be allowed. If using this for Start date for example, then this would be enabled.
- Include time? - Should there be an add on for time to be added to the custom field.
Date and time
- Start Year - Should there be a start year when users can select from.
- End Year - Should there be a start year when users can select from.
- Include time? - Should there be an add on for time to be added to the custom field.
Dropdown menu
- Menu options (one per line) - Allows to enter in the choices that should be displayed in the drop down menu.
- Default value - Allows the selection of a default value that will show automatically on the dropdown.
Text Area
- Default value - Allows the selection of a default value that will show automatically.
Text input
- Default value - Allows the selection of a default value that will show automatically on the dropdown.
- Display size - Size of the text area
- Maximum length - Character count
- Is this a password field? - Should the details held here act like a password and be obscured.
- Link - Possible to transform text into a link (Enter a URL containing $$, where $$ will be replaced with the text.)
- Link target - How should the link above open (New Window, same frame or same window).
Once the field has been added, and if it has been added to a new category then once a profile on the LMS is viewed and edited, the new category along with the new custom field will show: