Overview
Custom Compose Fields allow admins to add user-facing inputs to the Outlook Add-in pane: dropdowns, checkboxes, and free-text fields. Users fill these in while composing an email, and the values populate specific fields in the signature template. Common uses include opt-ins, salutations, out-of-office messages, and role-based preferences.
Custom Compose Fields are configured in the Opensense portal and coded into the HTML signature template. They do not store data in the user's core Opensense profile.
Custom Compose Fields are not compatible with stamping. They require the plaintext block or visual preview deployment mode.
Requirements and behavior
Must be enabled in Domain Settings before use.
Requires the Outlook Add-in with plaintext block or visual preview enabled.
Changes are local to each device. Selections do not sync across devices and must be set individually on each.
Field labels and values
Each custom compose field has two components:
Field Label — what the user sees in the add-in pane. Can include capitals and spaces.
Field Value — the variable name used in the HTML template. Must be all lowercase with underscores in place of spaces.
Do not use default field names that already exist in user profiles, such as name or title. Use custom names like title_custom or title_1 to avoid conflicts.
Padlock behavior
Unlocked: The field resets to blank on each new compose.
Locked: The user's selection persists across future compose sessions.
Assignment and priority
Custom Compose Fields can be configured at the domain level or the group level. When both apply to a user, the following priority order determines which value is used:
User profile
Group level
Domain settings level
Group level configuration: Fields apply only to members of that group once the group is assigned to a signature via Routing.
Domain settings configuration: Fields apply to all users scoped to the add-in.
Field types
Dropdown
Presents users with a preset list of options. Line 1 defines the field label and the value to reference in the HTML template.
Label — what appears in the add-in dropdown.
Value — what is used in the HTML signature template.
Example use cases: region, salutation, title variant.
Example HTML:
{% if salutation_custom != blank %}
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" style="color:#379190;font-size:13px;font-family:Aptos, Arial;line-height:19px;white-space:nowrap">
{{ salutation_custom }}
</td>
</tr>
{% endif %}Text
Provides a free-fill text input. The value is inserted wherever the field variable is coded in the HTML template. Character limits can be enforced in HTML.
Field Label — the name of the text box shown in the add-in pane.
Field Value — the variable
{{field_value}}coded into the HTML template.
Example use cases: out-of-office messages, special instructions.
Example HTML:
<td valign="bottom" style="white-space:nowrap;max-width:50ch;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;">
{{ custom_text | slice: 0,50 }}
</td>Checkbox
Provides a boolean toggle. When checked, the field value is true; when unchecked, it is false. The signature element renders when the checkbox is checked and is hidden when unchecked.
Field Label — the name of the checkbox shown in the add-in pane.
Field Value — the variable
{{field_value}}used in the HTML template.
Checkbox values are treated as booleans, not strings. You do not need to explicitly check for "true" or "false" in the HTML. If the checkbox is off, nothing renders. See the example below.
Example use cases: pronoun opt-in, headshot opt-in, disclaimer opt-in.
Example HTML:
{% if show_pronouns %}
<tr>
<td style="color:#010101;font-size:12.5px;font-family:Lato, Arial, Helvetica,sans-serif;white-space:nowrap">
{{ pronouns }}
</td>
</tr>
{% endif %}Best practices
Always use unique field values to avoid conflicts with existing user and group fields.
Lock fields only when persistence across compose sessions is required.
When assigning custom field values at the group level, append an identifier to the group name to indicate the group contains custom values. For example:
sales_custom_compose_fields.