Custom Field Groups

Create custom fields for your posts, pages, and custom post types using a visual builder. No coding required — just define your fields and they appear in the post editor.

Use Cases#

• Add product specifications (dimensions, weight, material) to WooCommerce products
• Create recipe fields (ingredients, cook time, servings) for food blogs
• Build real estate listing data (bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage)
• Store team member info (job title, social links, bio) for staff pages

How It Works#

1. Navigate to Switchboard → Custom Field Groups
2. Create a new field group
3. Add fields (text, textarea, select, etc.)
4. Assign the group to specific post types
5. Fields appear in the post editor when editing those post types

Where to Find It#

Location: Switchboard → Custom Field Groups in your WordPress admin menu.

Creating a Field Group#

Step 1: Name Your Group#

Give your field group a descriptive name like “Product Details” or “Recipe Information”. This name appears as the metabox title in the post editor.

Step 2: Add Fields#

Click “Add Field” and configure:

Step 3: Assign to Post Types#

Select which post types should display this field group. Options include:

• Posts
• Pages
• Custom post types (Products, Team Members, etc.)

Available Field Types#

Example: Recipe Fields#

Create a “Recipe Details” field group:

Displaying Custom Fields#

In Theme Templates#

<?php
// Get a single field value
$prep_time = get_post_meta(get_the_ID(), 'prep_time', true);
echo '<p>Prep Time: ' . esc_html($prep_time) . '</p>';

// Get checkbox value
$is_vegetarian = get_post_meta(get_the_ID(), 'vegetarian', true);
if ($is_vegetarian === 'yes') {
    echo '<span class="badge">Vegetarian</span>';
}

// Get image
$image_id = get_post_meta(get_the_ID(), 'recipe_photo', true);
if ($image_id) {
    echo wp_get_attachment_image($image_id, 'medium');
}
?>

In Page Builders#

Most page builders can display custom fields:

• Elementor: Dynamic Tags → Post Meta
• Beaver Builder: Field Connections
• Gutenberg: Use the Post Meta block or dynamic blocks

Field Group Management#

Editing Groups#

1. Go to Switchboard → Custom Field Groups
2. Click on a group to edit
3. Add, remove, or modify fields
4. Save changes

Deleting Groups#

Deleting a field group removes the editor interface but doesn’t delete the data stored in posts. Data remains accessible and will reappear if you recreate the group with the same field keys.

FAQ#