Updated Aug 4, 2026

Managing records

What you'll learn

• How to add, edit, and delete records of a Custom Type
• How to filter and search records
• How editing the type definition affects existing records

Once you've created a Custom Type (see Creating a Custom Type), managing its records works like built-in entities.

Where to find records

Custom Types → your type name in the sidebar takes you to the list page for that type. Each Custom Type gets its own sidebar entry once it has been created.

From the Custom Types list page, click any row to jump to that type's records.

Adding a record

1. On the records list page, click the + button at the top right (its tooltip reads "Add new ct:your-slug").
2. Fill in the form. Fields marked with an asterisk are required.
3. Click Save.

The new record shows up in the list and is immediately available to the rest of AutoTalk (API, AI agents, workflows).

Editing a record

• Click the row's pencil button (or right-click / long-press the row) to open the edit form.
• Click Save to persist your changes.

Clicking a row opens a read-only Details view; editing happens from the row actions, not from that view.

Editing merges your changes into the existing record — untouched fields keep their previous value.

Deleting a record

• Use the row's actions to click Delete and confirm.
• Deletion is a soft-delete (tombstone): the record is hidden from lists but not immediately removed. A daily retention job permanently purges tombstoned records after 30 days.

Filtering and searching

• Use the Filter button on the list page to narrow results by any field. Sorting is configured in the same Filter dialog — there is no clickable column-header sort.
• The quick-search box automatically matches the type's first few Text fields (up to 6) — if the type has no text fields, the search box is hidden. This is separate from the indexed paths you set when creating the type, which speed up filtering.

Bulk operations

• Open the Actions menu on the list page and choose Mass update or Mass delete. Both apply to every record matching the conditions you set — there is no per-row selection.

Editing the type definition

You can go back to Custom Types and edit the type's definition.

Safe edits

• Adding a new field (it becomes optional unless you mark it required)
• Appending new values to a Select field's allowed list
• Loosening constraints (e.g., raising maxLength)
• Renaming the type's Name or Description

Existing records remain valid and editable.

Risky edits

These can leave existing records in an invalid state. Perform them carefully:

• Renaming a field — old records still store the value under the old field name, so you lose access until you migrate.
• Making a field required that previously wasn't — existing records without that field will fail validation on their next save.
• Shrinking a field's constraint (e.g., lowering maxLength) — old records that exceed the new limit will fail validation on save.
• Changing a field's type — treat as a rename. Migrate data first.

tip

If you need to rename a field or change its type, consider adding a new field alongside the old one, migrating data in the UI or via the API, then removing the old field.

Access control

• By default, any employee of your company can read and write records of a Custom Type.
• Owners can restrict who may read, create, update, or delete each type's records per role from the Type access page under Company → Team — see Roles & Permissions.
• Only owners can create or edit the type's definition.
• Records never leak between companies — ACL is enforced on every read and write.

Next steps

• Using with MCP — let AI agents read and write your records
• API tokens — call your Custom Type from external systems