Custom Objects allow you to model anything your business tracks that doesn't fit neatly into standard objects such as Contacts, Companies, or Opportunities.

They are designed to represent real-world entities, complex relationships, or business processes specific to your organization.

Administrators can create Custom Objects from the settings, add fields, define relationships, and then use them in Workflows, Forms, and Reports.

This guide helps you understand what Custom Objects are and decide if they are relevant for your use case.

Why use Custom Objects?

Custom Objects allow you to move beyond a CRM focused solely on people and build a data model that accurately reflects the reality of your business.

They allow you to:

• Keep your CRM clean and scalable: Avoid cluttering Contact or Opportunity records with unrelated information, which always results in records that are unreadable and difficult to use.

• Model real-world entities as standalone objects: Treat items such as assets, projects, subscriptions, or contracts as independent records, with their own fields, statuses, and automations.

• Simplify automation and reporting: When data is well-structured, workflows, filters, and dashboards become simpler, more accurate, and easier to maintain over time.

• Naturally manage complex relationships: One-to-many or many-to-many relationships (for example, a contact linked to multiple assets or projects) are clearer and more logical.

What are Custom Objects?

Custom Objects are top-level CRM objects designed to represent “things” rather than people.

Common examples:

• Real estate

• Animals

• Projects

• Subscriptions

• Contracts or policies

Each Personalized Item includes:

• Its own records

• Custom fields

• Associations with other CRM objects

• Full support in workflows and automation

When should you use Custom Objects?

Custom Objects are particularly well-suited when:

Custom Objects are suitable when:

• Your data does not represent a person or a company: If you are tracking assets, resources, or business elements, a Custom Object is generally the right abstraction.

• You need structured and repeatable records: When a single entity type exists in large numbers and requires consistent fields, dedicated views, and specific automations.

• You want to enrich relationships in your CRM: Custom Objects can be linked to Contacts, Companies, Opportunities, and even other Custom Objects.

Examples:

• Real estate listings linked to buyers and agents

• Multiple pets linked to the same owner

• Projects linked to customers and opportunities

When to use Custom Objects?

Custom Objects are particularly suitable when:

Your data does not represent a person or a company

If you are tracking assets, resources, or business entities, a Custom Object is generally the right abstraction.

You need structured and repeatable records

When the same type of entity exists in large numbers and requires consistent fields, dedicated views, and specific automations.

You want to enrich relationships in your CRM

Custom Objects can be associated with Contacts, Companies, Opportunities, and even other Custom Objects.

Typical examples:

• Real estate listings linked to buyers and agents

• Multiple pets linked to the same owner

• Projects linked to customers and sales opportunities

When should you stick with standard CRM objects?

Custom Objects are powerful, but they aren’t always the best solution.

• A standard object already meets the need: Contacts, Companies, and Opportunities objects have native features that Custom Objects don’t always cover.

• You need contact-specific features: Email campaigns, mass communications, and certain marketing tools work exclusively with Contacts.

• You’re duplicating existing data: Creating a Custom Object that replicates a standard object can lead to confusion and data inconsistencies.

In this case, use Smart Lists instead to segment your existing objects.

Common use cases

Recommended use cases

• Real Estate – Properties: Create a “Properties” object to track the price, status, and location of properties, and associate it with buyers, sellers, or agents.

• Veterinary Clinics – Animals: Use an “Animals” object to store medical history, vaccinations, and appointments linked to the owner.

Not Recommended

• Event attendees: If your main goal is to send emails, reminders, and follow-ups, the Contact object is more suitable.

• Internal notes or activities: Custom Objects should not replace notes, tasks, or activities. This adds unnecessary complexity without any real benefit.

What’s next?

Once your Custom Object is created, you can:

• Add custom fields

• Define associations and labels

• Build workflows and automations

• Create forms to collect data

• View data in dashboards

Custom Objects are a fundamental building block for creating a CRM that’s truly tailored to your business, without any tinkering or workarounds.