> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.connie.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Objects and fields

> The built-in People, Companies, Deals and Tasks objects, how to create a custom object, every field type, and how duplicate rules work.

An **object** is a type of record — People, Companies, Deals, Tasks, or one you create. Each object has **fields** (columns such as Email or Stage) and **records** (rows). Every list you build sits on top of one object.

**Where:** left sidebar → **Records** → **Objects** section · `https://connie.ai/<workspace-id>/records/objects/<object-id>`

Duplicate rules: **Settings** → **Objects** · `https://connie.ai/<workspace-id>/settings?tab=objects`

## Built-in objects

| Object | What it holds | Useful built-in fields |
| - | - | - |
| **People** | Contacts and leads | Email, Phone, Company, Owner, Job title, **Stage**: Lead, Engaged, MQL, SQL, Opportunity, Customer, Disqualified |
| **Companies** | Accounts | Website URL, LinkedIn URL, Industry, Company size, **Stage**: Prospect, Engaged, Opportunity, Customer, Churned, Disqualified |
| **Deals** | Your sales pipeline | **Stage**: Discovery, Qualified, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed Won, Closed Lost; Associated company, Associated people, Value, Owner |
| **Tasks** | To-dos for your team | **Status**: Triage, Backlog, To do, In progress, To review, Completed, Canceled; **Priority**: Low, Medium, High, Urgent; Assigned to, Due date (shown as **Deadline** in the side panel), Tags |

Each built-in object has a **default list** with the same name. Default lists can't be deleted, and their system columns can't be deleted either (you can hide them).

Deals have a built-in **Kanban** view (a board with one column per Stage), shown first. Tasks also open as a Kanban board.

## Create a custom object

Use a custom object when your data isn't a person, company, deal or task — for example "Properties", "Investors" or "Events". A custom object is shared: anyone can build lists on it and it appears in the sidebar **Objects** section.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new list">
    Go to **Records** → **New** → **New list** → **Start from scratch**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name the list">
    Enter a **List name** (required, up to 200 characters).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the object">
    Open **Object (optional)** → **+ Create object**, then type the **New object name**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Create list">
    You get a new object with a first list on it. A brand-new object starts empty — no columns and no rows. Add columns with the **+** at the end of the header row, or import a CSV.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  If you leave **Object (optional)** set to **No object (table in Artifacts)**, Connie creates a one-off private table instead. It shows under **All** on the Records page and in Artifacts, but it isn't a reusable object and won't appear in the sidebar or in object pickers. Choose **+ Create object** when you want something reusable.
</Note>

## Add a field (column)

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the column picker">
    In any list, click **+** (**Add a column**) at the end of the header row, or **Actions** → **Add an action / column**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick a type">
    For a plain data field, open the **Basic** category and pick a type (see the table below). The other categories (AI, Enrichment, LinkedIn, Email & Messaging and more) add *action columns* that fill themselves in — see [Enrichment and AI columns](/records/enrichment).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name it and save">
    The new field is added to the **object**, so it's available in every list built on that object. Each list or view decides whether to show it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Field types

| Type | Use it for |
| - | - |
| **Text** | Free-form text with no validation |
| **Number** | Counts, scores |
| **Currency** | Money amounts |
| **Date** | Dates |
| **URL** | Web links |
| **Email** | Email addresses — selectable as the recipient in send-email actions |
| **Phone** | Phone numbers, stored exactly as entered |
| **Image from URL** | Shows an image from a link (for example a logo) |
| **JSON** | Structured data |
| **Checkbox** | Yes/no |
| **Select** / **Multi-select** | One or several values from a fixed set |
| **Assigned to** | A workspace member |
| **Relation** | Links a record to records in another object — for example a person to their company |
| **Files & media** | Attachments |
| **Formula** | A value calculated from other fields |
| **Rollup** | A summary of values from related records |
| **Date difference** | The time between two dates |

## Edit, hide or delete a field

Right-click a column header (or use its dropdown) to get: **Edit Column**, **Change Type**, **Insert Left** / **Insert Right**, **Sort Ascending** / **Sort Descending**, **Filter**, **Hide Column**, **Pin Column** / **Unpin Column**, **Blur** / **Unblur**, **Duplicate**, **Group** / **Ungroup**, **Clear Column** and **Delete Column**. (The menu also shows **Text to columns** and **Dedupe**, but these only work in the workflow builder, not in Records lists.)

* **Hide Column** only hides it in this list or view. The data stays.
* **Delete Column** removes the field from the object, so it disappears from every list on that object.
* To show a hidden field again, use the column settings button in the list toolbar.

## Set duplicate rules

Duplicate rules decide when an imported row counts as a record you already have. "These rules apply across CSV imports and lists, and CRM imports inherit them. A match on any selected field counts as the same record."

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings → Objects">
    Go to **Settings** → **Objects**. The **Duplicate rules** table has one row per object.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the matching fields">
    In **Match duplicates by**, tick one or more fields (text, email, phone or URL fields). A match on **any** ticked field means "same record". Choose nothing to keep **No duplicate matching**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose what happens on a match">
    In **When a match is found**, pick:

    * **Fill empty fields** (default) — "Keep existing values and only fill fields that are blank."
    * **Keep existing** — "Discard imported values when a matching record already exists."
    * **Update existing** — "Overwrite matching records with the latest imported values."
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose how blanks are treated">
    **Incoming blanks**: when the switch shows **Keep**, a blank cell in your import leaves the existing value alone. Turn it off (**Clear**) to let blanks wipe existing values.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save** on the row. You'll see "Object rule saved". A changed row shows a **Custom** badge; click **Use default** to go back to the default rule.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Default duplicate rules

| Object | Matched by default on |
| - | - |
| People | Email and LinkedIn URL (whichever the object has) |
| Companies | LinkedIn URL or Website URL (the domain only) |
| Deals | No duplicate matching |
| Tasks and custom objects | No duplicate matching — set it yourself before importing |

A matched record is linked into your list, not created twice. Private tables (made with **No object**) show a **Private** badge in this table.

## Good to know

* Fields belong to the object; visibility belongs to the list or view. Adding a column in one list makes it available, but hidden, in the object's other lists.
* System columns of the built-in objects can't be deleted: "This is a default column and can't be deleted." Hide them instead.
* Duplicate rules apply to imports (CSV, Lead Finder, CRM). They don't merge records you already have.
* Read-only members see "You are in view-only mode" when they try to add columns. See [Members and roles](/workspace/members-and-roles).

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="My list only appears under All, not under People or Companies">
    **Why:** it was created with **No object (table in Artifacts)**, so it's a private table. **Fix:** create the list again and choose an object, or use the list's **⋯** → **Duplicate** → **Existing object** to copy it into People or Companies.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="This is a default column and can’t be deleted.">
    **Why:** built-in objects keep their system columns. **Fix:** right-click the header → **Hide Column**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="An import created two copies of the same company or record">
    **Why:** Deals, Tasks and custom objects have no duplicate matching by default, and Companies only match on LinkedIn URL or website. **Fix:** set **Match duplicates by** for that object in **Settings** → **Objects** before you import.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Re-importing did not update existing values">
    **Why:** the default is **Fill empty fields**, which only fills blanks. **Fix:** set **When a match is found** to **Update existing** in **Settings** → **Objects**, then import again.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The Match duplicates by dropdown says to add a field first">
    **Why:** you see "Add a text, email, phone, or URL field to this object first." — only those field types can be used for matching. **Fix:** add such a field to the object, then come back.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Dedupe feature is unavailable for column / Text-to-Columns feature is unavailable for column">
    **Why:** the column **Dedupe** and **Text to columns** options only work in the workflow builder, not in Records lists. **Fix:** use duplicate rules in **Settings** → **Objects** to stop duplicates on import. To split a column, export the list, split it in a spreadsheet and re-import.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

* [Records overview](/records/overview) — how objects, lists and folders fit together
* [Lists and views](/records/lists-and-views) — show, hide, filter and sort fields
* [Import and export](/records/import-and-export) — how duplicate rules apply to CSV imports
* [Workspace settings](/workspace/settings) — every Settings tab


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