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Adding Listings and Custom Fields

Three types of users can submit listings in DirectoryEasy: the directory owner, registered members, and visitors. You can tailor who is allowed to submit, how listings are reviewed, and which information must be collected.

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Choose Who Can Submit Listings

  1. Open your dashboard sidebar and go to Customization → Misc → Listings.
  2. Use the Who can submit listings setting to choose one of these modes:
    • Owner only: hide the public submission button and keep the sign-up page inaccessible.
    • Owner + members: require users to sign in or create an account before submitting.
    • Anyone: allow guests to submit without signing up (submissions still enter review).
  3. Decide whether submissions are publicly visible right away or only after users create an account.
Tip: Even when guests can submit, every listing enters the review queue first—nothing publishes without your approval.

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Visitor Submission Flow

When public submissions are allowed, visitors click the Submit your listing button (the label is fully customizable). They complete a comprehensive form with all the fields you currently enable. Required steps:
  1. Fill in the mandatory fields (listing name is always required).
  2. Provide optional details like pricing, coupons, or other custom information if enabled.
  3. Click Submit listing. The new listing enters the Pending state.

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Control Built-In Fields

To adjust the default form:
  1. Go to Edit Directory → Fields.
  2. Review every built-in field grouped by tabs.
  3. Toggle each field to Enabled/Disabled or set it to Optional/Required.
You can tailor the form to match the data your directory needs while keeping the experience streamlined for submitters.

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Review and Publish Submissions

Inside the owner dashboard:
  • Find new submissions in the listings table with status Pending.
  • Choose one of three actions:
    • Reject: Optionally send the submitter a message explaining the decision.
    • Approve: Mark as reviewed but keep it hidden until a later date.
    • Publish: Make it live immediately.

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Approved vs. Published

  • Approved means you have reviewed and accepted the content. You can schedule it to publish automatically after a set delay (for example, 60 days for free plans). Automation rules live in the Automations section.
  • Published listings are visible to the public right away.
When you publish, you can email the submitter with a temporary edit link. If they make changes, the listing returns to the Pending state so you can re-review it.

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Member-Only Submissions

When submissions are limited to members:
  • The public submission button redirects to the sign-up page.
  • Users create an account (or sign in) before accessing the form.
This is ideal when you want tighter control while still enabling community contributions.

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Owner-Only Submissions

Switching to owner-only mode hides the submission button entirely, and visitors cannot access the sign-up screen. Use this when you prefer to curate listings manually.

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Custom Fields Overview

Custom fields capture information beyond the built-in listing attributes. For a restaurant directory, examples include cuisine type, price range, seating capacity, or reservation links. You can organize them into sections (e.g., Dining Details, Amenities) to keep forms and filters tidy.

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Access Custom Fields

  1. Open Customization → Custom Fields from the sidebar.
  2. The interface shows:
    • Add Section and Add Field buttons at the top.
    • A drag-and-drop area to reorder sections and fields.
Existing sections (such as dining_details) may already contain required fields—reorder or edit them as needed.

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Create a New Section

  1. Click Add Section.
  2. Set the Section ID (e.g., dining_details) and optional description.
  3. Enable Active so it appears in forms.
  4. Toggle Show in Filters to expose the section in sidebar filters.
  5. Optionally expand the section by default in filters.
  6. Click Create Section.

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Add a Custom Field

  1. Click Add Field.
  2. Enter an internal name (e.g., cuisine_type) and a display label (e.g., “Cuisine Type”).
  3. Choose a field type (text, number, email, URL, date, textarea, checkbox, list, etc.).
  4. Assign it to the section you created.
  5. Set placeholder text and default value if needed.
  6. Configure visibility:
    • Active: show the field on forms.
    • Required: force users to provide a value.
    • Show on listing page and Show label for front-end display.
    • Show on cards for search results (use sparingly for key info).
    • Show in filters to let visitors filter by this field.
  7. Click Create Field.
You can edit fields later, adjust labels, change where they appear, or drag them between sections.

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Use Custom Fields in Listings

When a user submits a listing:
  1. They see custom sections and fields organized exactly as you configured them.
  2. They complete the relevant information (e.g., cuisine, price range, outdoor seating).
  3. After submission, filters in the directory sidebar include every field marked as filterable.
  4. Listing detail pages display the same structured data, giving visitors a rich overview.
Custom fields, combined with the submission controls above, allow you to design a tailored intake process and keep your directory fresh with high-quality, well-structured listings.