📌 Note: The screenshots and settings shown in this article may not match what you see in your own platform, as Rosterfy is highly customisable. If you need guidance specific to your setup, please contact our support team.
Custom field validation options enforce data accuracy and quality by setting specific rules for how information is entered across your platform. These rules are configured under the Show Advanced Settings button when creating a new custom field, or under Show Validation Options button when updating an existing one. See the Create and Update a Custom Field article for more information.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
Custom Field Validation Option Rules
Before configuring your validation options, keep the following behaviours in mind:
Activation Control: Each validation option includes an Activated? toggle. A rule only applies when it is activated. Inactive rules save your configured values for future use without enforcing them on users.
Universal Enforcement: Rosterfy checks your data for errors as soon as it is saved, no matter who enters it or where it comes from. This applies whether a volunteer fills out a form in their portal, an admin updates a record, or information syncs from another connected app. The only exception is Input Masks, which format text live on the screen while someone types directly in the portal, such as automatically adding dashes to a phone number or slashes to a date.
Blank Answers: Validation rules only evaluate provided answers. Mandatory completion is managed separately by the Required setting, not by validation options.
Error Messaging: If an entered answer fails a validation rule, the user will see a specific inline error message displayed directly beneath the field.
Text-Based Field Validation Options
Option & Supported Types
| Description & Functionality | Failure Error Message
|
Min Length
Includes: Text (Single line, Multiple line, Encrypted), Sensitive Text.
| Enforces a minimum character threshold (enter a whole number, 0 or greater). Counts spaces and punctuation toward the total.
| Must be at least N characters. |
Max Length
Includes: Text (Single line, Multiple line, Encrypted), Sensitive Text.
| Caps total characters. Single line is already system-capped at 255; Encrypted and Sensitive Text are capped at 240. Multiple line has no default cap.
| May not be greater than N characters. |
Alpha
Includes: Text (Single line, Encrypted), Sensitive Text. | Restricts input to letters only (accents allowed). Rejects numbers, spaces, and punctuation.
For example, "Mary Anne" fails due to space.
| May only contain letters. |
Alpha Numeric
Includes: Text (Single line, Encrypted), Sensitive Text.
| Restricts input to letters and numbers only. Rejects spaces and punctuation.
| May only contain letters and numbers. |
Alpha Dash
Includes: Text (Single line, Encrypted), Sensitive Text.
| Permits letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores. Rejects spaces. Ideal for reference numbers or handles. | May only contain letters, numbers, and dashes. |
Different To
Includes: Text (Single line, Multiple line), Options (Select one).
| Ensures input does not match another field on the same Object using its Internal Identifier (for example,
Select Add Entry to compare against multiple fields.
| Must be different to [other field]. |
Input Mask
Includes: Text (Single line, Encrypted).
| Guides live typing in the portal. It does not check or restrict answers submitted through standard form saving or data imports.
| N/A (Guides live portal typing) |
Options (Dropdown) Field Validation Options
Option & Supported Types
| Description & Functionality | Failure Error Message
|
Min Item Number
Includes: Options (Select multiple).
| Requires users to check at least this number of options. | Must have at least N items. |
Max Number Item
Includes: Options (Select multiple).
| Limits the total number of options a user can select. Set Min and Max to the same value to require an exact number of choices (for example, choosing exactly three shift preferences).
| May not have more than N items. |
Different To
Includes: Options (Select one). | Ensures the selected option does not match the choice in another field on the same Object using its Internal Identifier.
Select Add Entry to compare against multiple fields.
| Must be different to [other field]. |
Date Field Validation Options
Option & Supported Types
| Description & Functionality | Failure Error Message
|
Min
Includes: Date, Date/Time.
| Enforces a start date limit. The selected date acts as a strict boundary, so the entered date must fall after it.
For example, to require a date on or after 1 January, set the threshold to 31 December.
Note: This uses a fixed calendar date that remains constant over time.
| Must be a date after [date]. |
Max
Includes: Date, Date/Time.
| Enforces an end date limit. The entered date must fall before the chosen date.
Note: Rosterfy automatically enforces global system limits, rejecting Date inputs over 150 years in the future and Date/Time inputs over 40 years in the future.
| Must be a date before [date]. |
File Field Validation Options
Option & Supported Types
| Description & Functionality | Failure Error Message
|
File Types/ Document Types/ Image Types
Includes: File (Document or Image), Document (PDF/URL), File (Image).
| Select the checkboxes for the specific file extensions you want to accept. Available format choices depend on the field type:
• File (Document or Image): PDF, DOC, JPEG, PNG, Bitmap • Document (PDF/URL): PDF, DOC
• File (Image): JPEG, PNG, Bitmap Note: Applies to direct file uploads only. Web links submitted in Document (PDF/URL) fields are validated as standard URLs and bypass file type checks.
| Invalid file type. Must be [types]. |
Maximum size (MB)
Includes: File (Document or Image), Document (PDF/URL), File (Image).
| Sets the maximum allowed file upload size in megabytes, configurable from 0 to 6 MB in half-megabyte increments.
Note: The User Portal enforces an overall system ceiling that automatically blocks any file upload exceeding 8 MB.
| File size exceeds maximum limit. |
Custom Validation Field Option
The Custom Validation field is supported on every field type. It allows you to add advanced validation rules that are not available in the standard settings. Because these rules use specific formatting patterns, an incorrect setup can prevent users from submitting a form.
💡Tip: We recommend contacting Rosterfy Support to help set up and test custom rules, as an incorrect configuration can block users from completing your forms.
Formatting Guide:
Separate multiple rules using a pipe line symbol, like this: |
Add settings directly after a colon, like this: :
Do not enter rules already available in the standard settings, or the system will reject the update.
Common Examples:
min:18|max:99 (Number field) – Restricts entries to numbers between 18 and 99.
in:VIC,NSW,QLD – Accepts only these exact listed options.
digits:9 – Requires an exact count of 9 numbers.
starts_with:+61 – Ensures the entry begins with +61.
uppercase – Requires all letters to be capitalized.
words:50 (Text field) – Limits the answer to 50 words or fewer.
same_to:custom_email_confirm – Requires the answer to match another specific field (the opposite of Different To).
minimum_age (Date field) – Checks the date of birth against your account's Minimum Age setting and updates automatically as time passes.