Custom Tables

The article provides a comprehensive guide on creating custom tables in BambooHR to manage employee data effectively. It includes instructions on how to add custom tables through employee profiles or settings, detailing the steps involved in both general and historical layouts. Users can customize table names, columns, and sorting options while ensuring data privacy and compliance. The article emphasizes the importance of granting access to custom tables, as only Full Admin users and Account Owners have automatic access. Additionally, it outlines procedures for editing, archiving, and restoring custom tables. Users are encouraged to reach out to Customer Support for assistance while adhering to specific customization limitations for data security.

  • Jul 8, 2026
  • Knowledge

Title
Custom Tables
Article Text
This feature is included in the Core, Pro, and Elite packages.

Attend our Learning Lab to explore the creation of custom tables in BambooHR, providing you with the flexibility to structure and display employee profile data in a way that best supports your company's needs.

Purpose: To show you how to add a custom table in your BambooHR account.

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Table of Contents

A custom table tracks historical changes or multiple lines of data that are currently relevant to an employee. A custom table can include any of the field types listed here, except for the section header, multiple selection list, and information fields. You can add a custom table through the employee profile or Settings > Custom Fields & Tables.

Need customization ideas? BambooHR offers several customization options for storing your data and creating a system that can help you track the information that is important to your company and your employees. Watch this video for some ideas on what you can track in BambooHR.

Add a custom table

Custom tables can only be added to Personal, Job, Benefits, Training, and custom tabs.

Employee profile

Charlotte Abbott - Personal

On the employee profile, select which tab you want to add a custom table to. On the specified tab, click Customize Layout and then *Add Custom Table from the dropdown menu. 

*If you select Reorder Fields, you will also be able to add a custom table within the Manage Fields & Tables pop-up box.

Please note that custom tables under the Benefits tab in an employee's profile are not visible on the BambooHR mobile app. 

Settings

Custom Fields

Within the Custom Fields & Tables section of Settings, select which tab you want to add a custom table to. On the specified tab, click Add Custom Table or select Custom Table from the +Add dropdown menu.

Custom table builder

Custom Fields

Within the custom tab builder, you will first need to determine if you want the table to store and track information in a general or historical layout. Our Standard vs. Historical Tables help guide has more information about these two table types. After making your selection, click Create a New Table.

General layout
Custom Fields

The General Layout option will open the custom table builder with several settings you can use to create your custom table.

  1. *Table Name: Add a name for the custom table.
  2. Employee Tab: This will tell you which tab on the employee profile the custom table will appear on. If you want to change the tab, simply click Change and select a new tab.
  3. Columns: This section is where you can add as many columns as needed to the custom table. Click Add to create a new column.
    • Name: Each column will have a header name. Add a name for the column.
    • Type: Select which field type should the column be (e.g., Date, Multiple Answers, etc.). Then, click Done to save the new column.
  4. Sort by: The two dropdown menus will allow you to determine how you want information sorted in the custom table. Options in first the dropdown menu will include any of the columns you added. Depending on the column you select, determine in which order the information should be sorted—A to Z, Z to A, Oldest first, or Newest first.
  5. Preview: A preview of the custom table will appear next to the settings. This feature dynamically updates to reflect any changes or additions you make in the custom field builder. Please note that the data displayed is solely for preview purposes and will not appear once you publish the custom table.
  6. Acknowledgment: It is important to acknowledge your responsibility in creating the custom table by ensuring that it is not a duplicate, privacy issue, or legal no-no. If you have more questions, please reach out to our Customer Support team.
  7. Save: Once all the table settings look correct, click Save to add the custom table. Your employees will not have automatic access to the table, allowing you to determine who can view the table information through access level settings.

*Please note the system will prevent the addition of a custom table that has the same name as an existing standard or custom table in your account.

Historical layout

If using the Historical Layout option, two settings will be different from the General Layout option—Columns and Sort By. The Columns section will automatically add a date column since the table will sort information in chronological order. Because of its default setting, you cannot delete the date column, but you can edit the column name. Sort By only provides the option to sort information by Oldest first or Newest first based on dates entered in the custom table.

The following are more settings you can use to create your custom table. 

  1. *Table Name: Add a name for the custom table.
  2. Employee Tab: This will tell you which tab on the employee profile the custom table will appear on. If you want to change the tab, simply click Change and select a new tab.
  3. *Columns: This section is where you can add as many columns as needed to the custom table. Click Add to create a new column.
    1. Name: Each column will have a header name. Add a name for the column.
    2. Type: Select which field type should the column be (e.g., Date, Multiple Answers, etc.). Then, click Done to save the new column.
  4. Sort by: The two dropdown menus will allow you to determine how you want information sorted in the custom table. Since you are creating a historical table, the only options in the first dropdown menu will be date columns. In the next dropdown menu, determine in which order the information should be sorted—Oldest first or Newest first.
  5. Preview: A preview of the custom table will appear next to the settings. This feature dynamically updates to reflect any changes or additions you make in the custom field builder. Please note that the data displayed is solely for preview purposes and will not appear once you publish the custom table.
  6. Acknowledgment: It is important to acknowledge your responsibility in creating the custom table by ensuring that it is not a duplicate, privacy issue, or legal no-no. If you have more questions, please reach out to our Customer Support team.
  7. Save: Once all the table settings look correct, click Save to add the custom table. Your employees will not have automatic access to the table, allowing you to determine who can view the table information through access level settings.

*Please note the system will prevent the addition of a custom table that has the same name as an existing standard or custom table in your account.

Grant access to a custom table

Once you add a custom table, it will not be automatically visible to employees. The only users who have automatic access are Full Admin users and Account Owners. If you need to grant users access to the table, navigate to the specific access level in Settings > Access Levels. From there, click on the gear icon on the right and then select Access Level Settings.

Under "See about Themselves," find the custom table under its applicable tab. Depending on the access level you are viewing, access options include No Access, View Only, Edit—Approval Required, and Edit. 

In the example above, I added a custom table named "Certifications" to the Job tab, and it is automatically set to No Access for employee access level users. I can either edit users' access to the whole table or specific fields within the table. 

Edit or archive a custom table

To edit or archive a custom table, navigate to Custom Fields & Tables and select the tab with the custom table. Then, hover your cursor over the table name to view two options.

1. Edit

Click on the pencil icon to open the custom table builder for editing.

If you want to delete a column that has data stored, a warning message will appear. Deleting a column from a custom table will erase all associated data for that column. Once you proceed with the deletion, data will be rendered irrecoverable. You must confirm the deletion by typing Delete and then clicking Yes, Delete [Column Name]. 

A dialog box will appear if you edit a list of options with associated data within a column. The highlighted number next to a list option indicates how many employees have it assigned to them. In the example above, one employee has the list option "Project Management" assigned to them in the Certifications table on their employee profile. 

Within the dialog box, the system will ask you if you want to change the list name from this point and forward it in BambooHR, preserving the history OR change the list name everywhere in BambooHR, including the history. Before you determine this setting, we highly recommend reviewing this help guide for more information.

2. Archive

Archiving a custom table will remove the table from anywhere it appears, but all of its data will be saved in your account. Click on the file box to archive the custom table. You will need to confirm the action by clicking Yes, Archive this Custom Table. For how to restore an archived table, please review the following section.

Restore a custom table

Click Restore Archived Fields in the top right corner. Then, select the custom table, specify the tab, and then click Restore Fields.

We encourage you to create your own custom tables in BambooHR, tailoring your account to meet your company's needs. Our Customer Support team is available to answer questions, guide you through the process, or provide assistance as needed. However, please be aware there are certain customizations we do not support, as they may compromise user experience or data security. These include:

  • Usernames and passwords
  • Full credit card numbers
    • We only store the last four digits.
  • Bank PIN
  • Custom Social Security or personal identifying numbers
  • Custom Time & Attendance tabs and fields
  • Custom Performance tabs and fields
  • Custom development work
    • BambooHR does not provide custom development work to modify your account.
  • Editing existing standard fields and tables
    • These must remain consistent for filtering purposes.
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