---
key: choose-where-work-order-fields-appear
title: Choose where work order fields appear
audience: staff
section: settings
routes: ["/settings/org/record-surfaces"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Pick which optional sections and custom fields show when a work order is created from the Schedule, on its full edit page and on its own page, and which hide when empty.
keywords: [work order layout, hide section, custom fields on work order, required field, job form]
related: [create-a-custom-field, create-a-work-order, find-a-setting]
---

In the sidebar, open **Settings**, then choose **Work Order Layout** under **Jobs & Booking**. The page address is `/settings/org/record-surfaces`.

The page sets which optional blocks and custom fields show in three places: the drawer that creates a work order from the Schedule, the full edit page, and the work order's own page. Each place has its own settings.

## Before you start

- Changing the page needs permission to change organization settings. Choosing custom fields also needs permission to see custom fields.
- Whether a custom field is required is set on the field itself, on the **Custom Fields** page, not here. See [[create-a-custom-field]].

## Steps

1. In the second card, pick the place to change: **Create & schedule**, **Full editor** or **Detail view**.
2. Under **Native sections**, tick or untick **Enabled** for each optional block, such as **Project link** or **Service Assets**. Tick **Hide when empty** for any that should disappear when they have nothing in them.
3. Under **Custom fields**, choose a **Default mode**: **All visible fields**, **Selected fields only**, or **Hide by default**.
4. If you chose **Selected fields only**, tick the fields to show under **Selected work-order fields**.
5. Tick **Hide the section when no custom fields resolve onto this surface** if the custom fields area should disappear when it has nothing to show.
6. Pick another place at the top and repeat, if needed.
7. Check **Resolved preview** on the right, then press **Save surface settings**. One save covers all three places, and Nova confirms with **Record surface settings updated.**

**Reset** throws away the changes you have not saved. Leaving the page without saving also throws them away; Nova does not ask first.

## What you see

- On **Create & schedule**, a required custom field is always ticked and reads **Required on Create & schedule**. You cannot hide it there, so **Hide by default** is greyed out.
- A field set to always show or always hide on the **Custom Fields** page keeps that setting whatever you pick here. Its row says so.
- Some blocks, such as **Project link** and **Assignments**, are controls rather than information, so **Hide when empty** cannot be ticked for them.

## If something looks different

- **Save surface settings** stays greyed out and an amber note says a required custom field is hidden from **Create & schedule**: choose a mode that shows it, or change that field's own setting on the **Custom Fields** page.
- **No work-order custom fields currently resolve onto this surface.**: no work order custom fields exist yet, or the mode you chose hides them all. Create fields with **Open Custom Fields**.
- A note says you are in read-only mode: your role cannot change organization settings.

[[route:/settings/org/record-surfaces|Open Work Order Layout]]