Supported Field Type Conversions

When you edit a custom field and change the field type, the data that you have previously entered in that field is preserved whenever possible.

If you change the field type to a fundamentally different field type, existing data you had entered in that field is deleted. A warning message displays when you make a change. For example, changing a phone number field to a rich text field would preserve your data, whereas changing a date/time field to a check box field would not.

If you change the source list for a list/record field or a multiple select field, existing data in that field is not preserved. A warning message displays when you make a change.

Some types of conversions, such as a rich text field to another field type are not possible.

The following table lists supported field type conversions only.

From Field Type	To Field Type	Notes
Decimal Number Percent Currency	Integer Number	Value rounded to 0 decimal numbers.
Decimal Number Percent	Currency	Value rounded to 2 decimal numbers.
Integer	Decimal Currency Percent	Converted without change.
Currency	Decimal Currency Percent	Converted without change.
Decimal	Percent	Converted without change.
Percent	Decimal	Converted without change.
Check Box Currency Date Date/Time Decimal Number Email Address Free-Form Text Help Hyperlink Inline HTML Integer Number Password Percent Phone Number Text Area Time of Day	Free-Form Text Text Area	Check Box is converted as follows: Checked is converted to T Cleared is converted to F
Select	Multiple Select	List/Record type field remains unchanged. For example, you cannot change from Account to Customer.
Text Text Area	Rich Text Long Text	Converted without change.
Date	Date/Time	Date/Time is the date and time in the user’s current time zone and is converted.

From Field Type

To Field Type

Notes

Decimal Number
Percent
Currency

Integer Number

Value rounded to 0 decimal numbers.

Decimal Number
Percent

Currency

Value rounded to 2 decimal numbers.

Integer

Decimal
Currency
Percent

Converted without change.

Currency

Decimal
Currency
Percent

Converted without change.

Decimal

Percent

Converted without change.

Percent

Decimal

Converted without change.

Check Box
Currency
Date
Date/Time
Decimal Number
Email Address
Free-Form Text
Help
Hyperlink
Inline HTML
Integer Number
Password
Percent
Phone Number
Text Area
Time of Day

Free-Form Text
Text Area

Check Box is converted as follows:

Checked is converted to T
Cleared is converted to F

Select

Multiple Select

List/Record type field remains unchanged. For example, you cannot change from Account to Customer.

Text
Text Area

Rich Text
Long Text

Converted without change.

Date

Date/Time

Date/Time is the date and time in the user’s current time zone and is converted.

For information about the available field types in NetSuite, see Field Type Descriptions for Custom Fields.

Related Topics