Why are we talking about customisation instead of importing?

You might be wondering, “Why aren’t we importing the data yet?” Good question!

When you were adding your data to the Beacon standard templates, you may have found some information that doesn’t fit into the default fields in Beacon. That’s totally normal — Beacon is designed to be flexible, because every organisation is different.

Before we can import your data, we need to make sure there’s a proper place for every important data point you want to bring over. That’s where customisation comes in.

Switching CRMs is kind of like moving into a new home.

You’ve got old furniture (your data) that you know will fit in some rooms (standard Beacon fields), like your sofa in the living room.

But you might also have some unusual pieces that don’t fit anywhere yet. Instead of moving in now and dealing with it later (which would mean extra effort), it’s better to set everything up now so it fits from day one.

That’s why we customise Beacon — to create the space your data needs.

It’s easy to add new fields in Beacon, but that doesn’t mean you should add lots of them.

Before you add a custom field, ask:

Customisation is a great time to rethink how you work.

Instead of replicating your old system exactly, ask:
​“What will make our work easier moving forward?”

That mindset will help you build a system that’s clearer, simpler, and more useful for your whole team.

Now that you understand why and how to customise Beacon, you’re ready to set up any custom fields you need — then you’ll be all set to import your data.