Introduction
The custom field changed trigger fires when the value of a selected custom field is updated on a device. Use it to react to data changes in your environment — when a field that tracks a device's state changes, an automation runs automatically.
Common examples:
A Managed field (true/false) flips to true → automation runs your full onboarding sequence: applies tags, installs software, enrolls in monitoring
A Client Tier field changes → automation adjusts the device's group membership or applied tags to match the new tier
A Compliance Status field is updated → automation triggers a remediation script
This pairs naturally with tag-based workflows: a custom field change can apply a tag, and that tag fires a second automation. The custom field becomes the upstream signal; tags and automations handle the rest.
ℹ️ NOTE: Adding non-manual triggers requires either admin status or a role with the Manage automations permission. If you can see the automation but can't add triggers, check your role's permissions with your admin. See Workspace → Permissions for details.
Custom Field Changed Trigger
Step Configuration
Select the custom field this trigger watches. The trigger fires whenever that field's value changes on any device that matches the condition.
Click the Custom field dropdown.
Select the field you want to watch.
The dropdown is populated from your org's custom fields. If the field you need doesn't exist yet, create it first in Workspace → Custom Fields, then return here.
ℹ️ NOTE: This trigger watches a single field per trigger. To watch multiple fields, add multiple triggers — one per field.
Condition
You must select a condition to save the trigger. Choose All devices to fire for any device where the field changes, or narrow the scope with a Group, Tag, or Platform condition.
For the full condition reference, see Trigger Conditions.
Additional Options
Expand Additional options to set an optional Trigger name and toggle the trigger on or off with the Enabled switch.
Trigger name — Replaces the default label on the pipeline trigger card.
Enabled — When off, the trigger won't fire. In-progress runs are unaffected.
Using Custom Fields as Automation Signals
Custom fields are more than storage. When paired with this trigger, a field becomes a control signal: updating it from anywhere — manually, via the API, or from another automation — can kick off a full workflow.
This is especially useful when an external system drives device state. If your PSA or documentation tool pushes data into Level via the API, a custom field update becomes the bridge between that external change and an automated response inside Level.
💡 TIP: Use a boolean (true/false) custom field as a managed status flag. When it flips to true, the automation onboards the device. Pair with the Tag Applied Trigger to build a multi-stage workflow — field change applies a tag, tag fires the next automation.
For more on custom fields, see Workspace → Custom Fields.
FAQ
Does this trigger fire when a field is first populated, or only on subsequent changes? It fires on any change that happens after the trigger is added — including setting a value on a previously empty field. Changes that occurred before the trigger existed are not retroactively evaluated.
Can I trigger based on a specific value — for example, only when the field changes to "true"? Not at the trigger level — the trigger fires on any change to the field. To act only on a specific value, use action conditions in the downstream actions. Action conditions let you filter by custom field value (for example, "Managed contains true") so an action only runs when the field holds the value you're looking for.
What if the field is changed by another automation? The trigger fires regardless of what caused the change — a technician editing the field manually, a bulk update, or another automation setting the field as an action.
Who can add or edit triggers on an automation? Admin users can always add triggers. Non-admin users need the Manage automations permission on their role, plus access to the automation's group. If an automation has no triggers yet, any user with group access can add the first one.