# Custom Topic Fields
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-topic-fields/363861
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [April 28, 2025, 7:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-topic-fields/363861 "2025-04-28T19:42:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DonBot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DonBot)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2025, 7:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-topic-fields/363861/1 "2025-04-28T19:42:49Z")
How can I add custom topic fields that show up on the topics page?
How can I add multiple choice fields that can be filtered on the sidebar?
Ex.
Creating a topic it asks:
What operating system are you using? (Multiple choice between iOS, Android, and Windows)
Please list all the troubleshooting steps you tried. (Text area for them to list)
On the topics page it shows both their answers
On the sidebar of the list topics page, you can filter posts by the selected operating system.
Is there a built in feature or plugin that can assist with this?
Thanks
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-topic-fields/363861/3 "2025-04-28T20:19:04Z")
> [@DonBot](#):
>
> you can filter posts by the selected operating system.
Tags are how to do that. You can have tag groups and have it be required to select a tag from an OS group.
See also [Using topic templates for categories](https://meta.discourse.org/t/using-topic-templates-for-categories/38295)
If you really want to use custom fields, you’d need to write plugin.
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### Author:  [@ondrej](https://meta.discourse.org/u/ondrej)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-topic-fields/363861/4 "2025-04-28T20:19:15Z")
Hey @DonBot
> [@DonBot](#):
>
> Creating a topic it asks:
> What operating system are you using? (Multiple choice between iOS, Android, and Windows)
You can use Form templates for topics
> [@Introducing Form Templates](https://meta.discourse.org/t/introducing-experimental-form-templates/278631):
>
> star This feature is no longer experimental! Go here to learn more about the feature and how to use it in your community: [Creating form templates](https://meta.discourse.org/t/creating-form-templates/397564) Hello, Discourse Meta Community! We are excited to introduce a new experimental feature, form templates. With it, you can enforce a structured form with data validation as part of the topic creation flow. [multiple\_form\_templates] Enabling the feature The feature is hidden behind a site-wide experimental flag. To enable it, just turn on the exp…
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### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2025, 10:50pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-topic-fields/363861/5 "2025-04-28T22:50:54Z")
I think for example with the OS tag you could maybe use Automation Autotag possibly to tag a help topic to add the OS tag
In Category settings I believe you can also add a base template for the reply. As mentioned Form Templates can work fairly well for this.
This plugin may also be of use
> [@Discourse Preset Topic Composer](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-preset-topic-composer/311174):
>
> discourse2Summary Add presets to your new topic buttonhammer_and_wrenchRepository Link [GitHub - discourse/discourse-preset-topic-composer: preset composer · GitHub](https://github.com/discourse/discourse-preset-topic-composer)open_bookInstall Guide [How to install plugins in Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/t/install-plugins-in-discourse/19157)Features It adds presets to new topic button. Here are a few images of the plugin in action: The new topic button has two presets in this example: new question and new event I’ve selected new question for…