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# How to Decide Which Fields Should Be Required
- URL: https://blog.jestor.com/which-fields-should-be-required/
- Published: 2026-09-17T22:34:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-17T22:34:06.000Z
- Author: Bruno Bannach

Deciding **which fields should be required** is a balance. Too few and records arrive incomplete; too many and people enter something arbitrary just to proceed.

## What over-requiring produces

A mandatory field someone cannot answer honestly will be answered dishonestly.

- Placeholder values entered to get past a form
- Guessed data that looks real and is not
- Abandoned submissions when nothing fits
- Data quality worse than if the field had been optional

## A rule for each case

| Field type               | Require it when                                  |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ |
| **Routing field**        | Always — the cost centre determines who approves |
| **ERP-mandated field**   | Always — the entry cannot post without it        |
| **Status**               | Always — a record without one has no state       |
| **Generated identifier** | Never — it fills itself                          |
| **Context field**        | Only when the process genuinely cannot proceed   |

## How to configure it in Jestor

1. Mark as required in **Jestor** every field your **ERP** needs for the entry to post.
2. Make the **cost center** required, since it determines routing.
3. Leave sequential IDs unmarked — they generate automatically on creation.
4. Use conditionals so a field is required only in the cases where it applies.
5. Review blank columns in the table view to find fields nobody is filling.

## Why choose Jestor for data discipline?

**Jestor** lets conditionals control when a field appears at all, which is usually better than making something mandatory for everyone — the question simply does not exist for people it does not apply to.

Scanning the table view for consistently blank columns is the fastest way to find fields that should either be removed or made conditional.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Should a sequential ID be required?

No, it generates automatically. See [jestor.com](https://jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com).

### Can a field be required only sometimes?

Yes, using conditionals tied to another answer.

### How do I find useless fields?

Look for columns that are consistently blank.

## Video Tutorial: Step by Step

Check out other practical tutorials on the Jestor YouTube channel.

## Get to know Jestor

With **Jestor**, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way — all without code and powered by **AI**. Discover Jestor at [jestor.com](https://jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com) and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.