How to Create a New Record Type

Welcome to the SoterAI onboarding module on creating a record type. In this video, we'll walk through how to create a new record type and add custom fields.

Understanding Record Types

Record types define the structure of the data you capture in SoterAI. Each record type represents a form, such as an incident report, hazard report, inspection, or audit.

Creating a New Record Type

To create a new record type, navigate to the Records Management section and select the option to create a new record type. From here, you'll see a selection of predefined templates, including hazard reports, incidents, safety audits, and more. These templates come with pre-populated fields specific to each use case, with the option to add custom fields to meet your organization's specific requirements. You also have the option to create a completely custom record type from scratch.

To get started, click Use Now on the record type you want to create. You'll then see all of the default fields included in the record. These fields define the information that will be captured when someone completes the form.

At the bottom of the form, you can select Add Custom Field to include additional details, such as company-specific information or internal tracking fields.

Field Types and Custom Fields

SoterAI supports a wide range of field types, including text fields, long text, dropdowns, dates, checkboxes, multi-select fields, and file uploads. This flexibility allows you to mirror your existing forms exactly — or improve them.

When adding custom fields, you also have the option to include a field description. These descriptions are highly valuable. They guide users on what information should be entered into each field and provide important context to the AI when records are being populated.

Clear field descriptions help the AI better understand what type of information belongs in each field, especially when users are providing input through images, videos, or spoken responses. This results in more accurate, consistent, and structured data capture.

Designing Your Form

When designing your form, think about how each field — and its description — will be used later for reporting, analysis, and Risk Intelligence. Well-defined fields with clear descriptions significantly improve downstream insights and reduce the need for rework.

Once your fields are in place and you're ready to finalize the form, click Create Record Type. The new record type will appear in the left-hand toolbar and on your dashboard, ready to be used to capture records.

By designing record types that reflect how your organization actually works, you turn everyday safety activity into structured data that can drive insight, accountability, and smarter decisions across SoterAI.