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What is the difference between Dynamic Fields and Static Fields?
What is the difference between Dynamic Fields and Static Fields?

Meta fields and Custom fields

Danny Allen avatar
Written by Danny Allen
Updated over a week ago

When it comes to creating and managing digital passes, such as coupons, loyalty cards, or event tickets, PassKit offers a wide range of customization options to suit your specific needs.

Two key elements that play a pivotal role in pass design are Dynamic Fields and Static Fields.

Understanding the differences between these two types of fields is crucial to creating passes that effectively engage and interact with your customers. In this guide, we will break down the distinctions between Dynamic and Static Fields, helping you make informed decisions when crafting your passes with PassKit.

Dynamic Fields:

Dynamic Fields are the dynamic, data-driven components of a pass. These fields allow you to personalize passes with real-time, up-to-date information and unique information pertaining to the pass holder.

For example, if you're creating a loyalty card for a coffee shop, you can use Dynamic Fields to display the customer's current points balance or the next available reward.

The data for Dynamic Fields is typically sourced from data you collected when the pass was issued (for example using the enrolment form), your database, API or Zapier. Passholders always have access to the most relevant and current information. This real-time data syncing makes passes more engaging and useful for your customers, as it keeps them informed and incentivized to interact with your business.

Static Fields:

On the other hand, Static Fields are, as the name suggests, unchanging and predefined elements within a pass. These fields are perfect for displaying fixed information that either doesn't need to be updated frequently or updated with information that is the same for all passholders.

Static Fields are ideal for holding details like the general terms and conditions, your business address and contact details, things that remain constant throughout a pass's lifecycle.

By using Static Fields, you can maintain a consistent and professional look for your passes while ensuring that critical information remains readily available to passholders. While Static Fields may not change over time, they provide essential context and branding that reinforces your business identity to your customers.

Using Static and Dynamic fields:

Most fields in the "Advanced Fields" section are dynamic fields, apart from a couple which are static.

However, if you want to add your own custom fields this is possible from the "Add Custom Field" section.

New Static Field - This will add a new static field to your design. Static fields have a Field Key that begins with "custom."

Example - custom.newField

New Dynamic Field - This will add a new dynamic (meta) field to your design. Dynamic fields have a Field Key that begins with "meta."

Example - meta.newField

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