New Custom module or modify contacts module??

[pjamedia]

I have a need to store contact information for at least 2 different types of contact. One contact type requires a bunch of non-standard additional fields, which would be redundant for the other contact types. Lets call this the 'special' contact type.

Do I:

a) add these additional fields to the existing contacts module (and maybe customise this with javascript to hide these additional fields if anything other than my 'special' contact type is selected)?

or

b) develop a new module specifically to store records for my special contact types?

If b, then I would have to do something for Leads also as I plan for a webform submission to create a lead which would have much of the additional 'special' fields included.

Just wondered if anyone more experienced than me could offer any advice and pros/cons of each choice above.

Thanks, Paul

[davidboris]

Hello,

1st option is the pick for me, if I'd ask to do something similar. You can hide/show panels according to your needs and you can categories or separate the contacts easily using search as well.

[pjamedia]

Thanks for the reply. A slight slant on my original question:

Should I bother using the leads module at all? Would it perhaps be better for me to use solely the contacts module, even for potential leads, and add a status to their contact records to suggest its in a pre-contact state?

Cheers, Paul