Custom object instances
Create individual records of a custom object you've defined, and manage them like any other content
Once you've defined a custom object, the records you create from it are called instances. If you've defined a "Sponsor" object, each sponsor you add is a Sponsor instance. The structure is fixed by the object definition; the content of each instance is what you fill in.
Creating an instance
Open the custom object's admin area. The list shows every instance you've created. Add a new one and fill in the fields the object defines.
Each instance has a title you enter, plus the fields the object defines. The title identifies the instance in lists and pickers, and must be unique among instances of that object. Instances save directly; they don't have separate draft and published states or version history, and their fields aren't translated per language.
Referencing an instance from other content
Custom object instances can be referenced from any relationship field that points at the object. Add a "Sponsors" relationship attribute on events, and each event editor gains a picker for choosing sponsor instances.
The same instance can be referenced from as many records as you need. Updating the instance updates everywhere it's used.
Listing instances on your site
Whether and how custom object instances appear on the live site depends on your theme. If the theme exposes blocks that render the object (for example, a "Sponsor wall" block), those blocks will pick up the instances you've created. If the theme doesn't, instances stay internal and only appear via fields they're referenced from.
Smart collections do not currently list custom object instances directly. If you need a dynamic public listing, add the data to a supported content type such as organizations, people, or events, or ask your theme developer to build the listing from the custom object data.