You can read about custom fields here . If you need this to be an input field, you should add a Persistent field whereas if you are fetching it from another entity, you should use a read-only reference field.
This is usually because you have made a change and the screen needs refreshed or you should exit out and restart the IFS session. Often when the other user or process lock occurs, it is with your own current session. As long as you know there is no other user who could be using the field, it is most likely just your session.
Even after publishing, you often have to restart IFS to see the field even with your own login.