diff --git a/back/backend/migrations/0006_auto_20190213_2113.py b/back/backend/migrations/0006_auto_20190213_2113.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f472fa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/back/backend/migrations/0006_auto_20190213_2113.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Generated by Django 2.1.5 on 2019-02-14 05:13
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('backend', '0005_field_field_name'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='field',
+            name='data_date',
+            field=models.DateField(blank=True, null=True),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/back/backend/migrations/0007_merge_20190213_2318.py b/back/backend/migrations/0007_merge_20190213_2318.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa0cb2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/back/backend/migrations/0007_merge_20190213_2318.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Generated by Django 2.1.5 on 2019-02-14 07:18
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('backend', '0006_auto_20190213_1719'),
+        ('backend', '0006_auto_20190213_2113'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+    ]
diff --git a/back/backend/models.py b/back/backend/models.py
index 33caa60..0ab711a 100644
--- a/back/backend/models.py
+++ b/back/backend/models.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class Field(models.Model):
     completed = models.BooleanField(default=False)
     data_bool = models.BooleanField(default=False)
     data_decimal = models.DecimalField(max_digits=9, decimal_places=2, null=True, blank=True)
-    data_date = models.DateField(default=datetime.date.today)
+    data_date = models.DateField(null=True, blank=True)
     data_file = models.FileField(upload_to='uploads/%Y/%m/%d/', max_length=512, null=True, blank=True)
     data_string = models.TextField(default='', blank=True)
     data_integer = models.IntegerField(default=0, blank=True)
diff --git a/back/backend/views.py b/back/backend/views.py
index 069aab3..04fc6dd 100644
--- a/back/backend/views.py
+++ b/back/backend/views.py
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ def get_fields(s_id):
             "label": i.label,
             "field_type": i.field_type,
             "number": i.number,
-            "value": value
+            "value": value,
+            "id": i.id,
         }
         # append the fields to array
         # use copy() to avoid overwriting
@@ -154,21 +155,62 @@ def report_detail(request, report_pk):
 # update a section with new data
 @api_view(['PUT'])
 def section(request, report_pk, section_pk):
-    
-    """ original stub
-    data = {
-        "message": "Updated report {0}, section {1}.".format(report_pk, section_pk),
-        "fields": {
-            "international": True,
-            "travel_date": "2012-04-23T18:25:43.511Z",
-            "fare": "1024.99",
-            "lowest_fare_screenshot": "image",
-        }
-    }
-    """
+
+    for key in request.data:
+        # get the matching field object
+        update = Field.objects.get(section_id=section_pk, field_name=key)
+
+        if update.field_type == "boolean":
+            # flight check
+            if request.data[key] == "on":
+                update.data_bool = True
+            elif request.data[key] == "off":
+                update.data_bool = False
+            # everything else
+            else:
+                update.data_bool = request.data[key]
+
+        if update.field_type == "decimal":
+            # initialize to 0
+            if (
+                    request.data[key] == "" or
+                    request.data[key] is None
+            ):
+                update.data_decimal = 0.0
+            else:
+                update.data_decimal = request.data[key]
+
+        if update.field_type == "date":
+            # initialize to today's date
+            if (
+                    request.data[key] == "" or
+                    request.data[key] is None
+            ):
+                update.data_date = None
+            else:
+                update.data_date = request.data[key]
+
+        if update.field_type == "file":
+            update.data_file = request.data[key]
+
+        if update.field_type == "string":
+            update.data_string = request.data[key]
+
+        if update.field_type == "integer":
+            # initialize to 0
+            if (
+                    request.data[key] == "" or
+                    request.data[key] is None
+            ):
+                update.data_integer = 0
+            else:
+                update.data_integer = request.data[key]
+
+        update.save()
 
     data = {
         "message": "Updated report {0}, section {1}.".format(report_pk, section_pk),
+        "request_data": request.data
     }
-
     return JsonResponse(data)
+
diff --git a/back/db.sqlite3 b/back/db.sqlite3
index 52e2ecd..df940de 100644
Binary files a/back/db.sqlite3 and b/back/db.sqlite3 differ