Add my custom attribute to customer object in Magento (1.7.x) - magento

Question

I have created an custom attribute using the Magento installer script below:
$installer = new Mage_Eav_Model_Entity_Setup();
$installer->startSetup();
$installer->addAttribute('customer', 'organisation_id', array(
'input' => 'select', //or select or whatever you like
'type' => 'int', //or varchar or anything you want it
'label' => 'Organisation ID',
'visible' => 1,
'required' => 0, //mandatory? then 1
'user_defined' => 1,
'global' => Mage_Catalog_Model_Resource_Eav_Attribute::SCOPE_STORE,
));
$installer->endSetup();
On the onepage checkout screen I have a dropdown where a customer selects an organisation from a dropdown menu - once they click the 'Continue' button it posts an ajax request and goes to the next step 'Billing' e.g the post request looks like this..
org[organisation_id] - 12345
org[name] - ACME Inc
My function that deals with this is follows - can anyone assist how to add this to the customer & order object?
public function saveOrgAction()
{
if ($this->_expireAjax()) {
return;
}
if ($this->getRequest()->isPost()) {
$data = $this->getRequest()->getPost('org', array());
// todo:hook up saving the org id passed here to customer & order object
// UPDATE... I believe this is correct?
$customer = Mage::getSingleton('customer/session')->getCustomer(); // get customer object
$customer->setOrganisationId($org_id)->save();
if (!isset($result['error'])) {
$result['goto_section'] = 'billing';
}
$this->getResponse()->setBody(Mage::helper('core')->jsonEncode($result));
}
}
What is the best way to add this 'organisation_id' attribute to the customer object (note I am using Magento 1.7.2)

Answer 1

$customer->setOrganisationId('123')->save();
if you need it in the order you have to set it in the current quote object
via
$quote->setOrganisationId('123');
and use this explanation to push the attribute automatically through quote to order conversion. But dont forget to create the correct labled column in sales_flat_order!
explanation how to push any attribute automatically through quote to order conversion