diff --git a/crudkit/core/service.py b/crudkit/core/service.py
index bf4444a..23c096e 100644
--- a/crudkit/core/service.py
+++ b/crudkit/core/service.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from typing import Type, TypeVar, Generic, Optional
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Load, Session, raiseload, with_polymorphic
+from sqlalchemy.orm.attributes import InstrumentedAttribute
 from sqlalchemy import inspect, text
 from crudkit.core.base import Version
 from crudkit.core.spec import CRUDSpec
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ class CRUDService(Generic[T]):
         query, root_alias = self.get_query()
 
         root_fields = []
+        root_field_names = {}
         rel_field_names = {}
 
         if params:
@@ -77,10 +79,11 @@ class CRUDService(Generic[T]):
                 )
 
             if params:
-                root_fields, rel_field_names = spec.parse_fields()
+                root_fields, rel_field_names, root_field_names = spec.parse_fields()
 
-            if root_fields:
-                query = query.options(Load(root_alias).load_only(*root_fields))
+            only_cols = [c for c in root_fields if isinstance(c, InstrumentedAttribute)]
+            if only_cols:
+                query = query.options(Load(root_alias).load_only(*only_cols))
 
             for eager in spec.get_eager_loads(root_alias, fields_map=rel_field_names):
                 query = query.options(eager)
@@ -105,6 +108,8 @@ class CRUDService(Generic[T]):
         rows = query.all()
 
         proj = []
+        if root_field_names:
+            proj.extend(root_field_names)
         if root_fields:
             proj.extend(c.key for c in root_fields)
         for path, names in (rel_field_names or {}).items():
diff --git a/crudkit/core/spec.py b/crudkit/core/spec.py
index 97dcacf..9c0e53b 100644
--- a/crudkit/core/spec.py
+++ b/crudkit/core/spec.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ class CRUDSpec:
         """
         raw = self.params.get('fields')
         if not raw:
-            return [], {}
+            return [], {}, {}
 
         if isinstance(raw, list):
             tokens = []
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ class CRUDSpec:
             tokens = [p.strip() for p in str(raw).split(',') if p.strip()]
 
         root_fields: List[InstrumentedAttribute] = []
+        root_field_names: list[str] = []
         rel_field_names: Dict[Tuple[str, ...], List[str]] = {}
 
         for token in tokens:
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@ class CRUDSpec:
                 self.eager_paths.add(join_path)
             else:
                 root_fields.append(col)
+                root_field_names.append(getattr(col, "key", token))
 
         seen = set()
         root_fields = [c for c in root_fields if not (c.key in seen or seen.add(c.key))]
@@ -151,7 +153,7 @@ class CRUDSpec:
 
         self._root_fields = root_fields
         self._rel_field_names = rel_field_names
-        return root_fields, rel_field_names
+        return root_fields, rel_field_names, root_field_names
 
     def get_eager_loads(self, root_alias, *, fields_map=None):
         loads = []
diff --git a/inventory/models/user.py b/inventory/models/user.py
index 0a701e7..0b09c0d 100644
--- a/inventory/models/user.py
+++ b/inventory/models/user.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from typing import List, Optional, TYPE_CHECKING
 
-from sqlalchemy import Boolean, Integer, ForeignKey, Unicode
+from sqlalchemy import Boolean, Integer, ForeignKey, Unicode, func
+from sqlalchemy.ext.hybrid import hybrid_property
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Mapped, mapped_column, relationship
 from sqlalchemy.sql import expression as sql
 
@@ -37,3 +38,11 @@ class User(Base, CRUDMixin):
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return f"<User(id={self.id}, first_name={repr(self.first_name)}, last_name={repr(self.last_name)})>"
+
+    @hybrid_property
+    def label(self):
+        return f"{self.first_name} {self.last_name}"
+
+    @label.expression
+    def label(cls):
+        return func.concat(cls.first_name, " ", cls.last_name)
diff --git a/inventory/routes/index.py b/inventory/routes/index.py
index f272133..6feb6ab 100644
--- a/inventory/routes/index.py
+++ b/inventory/routes/index.py
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ def init_index_routes(app):
             "complete__ne": 1,
             "fields": [
                 "start_time",
-                "contact.last_name",
-                "contact.first_name",
+                "contact.label",
                 "work_item.label",
                 "work_item.device_type.description"
             ],
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ def init_index_routes(app):
 
         columns = [
             {"field": "start_time", "label": "Start", "format": "date"},
-            {"field": "contact.last_name", "label": "Contact",
+            {"field": "contact.label", "label": "Contact",
              "link": {"endpoint": "user.get_item", "params": {"id": "{contact.id}"}}},
             {"field": "work_item.label", "label": "Work Item",
              "link": {"endpoint": "inventory.get_item", "params": {"id": "{work_item.id}"}}},