  Magnetic fields are essential ingredients of many physical processes in the
interiors and envelopes of cool stars. Yet their direct detection and
characterisation is notoriously difficult, requiring high-quality observations
and advanced analysis techniques. Significant progress has been recently
achieved by several types of direct magnetic field studies on the surfaces of
cool active stars. In particular, complementary techniques of the field
topology mapping with polarisation data and total magnetic flux measurements
from intensity spectra have been systematically applied to different classes of
active stars leading to interesting and occasionally controversial results. In
this paper we summarise the current status of direct magnetic field studies of
cool stars, and investigations of surface inhomogeneities caused by the field,
based on the material presented at the Cool Stars 19 splinter session.
