Corporations operate differently and, therefore, have different information management needs. You can use the Custom Fields form to configure custom fields that store information specific to your corporation in the database. For example, your corporation may want to track a corporation ID number for managing environmental information. You could set up a field called "Corporation ID Number" using custom fields.
For additional instruction on custom fields, click the following links or use the scroll bar to scan the page.
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When you configure custom fields, a column is added to an existing Essential table to accommodate the data you want to store. Please note that only users with the appropriate privileges will have access to this tool; see your system administrator for security permissions.
Table name—identify the table for storing your data. The list of available tables corresponds to the Essential forms where custom fields can be added, such as the Material form.
Field name—type a name for the custom field that should be used by the database. Note that the field name must be valid for your database, which means you cannot use spaces or reserved words.
Field label—type the label that you want to appear on the form for the custom field. The label should describe the information that must be entered, such as "Corporation ID Number".
Data Type—determine the format of the information that can be entered in the custom field. Select one of the five types of data that can be stored in a custom field:
Text Only - accepts letters, not numbers.
Date/time - Only accepts entries in a valid date and time format.
Numeric integer - Only accepts entries that are whole numbers.
Numeric float - Only accepts entries that are either whole numbers or decimals.
Logical Only - accepts a yes or no answer. (Appears as a check box when entering data.)
Size—for text fields, the maximum number of characters that can be entered in the field must be specified. The size must be between 1 and 255.
Order—specify the order number that represents the custom field's position in a list of custom fields on the form, such as 1 for first, 2 for second, 3 for third, etc.
Units—for fields with numeric entries, select the units of measure in which values will be entered.
Both required and optional custom fields can be configured. If the field must be completed, click the Required check box. Then, if a user does not enter data in this field, a message will appear when the Save command is executed warning the user that the field requires an entry.
When necessary, a custom field column can be deleted from the table after it has been added. The field and field label for that custom field will no longer be displayed on the data entry form. Or you can just click the Inactive check box to prevent user entries in the field and retain the custom field's historical data in your database.
Because each entity within your enterprise can operate differently, entity access can be assigned to each custom field in the Properties section of the Custom Fields form. For example, to track a Gulf Coast ID number that applies only to your Gulf Coast entities, configure a custom field for the ID number and assign it an Entity Access profile that allows just the applicable entities to view, add, or modify information for the field.
Validation criteria can also be defined for your custom fields in the Validation Status section of the Custom Fields form. If the custom field is a number, an upper and lower range of values for the field can be specified. If the custom field needs to provide the user with a list of values for data entry, set up a list of valid options. Validation is not available for custom fields assigned Logical Only data types.
Tip: Verify the custom field's data type and field size for
a Text Only data type before saving; no changes can be made and applied
to the database for the data type and size after the custom field record
is initially saved.
Click Tools
> Custom Fields > Custom Fields in the Navigation
Tree.
The Custom Fields list appears.
Locate the database table and click the description link to open the Custom Fields form.
Click New to add a new custom field and enter the Field Name. Otherwise, select the Field Name from the list to modify an existing custom field.
Enter the Field Label that should appear on the form for the custom field.
Click the Inactive
and Required check boxes when
applicable.
The field will not be displayed when the Inactive
check box is selected.
Select the Data Type from the list.
Note:
The data type cannot be changed after the custom field record
is initially saved.
Use the following guidelines to determine the maximum number of characters (up to 255) the custom field should accept and enter the number in the Size field for Text Only data types. Otherwise, skip to step 8.
The length entered here represents the column width in the table; it cannot be increased after the custom field record is initially saved. Edits to subsequently increase the length in the Size field will not be applied to the table column.
The maximum number of characters allowed is 255.
The size includes the maximum number of characters you can enter for each validation list item.
Enter the Order Number that represents the custom field's position in a list of custom fields on the data entry form.
Select a Unit
of measure from the list when configuring a numeric custom field.
If the applicable unit of measure is not listed, click the Ellipsis
button and add it.
Verify the custom field's data type and field size for a Text Only data type before saving; no changes can be made and applied to the database for the Data Type and Size fields after the custom field record is initially saved.
Click the Save
button on the form.
The Properties and Validation
Status sections are displayed for all data types, except for
the Logical data type custom field. Validation is not applicable for
Logical data types, so just the Properties
section appears.
Add information in the Properties section and the Validation Status section when applicable. Validation is not available for Logical data type custom fields.
Click the Save
button on the form.
A Custom Fields section that
contains the custom field is added to the data entry form identified
in the Table field. The Custom Fields section does not appear
on a data entry form if there are no custom fields established or
if all custom fields have been designated Inactive.
Assign entity access for a custom field in the Properties section on the Custom Fields form. Select an entity profile to only allow users that are assigned to that profile access to the custom field. Comments about the custom field can also be entered in this section.
To assign properties
Locate the table on the Custom Fields list, click the description link to open the Custom Fields form, and expand the Properties section if necessary.
Click the Entity Access check box.
Select an Entity Profile from the list.
Type any notes about the custom field in the Comment field.
Click the Save button on the form.
As a default, no limitations are placed on the information that can be entered into a custom field as long as the entry fits the format, such as for a date and time. However, limitations can be placed on the custom fields in the Validation Status section on the Custom Fields form. Specify that a numeric value must be within a certain range, and if a user tries to save a value that falls outside of the range, an error message will appear. Or, set up a pre-defined validation list so that only one of the values from the list can be selected for the field.
The options available for validating a custom field depend on its data type. A summary of the options is shown below.
Data Type |
Options |
Text |
Validation List, None |
Date/Time |
Validation List, None |
Numeric Integer |
Validation List, Validation Range, None |
Numeric Float |
Validation List, Validation Range, None |
Note:
Validation does not apply to Logical data type custom fields.
Consequently, the Validation Status
section is not displayed.
To add validation criteria
Locate the table on the Custom Fields list, click the description link to open the Custom Fields form, and expand the Validation Status section if necessary.
Define a range of valid values for a numeric field by selecting the Validation Range option and entering the Lower Value and Upper Value.
Define a pre-set list of values for the custom field by selecting the Validation List option and clicking Add Validation List. Otherwise skip to step 8.
Enter a value for the list in the Validation Name field.
Type the Order number that represents the validation name's position in the list, such as 1 for first, 2 for second, etc.
Click OK.
The validation information is displayed as a line item in the Validation Status section. Edit
existing validation names and order numbers using the buttons adjacent
to the line item.
Add other validation names by clicking Add Validation List and repeating steps 4 through 6.
Click the Save button the form.
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