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Custom Fields
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Custom Fields
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Custom Fields
You can customize many objects in the application by adding new data fields. Custom fields allows you to store additional information with an object, such as a text string, a date, a file attachment or any other value as needed for your business-specific requirements. You can manage custom fields for objects from the "Manage Custom Fields" link on the options menu on the page that lists the objects. For instance, to manage Employee custom fields you go to the Employees page, click the options menu (the small triangle to the top-right of the employee list) and choose "Manage Custom Fields". If you do not see this you may not have management permissions for this type of object - check your Permission Level in your employee profile to verify that you have the appropriate permissions.
Once created, custom field values can be set through the web interface for each object, or imported/exported. You can create reports that include the custom fields as well.
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Note: If you create a report with a custom field, then later delete the custom field, the report will generate an error when run. This is because the database column is now missing. To correct this simply edit the report and remove the obsolete report column in order for the report to run correctly again. |
Custom fields have the following properties:
General Properties
Field Name
The name of the custom field. This is the name that will appear on the properties form, as well as in import/export files. This field is required and can be up to 80 characters.
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Note: When saving a new custom field for the first time the system will create a database column to hold values based on the name you enter. You can rename the custom field at any time after this, but the internal database column name will not change (in order to prevent custom SQL reports from not working). Therefore, if you are required to create a custom field with a specific name (for example, for Absence Points Rules) you must enter it exactly as specified the first time (including the proper upper/lower case lettering). |
Type
The type of custom field, which can be one of the following:
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Type |
Description |
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Checkbox |
A field representing a true/false choice. |
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Currency |
A number representing a currency amount. The value can be entered as an edit box or as a drop-down list. |
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Date |
A date value. |
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Date and Time |
A date and time value. |
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Email Address |
A text field for entering and displaying an email address. |
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Employee |
An employee selection. |
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File Attachment |
Allows uploading and downloading of a file. Maximum size is limited to 250MB. |
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Image |
Allows uploading and displaying of an image. Maximum size is limited to 250MB. Supported image file formats are PNG, GIF and JPG. |
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List |
A text field allowing the selection of one or more choices from a list of choices. Note that the List type is only for lists of text items (Number and Currency type fields can also have lists but those are configured directly from their properties page). |
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Number |
A numeric value, allowing an arbitrary number of decimal places of precision. The value can be entered as an edit box or as a drop-down list. |
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Text |
A text value, entered via an edit box. |
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Text Area |
A text value that allows line breaks. |
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Time |
A time of day value. |
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Web Link |
A text field for entering and displaying a web address. |
You can only specify the type when adding a new custom field. If you need to change the type of an existing custom field you need to delete the existing one and create a new one.
Position
The position determines where on the form the field will appear.
Start New Field Group
Checking this option will cause a horizontal line to appear immediately before this field. This is useful when grouping several related fields.
Description
A description of this field. This should be as brief as possible, but can be up to 255 characters.
Required
Checking this option will require a value for this field.
Default Value
Specifies the default value for the custom field.
Timesheet custom fields that are text (e.g. Text, Text Area, List, etc.) also allow you to default the value to an employee property by using the ${User.xyz} variable, where User refers to the employee object and xyz is the name of the employee property. For example ${User.lastName} would default the value to the employee's last name. If you had an employee custom field named "Pay Class" then you would use ${User.xPayClass}.
Checkbox Properties
Checkbox Text
Text or label that appears to the right of the checkbox. This should be as terse as possible, but can be up to 80 characters.
Currency Properties
Currency
The currency symbol.
Decimal Digits
The number of digits to display after the decimal point. This can be zero if displaying an integer value.
Input Type
The type of input widget used, either an edit box or a drop-down list.
Minimum Value
If the Input Type is set to Edit Box, then you can specify the minimum value that can be entered. Leave this blank if there is no minimum value.
Maximum Value
If the Input Type is set to Edit Box, then you can specify the maximum value that can be entered. Leave this blank if there is no maximum value.
List Choices
If the Input Type is set to Drop Down List, then you can specify the numbers in the list. Enter each number on a separate row by pressing the enter key, for example:
1.00
2.00
3.00
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The number format is entered in the locale of the administrator making the changes, but when the list is presented to employees the numbers will be reformatted as appropriate for their locale, as well as have the currency symbol added. For example, if the employee has the French locale and the currency was set to EUR then they would see the list formatted as follows:
€1,00
€2,00
€3,00
...
Image
Image custom fields allow you to upload an image, which will be presented as a smaller thumbnail that can be clicked to view at its native or full resolution. Supported image file formats are PNG, GIF and JPG.
Thumbnail Width
Thumbnail Height
The default thumbnail size if not specified is 500x500 pixels. You can specify your own size here, in pixels. Images whose native size is smaller than this will not be scaled up, but images larger than this will be scaled down, so the thumbnail size represents the maximum size shown to the user. The original image can always be viewed by clicking on the thumbnail.
List
List Style
The style of the list control, which can be either a drop-down menu or a list box.
List Box Height
The height of the list box, in rows.
Multiple Selection
Checking this option allows multiple selections. Note that multiple selections are stored in same field just like single selections, but with each selection being separated by a line break character.
List Choices
Enter your list choices here, with each choice starting on a new line.
Number
Decimal Digits
The number of digits to display after the decimal point. This can be zero if displaying an integer value.
Input Type
The type of input widget used, either an edit box or a drop-down list.
Minimum Value
If the Input Type is set to Edit Box, then you can specify the minimum value that can be entered. Leave this blank if there is no minimum value.
Maximum Value
If the Input Type is set to Edit Box, then you can specify the maximum value that can be entered. Leave this blank if there is no maximum value.
List Choices
If the Input Type is set to Drop Down List, then you can specify the numbers in the list. Enter each number on a separate row by pressing the enter key, for example:
1.00
2.00
3.00
...
The number format is entered in the locale of the administrator making the changes, but when the list is presented to employees the numbers will be reformatted as appropriate for their locale. For example, if the employee has the French locale they would see the list formatted as follows:
1,00
2,00
3,00
...
Text
Maximum Characters
The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field. This can be up to 255 characters.
Text Area
Maximum Characters
The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field. This can be up to 4000 characters.
Rows
The height of the text area, in rows.