Custom Field Templates

The Custom Field Templates view is used to create additional data fields permitting users to enter or track extra information when using the software.

 

Employees entering time or expenses can use custom fields to enter additional information as needed. Example: An employee requires a field to enter a reference number when fixing a software bug, or an employee is required to select (from a list) a product name when tracking time on a support call.

 

One or more custom fields can be created for any of the following items; regions, clients, project groups, projects, task groups, tasks, teams, employees, rates, overtime rates, invoices (billable), expenses, budgeted expenses, expense categories and time entries.

 

This topic describes how to (1) create a custom field, (2) how to limit the availability of some custom fields, and (3) how to enter basic information after the custom field has been created.

To create a custom field:

  1. Click the Custom Field Templates button located in the Advanced section of the side navigation bar.

  2. Using the View drop-down list near the top of the screen, select the view where the custom field will be added.

Notes:

  • To add a custom field for time entries, select Time Entry.

  • To add a custom field for expense entries, select Actual Expenses.

  • To add a custom field for project groups, task groups or teams, select Group in the View drop-down list.

  1. Click the New button on the toolbar.

  2. Enter a unique custom field name (up to 50 characters). This is the name which identifies the custom field in the targeted view.

  3. Select the type of data displayed in the custom field using the Type drop-down list. Available data types are Alphanumeric, Date, Multiple Choice, Numeric or Single Choice.


     

Note:  Once a custom field has been added, the custom field Type (Date, Numeric, etc) can no longer be edited.

 

  1. Enter a description for the custom field (up to 250 characters).

  2. When specifying Alphanumeric, Date or Numeric in the Type drop-down list, you have the option to enter a default value which appears in the new field.

  3. When specifying Single Choice or Multiple Choice in the Type drop-down list, you must enter the values from which employees can choose when using this custom field.

 

 8a.   Click on the "Click here to add a new row" text.

 8b.   Enter data in the Value field.

 

 8c.   (Optional) Check the Default box to make this data the default selection.

 8d.   Click on the text marked Save to the right of the default checkbox.

 8e.   Create as many additional values as required.
 

  1. To make this custom field a required field, check the Required box.

  2. (Optional) Check the Hide box to hide this custom field from data entry. This is useful when the Custom field is no longer required but the data must be kept.

Note: If both Required and Hide are selected, the Hide will overrule Required.

 

  1. Click Save .

  2. Repeat steps 3 to 11 as required.

 

Note: Reporting on Custom fields is accomplished through the Report Explorer. When you select a report, a report wizard is displayed. Check the Filter by Custom Field box to report on custom fields.

 

Tip: From most views, you can click the custom field icon located in the toolbar to directly access the Custom Field Templates view.

   

 

Using the Additional function
 

When Actual Expenses or Time Entry are selected from the View drop-down list, the Additional tab allows you to create custom fields which only appear when specific tasks or expense categories are selected by the user.

For the Time Entry custom fields, use the Additional tab to have a custom field appear only when a specific task is selected by a user.

For Expense Entry custom fields, use the Additional tab to have a custom field appear only when one or more specific expense categories are selected by a user.

To limit when certain custom fields are available:

  1. Select either Time Entry (or Actual Expenses) from the View drop-down list.

  2. Select an existing custom field template from the list.

  3. Click the Additional tab near the bottom of the screen.

  4. From the list of Available Tasks (or Expense Categories), select which items apply only to this custom field and click the arrow button > to move them to the assigned list on the right. By default, when a new custom field is created, all Tasks (or Expense Categories) are moved to the Assigned list box.

  5. Click Save .

 

The image below shows a custom field called "Defect number" created for Time Entry. Using the Additional tab, this custom field is setup to only appear when the Bug Fix task is selected by the user.

For the end user adding a time entry, the Defect number field is only available when 'Bug fix' is selected as task.

 

 

To enter custom field information:

All Custom Fields follow the same basic steps for entering field information. Only the view and type of item selected will change.

 

For this example, we will be entering data in a custom field created for Employee properties.
 

  1. Custom fields (sorted alphabetically) are located at the bottom of the employee properties window. Required custom fields are displayed with an asterisk "*" next to the name. Enter your custom field information in these fields.

  2. Click Done.

 

The image below shows where these custom fields are located (outlined in red).