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Field Name

Type the name of the user-defined field (UDF). The field name identifies the field for the data dictionaries used by SAP Crystal Reports or other ODBC-compliant applications. The field is automatically set to uppercase with underlines replacing blanks. Field names for some modules are automatically prepended with the control type and UDF_, while field names for other modules are prepended with UDF_ only.

 Example - Prepending field names

If CONTRACT NO is entered as an Accounts Payable field name, and Multi-Line is selected in the Control Type field, the following displays:

ML_UDF_CONTRACT_NO

 

Description

Type a description for the user-defined field (UDF).

 Entry Sample

Contract No

 

Control Type

Select a control type. The control type determines the type of control used to enter data for the user-defined field (UDF). The control type cannot be changed after data is entered for the UDF; however, you can delete and redefine the UDF (all data associated with the UDF will be deleted).

• Select Multi-Line for a general purpose text entry field that can consist of one or more lines of text. Use multi-line controls to enter text, numerics, and dates.

• Select Drop-Box to allow selection from a list of valid values. A list of values will appear below the entry field using standard Windows drop-box conventions.

• Select List-Box to display a list of valid values that can be scrolled through and selected. List box controls that are added to a grid are displayed as drop boxes.

• Select Check-Box to store a single character, "N" for "No" (cleared) and "Y" for "Yes" (selected).

 

1. Attributes

 

Data Type

Select a data type. The data type determines the type of data that can be stored for a user-defined field (UDF).

• A multi-line UDF can use any data type.

• A drop box and list box can use a string data type.

• A check box can use only a string data type.

The data type cannot be changed after data is entered for the UDF; however, you can delete and redefine the UDF (all data associated with the UDF will be deleted).

 

Maximum Length

Type the maximum length field value. The maximum length specifies the maximum number of characters allowed for the user-defined field (UDF).

• For date type fields, the length is set at 10, and this field is not available.

• For numeric type fields, the length is set to 15, and this field is not available.

• For check box type fields, the length is set to 1, and this field is not available.

The total number of characters for all UDFs for an entity cannot exceed 20,000. The maximum length cannot be reduced after data is entered for the UDF; however, you can delete and redefine the UDF (all data associated with the UDF will be deleted).

 

Uppercase

Select this check box to automatically convert data entered at a multi-line user-defined field to uppercase characters. Clear this check box if you do not want to automatically convert the data to uppercase characters.

 

Fixed Font

Select this check box to use a fixed-width font in place of the standard variable font. Clear this check box if you do not want to use a fixed-width font.

 

Center Text

Select this check box to center text in a multi-line control. Clear this check box if you do not want to center the text.

 

Right-Justify

Select this check box to right-justify text in a multi-line control. Clear this check box if you do not want to right-justify the text.

 

Borderless

Select this check box to display a multi-line control without a border. Clear this check box if you do not want to display the multi-line control without a border.

 

Exclude from Report Selection

Select this check box to exclude this field from report selection grids for reports that use this table. Clear this check box to include the UDF in the selection grid.

 

Mask Display

Select this check box to display filled-in circles in place of the actual characters when data is entered into this field.

If this check box is selected, the Mask Display check box in the Multi-Line Definition window accessed through Customizer Selection is selected by default when you add this UDF to a panel. The check box must be selected in the Multi-Line Definition window to mask the input.

Note The data is not encrypted and it is masked only when displayed in task windows. For example, the actual characters would appear if this field is added to a lookup view or if you viewed the table in Data File Display and Maintenance.

This check box is available for String and Numeric data types.

 

Mask

Select this check box to use a mask, and type the mask for the user-defined field (UDF). The mask controls how data appears in a window, as well as the way the data is entered. Masks can also control the type of characters allowed. You can specify string masks for string data type fields, and numeric masks for numeric data type fields. Clear this check box if you do not want to use a mask. For more information, see Format Masks.

 Entry Sample

#

 

Default Value

Select this check box to use a default value, and type the default value to assign to the user-defined field (UDF). Clear this check box if you do not want to use a default value.

 Entry Sample

10

 

Caption

Select this check box to use a caption, and type the default caption to use for the user-defined field (UDF). This caption is inserted automatically when a UDF is added to a panel. When placed on a customized panel, the default caption can be changed using the Custom Office module. Clear this check box if you do not want to use a caption.

 Entry Sample

Contract number

 

2. Validation

 

Validation Types

Select a validation type for the user-defined field (UDF).

• Select None if validation is not performed for the UDF. This field is available only if Multi-Line is selected in the Control Type field.

• Select Range to specify the minimum and maximum values allowed for the UDF. This field is available only if Multi-Line is selected in the Control Type field.

• Select List to specify a list of values allowed for the UDF. Each line of text represents a separate, valid value. The values established in this field determine the valid values for drop-box and list-box fields. A list is limited to 900 bytes and is automatically truncated to this size if the limit is exceeded.

• Select User-Defined Table to validate the UDF against the key to an existing user-defined table (UDT). You can only validate against a UDT whose key length and type are the same as the UDF key length and type. On the Attributes tab, the UDF key length is entered in the Maximum Length field, and the UDF key type is selected in the Data Type field. This field is available only if Multi-Line is selected in the Control Type field.

 

Required Field

Select this check box to require an entry or selection in this user-defined field (UDF). Clear this check box if an entry or selection at this UDF is not required.

Note When the Required attribute is selected in a field using User Defined Fields, the attribute always applies to all users and companies whether or not the UDF has been added to the library. Settings defined in Advanced Field Settings always apply to all users but can be applied to a specific company.

If the required UDF is not used for all companies, and you are utilizing auto-generate features for sales orders and invoices, a default value must be assigned. The default value will automatically populate the required UDF. A blank value for a required field is not allowed.

3. Data Sources

 

Data Sources Grid

Use this grid to select the data source and columns for the business object. This grid is also used if a user-defined field (UDF) can be sourced from multiple data sources (for example a territory UDF from both the customer and ship-to data sources). The Data Sources tab is available only if one or more business objects exist for the table the UDF is being added to.

Click the Duplicate Row button, located to the right of the grid, to add a duplicate row to the grid. This button is available only for a business object (_bus) object.

 

Select

Select the check box of the business object to use as a source for the user-defined field (UDF). Multiple business objects can be selected. If the Select check box is cleared for all business objects, no business object will be selected as the data source. All UDFs must then be entered manually in the data entry window (for example, Account Maintenance).

 

Data Source

Select the data source to use for the business object. Data sources represent fields that are file-validated against another table, and exist in business objects or tables that are used as a process to perform an update or generate a work table for a report or register.

 

Column

Select the column to use for the business object. Every column associated with a data source is listed based on the data type and maximum length of the field, including existing user-defined fields (UDFs). The UDF created inherits properties from the data source and column selected.

Note Select All Columns to display all columns associated with the data source.

 

Ignore

Select this check box if the value from the source column is blank, or zero if the user-defined field (UDF) is numeric, and you do not want to clear the existing (destination) UDF value. Clear this check box if you want to clear the existing (destination) UDF value, or set it to zero if the UDF is numeric.

Note This field can be defined only for update business object sources.

 Example

A date UDF is in the destination UDF. The source UDF being updated is blank and the destination UDF is not blank. Ignore if NULL will not overwrite the destination UDF with the blank source UDF value.

 

Expression

Select the expression to use for the business object. This field is available only for numeric and date columns.

• Select None if you do not want to use expressions.

• Select Add to add the source value to the existing (destination) user-defined field (UDF) value.

• Select Subtract to subtract the source value from the existing (destination) UDF value.

• Select Min to keep the lesser value of the existing (destination) UDF or use the source value.

• Select Max to keep the greater value of the existing (destination) UDF or use the source value.

Note The Min and Max expressions are used for date columns; all expressions are used for numeric columns.

NoteExpressions can be defined only for update business object sources.

 Example

The IM Item Warehouse by Period table has one record for each period and year. The Add and Subtract expressions will sum the destination UDF value rather than replace the destination UDF value.

 

If the source UDF has a value of 10/1/2008, and the destination currently has 11/1/2009, and MIN is selected, the destination UDF will be overwritten with the 10/1/2008 value. The Min and Max expressions can be used to select what is updated to the destination UDF.

 

DM

Select this check box to enable the document multiplier for numeric user-defined fields (UDFs). This check box is available only for numeric calculations. The multiplier used has a value of 1, but for credit memos, the value is -1. This field is available only for Sales Order and Accounts Receivable credit memos. Clear this check box if you do not want to enable the document multiplier.

 Example

If the DM check box is selected for a Sales Order credit memo, the destination UDF is updated with a negative value rather than a positive value. If this check box is cleared, a positive value is updated to the destination UDF.