Custom Fields

The Custom Fields view is used to create additional data fields permitting users to enter or track extra information when using the software. Custom data fields can be added to projects, tasks, etc., and can be numeric, alphanumeric, dates and can be multiple choice.

Employees entering time or expenses can also 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 field can be created for any of the following items; regions, clients, projects, task templates, groups, employees, overtime rates, expenses, budgeted expenses, expense categories and time entries.

This topic describes how to (1) create a custom field, and (2) how to limit the availability of some custom fields.

To create a custom field:

Select Custom Fields from the navigation bar (Setup > Custom Fields).
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 Expenses.
To add a custom field for project groups, task groups or employee groups, select Group in the View drop-down list.

Click the New button.
Enter a unique custom field name (up to 50 characters). This is the name that identifies the custom field in the targeted view (step 2).
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.

Enter a description for the custom field (up to 250 characters).
When specifying Alphanumeric, Date or Numeric in the Type drop-down list, you have the option to enter a default value that appears in the new field.
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.

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

Click Save.
Repeat steps 3 to 11 as required.

Notes:

When a new custom field is created, any default value assigned to the custom field is only applied to items created after the custom field is applied. For example, if you create a custom field for Tasks with a default value of 10, that custom field and value will only be applied to newly created tasks. Existing Tasks are not affected.
Reporting on Custom fields is accomplished through the Reports view.

Using the Additional function

When Expenses or Time Entry are selected from the View drop-down list, the Additional tab allows you to create custom fields that only appear when specific task templates 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 template is selected by a user.

For Expense 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:

Select either Time Entry (or Expenses) from the View drop-down list.
Select an existing custom field template from the list.
Click the Additional tab near the top of the screen.
By default, when a new custom field is created, all task assignments (or Expense Categories) are moved to the ‘Tasks assigned to’ list box meaning that the new custom field will be applied to all Tasks. Use arrow buttons located between the list boxes to move items from one list box to the other.
Click Save.