Before you begin
Before adding any custom fields, check the purpose and content of existing fields. This should help ensure that you don't create custom fields that are similar (or identical to) existing fields.
Adding the field
To add a custom field to one of the WorkflowMax data tables:
- In the Business menu, select Settings > Custom Fields (under the Features section).
- On the Custom Fields screen, select New Custom Field. The Select Custom Field Type screen is displayed.
- Field descriptions
Field Description Common Fields (default field names) Phone Number A text field to contain a phone number. Serial Number A field to contain a serial number. Skype Call A field that will contain a link to make a Skype call. Skype Chat A field that will contain a link to make a Skype chat. Twitter A field that will contain a link to your contact's Twitter stream. Custom Field Types Checkbox A checkbox indicates a simple yes/no value. For example: Subscribe to monthly newsletter Contact Link A link to a specific contact page entry, possibly on the staff page on the client's website.
Only available with: Client, Contact, Job, Lead and Supplier data tables.
Date A date field with a drop-down calendar. Decimal A data field, set up to contain numeric data with two decimal places. Dropdown List A dropdown list of items that the user can select from. Heading A text item that will be included in the screen as a heading.
You can use headings to group custom fields together. For example, on the Edit Client screen, each heading will provide a drop-down list of the custom fields that follow it.
Link A hyperlink to a specific website, web page, Google document, video or anything stored in the Cloud. Multi-line Text A text box that can be used to enter one or more lines of text. It might be used to enter a detailed description, for example. Number A data field, set up to contain numeric data with no decimal places.
If you need to include up to two decimal places, use the Decimal field type (see above).
If you need to include leading zeros (such as bank account numbers or phone numbers), use the Text field type (see below).
Text A text box that can be used to enter one line of text. It might be used to enter a part number, invoice number or a client number from a previous system, for example. Value Link A hyperlink to a destination provided by the user.
The {Value} placeholder is replaced by the actual value stored in the data field. For example, if you set up a Value Link field that contains mailto:{Value}, the email address value provided by the user will become active, so that clicking it will open an email client and allow you to send an email directly to that address. The mailto option is available only with the Client data table.
- Field descriptions
- Select the field type you wish to use.
- Complete the field information as follows, depending on the field type you selected in the previous step.
When naming your custom field, follow these guidelines:
- Try to ensure that the custom field name is descriptive of the purpose of the field.
- Avoid creating duplicate field names.
- Follow the capitalisation standard used for existing fields. For example: Phone Number rather than Phone number.
- Steps required
Field Type Follow these steps... Common Fields (default field names) Phone Number
Serial Number
- Type the required field Name.
Skype Call
Skype Chat
Twitter
- Type the required field Name.
- Modify the text in the Link field, as required. The {Value} placeholder must be included and will be replaced by the text that the user types into the field.
The {Value} placeholder is replaced by the actual value stored in the data field. For example, if you set up a Value Link field that contains mailto:{Value}, the email address value provided by the user will become active, so that clicking it will open an email client and allow you to send an email directly to that address. The mailto option is available only with the Client data table.
Custom Field Types Checkbox - Type the required field Name.
Contact Link - Type the required field Name.
- Modify the text in the Link field. The {ContactName} placeholder must be included and will be replaced by the name of the contact person.
On the Client, Contact, Job, Lead and Supplier data tables, the {ContactName} placeholder is used to personalise the link. For example, the Link field could contain the following text: http://yellow.co.nz/search/new+zealand/{ContactName}-1.html. If the contact person's name is Joan Grant, the link will use the address: http://yellow.co.nz/search/new+zealand/Joan Grant-1.html to search the Yellow Pages website for Joan Grant.
Date
Decimal
- Type the required field Name.
Dropdown List - Type the required field Name.
- Type as many Options as required – each option on a separate line.
Heading - Type the required field Name. The text you type will be used as a heading.
Link
Multi-line Text
Number
Text
- Type the required field Name.
Value Link - Type the required field Name.
- Modify the text in the Link field, as required. The {Value} placeholder must be included and will be replaced by the text that the user types into the field.
The {Value} placeholder is replaced by the actual value stored in the data field. For example, if you set up a Value Link field that contains mailto:{Value}, the email address value provided by the user will become active, so that clicking it will open an email client and allow you to send an email directly to that address. The mailto option is available only with the Client data table.
- Under the Usage section, select one or more data tables to include the new custom field in.
You can conveniently add a custom field to several data tables at the same time in this way. However, this does not mean that any relationship exists between those fields when adding or changing data. For example, if you add a custom Phone Number field to both the Clients and Jobs tables, entering a client's phone number will not have any effect on the phone number in the job table.
- Save your changes.