Add a user-defined field

1. From Management, click User-Defined Fields.

2. Like queries, reports, and communication templates, defined fields must be placed into categories to help keep your database organized in a meaningful way. eTapestry includes only one defined-field category called Base by default. However, you can create as many defined-field categories as you need. You can also move fields from one category to another. To create a new category, click New Category from the Tasks menu.

3. Once you have chosen the category for your new field, click the category to select it. Click New Defined Field under Tasks.

4. On Step 1, complete the following information.

   • On the Name field, enter a unique and descriptive name for the field. You can edit the name of the field after you create it.

   • On the Description field, it can be helpful to enter a longer description of the field to help other users in your organization when they use the field.

   • On the Data Type field, select the type of data you want to track in this field.

     • Text: Use this type for fields that will contain letters and numbers. For example, this data type is well-suited for an Account Type field.

     • Date: Use this type for fields that contain full dates. Fields with this data type can only accept dates in the mm/dd/yyyy or dd/mm/yyyy (European locales) format. A common field of this type is Membership Expiration Date.

     • Month, Day (mm/dd): Use this type for fields that will contain only month and day. Fields with this data type can only accept dates in the mm/dd or dd/mm (European locales) format. Common examples are birthday or other calendar dates where capturing the specific year is not necessary.

     • Number: Use number for fields that will contain only numbers. Fields with this data type can accept decimal or whole numbers, which can be positive or negative. Number fields cannot accept text. Common examples include Volunteer Hours or Number of Tickets for ticket purchases. You can query on number fields to find all items with numbers within a certain range, and number fields can be totaled in reports and communication.

   • Currency: Use currency for fields that will contain currency amounts. Fields with the currency data type can accept only numbers and will display a currency symbol when the data is saved or displayed in a report. Currency fields cannot accept text. You can query on currency fields to find all items with currency amounts within a certain range, and currency fields can be totaled in reports and communication.

     You cannot edit the data type on a field once it has been saved. Be sure that you have chosen the correct data type prior to saving the field.

5. To continue to the next step, click Next.

6. On Step 2, select where you want the user-defined field to appear.

   Normally, you should only select one area of application for each field. If you select more than one application area, updating the field in one location does not update it in any other location.

   • Account Types: When you select one of these options the defined field appears on the Defined Fields page for the specified account type. Fields with this application should contain data that pertains to the account as a whole and that is unlikely to change much over time or need a historical record of changes. Some examples include Account Type, Gender, Birthdate, and Interests.

   • Journal Types: When you select one of these options the defined field appears in the defined-field area of the designated journal entry (calendar items, contacts, notes, or transactions).When you select Transactions, the field appears on all transaction types except for soft credits.

   • Other: When you select Personas the user-defined field appears on the Personas page. A user-defined field should only appear on this page when it contains address-related data that varies from one address to another on the account. For example, you can select to display a National Change of Address (NCOA) user-defined field to track whether an account's address has changed, been standardized, or is invalid.

     When you select Relationships the user-defined field appears on the Relationships page. User-defined fields on this page should contain data that is relevant to the relationship itself. For example, you can select to display a Notify user-defined field to identify the account to inform when you receive a tribute donation.

     You should not apply a defined field to multiple screens in the database. There are very few exceptions to this rule. In most cases, the data really belongs only in one area of the database. Additionally, when a field is set up to appear in multiple areas, updating the field in one location does not update it in any other location.

7. To continue to the next step, click Next.

8. On Step 3, select the field attributes.

9. To continue to the next step, click Next.

10. On Step 4, select the display type.

    Once you save a user-defined field has been saved, you cannot change the display type from a selectable type (selection from a set of values and allow assignment of only one item) to a free-form type (text box and note field), or from a free-form type to a selectable type.

    • Selection from a set of values: Also referred to as a multi-select field, this type of field appears as a set of checkboxes and allows users to select multiple values on the field. For example, you might create a Volunteer Availability field with the values Day, Evening, and Weekend so a volunteer can indicate that they are available at more than one of those times.

    • Allow assignment of only one item: Also referred to as a single-select field, this type of field appears as a drop-down menu and allows users to select only one value in the field. For example, you might create an Account Type field with the values Individual, Business, and Foundation. An account can only be one of those three choices, so a single-select field works well.

    • Text Box: A text box allows the user to type in a single line of data. For example, you might create a field on the Journal Contact screen for Volunteer Hours, where the user could type how much time a volunteer worked during a session. Text box fields must obey the data type. For example, if the data type is set to date, only dates in mm/dd/yyyy format can be entered.

    • Note Field: A note field allows the user to enter large amounts of data with multiple lines. For example, you might create a field on the constituent's Defined Fields page used to record how the constituent came to be involved with your organization. Because this could have several lines of text, you might use a note box display type for that field. Note fields must obey the data type. For example, if the data type is set to date, only dates in mm/dd/yyyy format can be entered.

11. To continue to the next step, click Next.

12. If you use advanced security, in step 5 make any necessary security selections to control which users can see the field.

13. To continue to the next step, click Next.

14. On Step 6, you add values to fields of selectable types (selection from a set of values and allow assignment of only one item). If you set the display type to one of the free-form displays, you do not need to create values and can proceed to the Finish step.

    A selectable field must have some values listed in it in order to appear on screen for data entry. If you create a selectable field and do not create any values for it, the field will not appear anywhere in the database.

    To create a value, type the value name into the Name field, enter a Description if you like, and click Add Value. Continue adding values following those steps until you have all the values you need for the field. If you make a mistake on a value, click Delete underneath the value. Once you save this field, you will not be able to delete any values, although you will be able to rename them or mark them as inactive if needed. To change the order of the values, drag and drop the values from the list to your desired order.

15. To create the field, click Save and Finish.