Custom fields
OverviewSometimes you want to store information in cases, such as a follow-up assessment date, and there is no place for it to go. So Case Manager lets you add fields to the database to customise what you can store. These fields are called custom fields.
Custom fields at a caseFor each case, the custom fields are at the case's Custom Fields tab.
Case contacts can also have custom fields. These are at the case's Contacts tab.
All custom fields are further organised by individual tabs. In the screenshot below, we see the case custom fields that are collected by a
Using custom fieldsYou enter values for custom fields at a case's Custom Fields tab and its Contacts tab.
Custom fields can be inserted into documents via merge fields and included in custom forms.
Custom fields can be displayed at the Case List by adding extra columns using the Case List Criteria. Thus, they can be used to sort, filter and organise the list.
Summary of creating a custom fieldYou can access the Custom Fields List, the list of all custom fields in the system, by selecting Lists > Custom Fields List from the main menu.
The list has tools in order to help you sort and filter them.
You create a new custom field at the Custom Fields List. You specify whether it is linked to the case itself or to case contacts and then specify the tab it is organised by. Finally you specify who should have access to it.
Types of custom fieldsThere are many different types of information that can be stored in a custom field:
| Data type | Description |
| Text | Any character with a maximum field length between 1 and 255 |
| Memo | Any character - no limit on number of characters. This field does not store data as efficiently as a text field, so it should only be used if more than 255 characters will be needed |
| Integer | Any whole number (no decimals) |
| Currency | Money amounts |
| Date | Date value with no time component |
| Time | Time value with no date component |
| Date and time | Date and time value |
| Boolean | Yes / No value (check box) |
| List | A value selected from a drop-down list of values defined by the user |
| Decimal | Numbers or currency up to 4 decimal places |
| Document Link | Provide quick access to a specific document. With this type of custom field the user either selects an existing case document or creates a new document from a template. The custom field then displays the document title as a hyperlink to provide access to the document. |
You will find much more detailed information about custom fields starting at the Custom Fields Overview.
Next: Lab - Custom Fields