Exact Synergy Enterprise

Customizing Request Type Fields - Free: Text

Introduction

You can configure up to 15 Free: Text fields in a request type. The Free: Text fields can be used in three ways:

to record a text entered by the user
to record an option text selected by the user from a list of selection options, and
to record an item code or project code selected by the user.

Description

The following describes only the settings specific for the Free: Text fields. For more information on the menu path, roles and rights, buttons, and other settings available in most request fields, see Customizing Request Type Fields (Main Document).

Search keyword: Type "free" in the Name box and click Refresh. Click a Free: Text field to add and configure the field in the request type. You may have to click Next at the bottom of the fields selection page to find the field.
Automatic label: In a generated request form, the automatic label is the same as the field name. Since free fields are for custom data where the interpretation of the data is according to your preference, consider customizing the Label section to enable users to understand the purpose of the fields.

Default section

Default

Type the default text of up to 100 characters to be entered in the Free: Text field of a newly-created request. A user can change the default text unless you have disabled the editing of this field for a relevant status of the request in the Edit section.

If the Selection section is configured, the default text is ignored.

Selection section

Note: Configure either Values, or Reference and Selection settings. If Values setting is used, Reference and Selection settings are ignored.

Values

Type the list of options selectable by the user. Use the following format for each option value:

Text Code, Description

The first value is the option text code and the second value is a text of the option description separated by a comma (,). Separate several options with a semi-colon (;).The last option should not have a semi-colon or there will be a blank option at the end of the selection list. See the screenshot for an example.

During run-time, the selection is displayed as a drop-down box listing the Description of each option. When the user posts the request, such as submitting or saving the request, the Text Code is the one saved in the database, not the Description. If you are planning to use the selected option later in other functions in the system, you refer to the saved option Text Code and interpret accordingly based on your Description.

Technically, the selected option text code is saved along with the other data of the request in the requests table called "Absences". The system does not record the description in the requests table but stores the description only in the request field options table called "RequestFieldOptions". This technical information is useful if you plan to use the data in other functions where you can use SQL statements to manipulate the data.

Reference

Select Items or Projects if you want the user to select an item or a project instead of a list of option values. You can also filter the available items or projects using a partial SQL statement in Selection.

During run-time, the field is presented as a text box with a Search icon where the user can type or select an item or project. When the user selects an item or project, the item code or project code (both are alphanumeric text) is inserted into the text box and the item or project description is displayed next to it as a hyperlink to the item card or project card.

When the user posts the request, such as submitting or saving the request, the item or project code is the one saved in the database, not the item or project description. If you are planning to use the selected value later in other functions in the system, you refer to the code and interpret accordingly.

Technically, the item or project code is saved along with other data of the request in the requests table called "Absences". The system does not record the item or project description in the requests table. Instead, it stores the data that indicates whether the text code refers to an item code or project code in the request field options table called "RequestFieldOptions". This technical information is useful if you plan to use the data in other functions where you can use SQL statements to manipulate the data.

Selection

Type a partial SQL statement, which is used as part of an SQL 'where' clause by the system, to list only employees matching this statement.

For example, you select Items in Reference and you want to list only items with the security level higher than Security Level 15. In this case, type Items.securitylevel > 15. The following is a truncated sample SQL selection statement to illustrate where the partial SQL statement you typed into this box is inserted in the 'where' clause:

SELECT ... FROM ... WHERE ... AND (Items.securitylevel > 15) ORDER BY ...

You can do the same for the project table if you select Projects in Reference. For example, you want to list only projects under the division with division code "002". The system uses the table alias p for the project table "prproject". In this case, type p.division = 002.

Click Show to preview the selection page and the effect of your SQL statement on the selection list.

You can see some information on the reference Table, the table Prefix to use in your SQL statement in Selection, and an Example of an acceptable SQL statement below the Selection field when you select Items or Projects in Reference.

Note: The preview list displayed when you click Show takes into account only your partial SQL statement regardless of other settings in the Selection section. The selection page may present a different list in an actual request during run-time when other settings, which may include settings in other request fields, are taken into account.