Create/Edit a Field

Use the Business Object Editor and/or the Field Properties window to create and edit Fields for a Business Object. When you create a Field, you define general information such as a display name, Field type, and size. You can define this general information directly in the Business Object Editor Grid or in the Field Properties window, where you can also define the following additional properties:

• General properties: Description, tracking options, and other properties based on Field type (ex: Decimal places, Format, etc.).
• Process and procedure help: Information to help Users who provide data in the Field. Process and procedure help is displayed in the Process and Terminology section of the CSM Desktop Client Task Pane when a Field is selected.
• Detailed properties: Options for making the Field required or read-only, setting values, and defining behaviors based on lifecycle states.
• Validation/auto-populate properties: Options for validating the Field (with a Lookup Object, Expression, etc.) and auto-populating the Field based on defined conditions.
• Advanced properties: Database options, attributes, presentation (where and how the Field is exposed in CSM), and value-splitting (used to split a Field into components; for example, split a Name field into first name, last name, and suffix).

  Note: The Field Properties window is available in the Business Object Editor (accessed from within a Blueprint in CSM Administrator).

Good to know:

• Business Objects and their associated Fields, Relationships, Forms, Grids, and Form Arrangements are created, edited, and deleted within a Blueprint. To commit changes to your system, you must publish the Blueprint.

To create a Field for a Business Object:

1. Open the Business Object Editor.

   To open the Business Object Editor:

   1. In the CSM Administrator main window, click the Blueprints category, and then click the Create a New Blueprint task.

      Note: If working on a saved Blueprint, open the existing Blueprint.

      The Blueprint Editor opens, displaying the Object Manager in its Main Pane. The Object Manager lists the existing Business Objects.

   2. In the Object Manager, click a Business Object in the Object tree, and then click the Edit Business Object task in the Structure area (or double-click a Business Object in the Object tree).

      The Business Object Editor opens.

      Tip: You can also click the Edit Business Object button on the Blueprint Editor Toolbar to open the Business Object Editor.

   

2. In an empty row (marked by a Create New icon ) in the Business Object Editor Grid, provide general information for the new Field:
   1. Name: In the Name column, provide a display name for the Field.
   2. Type: In the Type column drop-down, select a Field type (Text, Number, Date/Time, or Logical).
   3. Size: In the Size column drop-down, select a Field size. This varies based on the Field type.

      Tip: You can edit general information for an existing Field directly in the Business Object Editor Grid. Or, click the Field Properties button to open the Field Properties window, where you can edit general information as well as detailed properties for a selected Field. Use the Up/Down arrows in the Business Object Editor to change the order of selected Fields.

3. Click the Field Properties button.

   The Field Properties window opens, where you can define and edit additional properties for the Field:

   

   1. Define general properties for a Field.
   2. Define process and procedure help for a Field.
   3. Define detailed properties for a Field.
   4. Define validation/auto-populate properties for a Field.
   5. Define Group Properties for a Field (only applicable if Field belongs to a Group Object).
   6. Define advanced properties for a Field.
   7. Click OK.
4. Publish the Blueprint (File>Publish Blueprint) to commit the changes, or save the Blueprint (File>Save Blueprint) to continue making other changes.

To edit a Field:

1. Select a Field in the Business Object Editor.
2. Make changes:
   • Edit general Field properties directly in the Business Object Editor Grid.
   • Click the Field Properties button to open the Field Properties window and edit additional properties. Then, click OK.
3. Publish the Blueprint (File>Publish Blueprint) to commit the changes, or save the Blueprint (File>Save Blueprint) to continue making other changes.