Configure User Defined Fields (UDFs)

User Defined Fields (UDFs) are custom fields that store additional information for bookings, buildings, groups, group reservations, reservations, rooms, service orders, guest requests, and web users.

For example, you can use a reservation UDF to record the date that you received an event contract or whether a supervisor approved the event. You can use a guest request UDF to ask whether the event includes alcohol.

UDFs appear on the User Defined Fields tab in the Reservation Wizard and Navigator. You can also include reservation UDFs on confirmations and invoices.

  1. On the EMS menu bar, select Configuration > Other > User Defined Fields.

    To view inactive UDFs, select Inactive.

    To view a specific type of UDF, select an option in Type, such as Booking, Building, Group, Group/Reservation, Reservation, Room, Service Order, Guest Request, or Web User.

  2. Select New.

  3. Enter the UDF information.

    User Defined Field Options

    Field Description

    Field Description

    Enter a name or description for the field.

    Field Type

    Select the type of data that the field accepts: Text, Date, List, or Numeric.

    If you select Text, you can display a multiline text box in EMS and EMS Web App.

    If you select List, the Items tab appears. Define the values that users can select from the list. Select Allow Multi-Select to allow users to select more than one item.

    Field Applies To

    Select where the UDF applies:

    • Booking: Allows users to enter a UDF for a booking.

    • Building: Defines a custom building property for reports in Query Builder.

    • Course: Applies to EMS Campus only.

    • Group: Allows users to enter a UDF for a group.

    • Group/Reservation: Assigns the UDF to a group when a user creates a reservation for that group.

    • Guest Request: Allows users to enter a UDF for a guest request.

    • Reservation: Allows users to enter a UDF for a reservation.

    • Room: Defines a custom room property for reports in Query Builder.

    • Service Order: Allows users to enter a UDF for a service order.

    • Web User: Allows users to enter a UDF in the everyday user's options.

    Category

    Available when you select Service Order in Field Applies To. Select the service order category to which the UDF applies.

    Default Value

    Optional. Enter the default value for the UDF. Users can change the value as needed.

    If you specify a default value, EMS automatically adds the UDF to each applicable item. For example, a reservation UDF with a default value appears on each new reservation.

    Internal

    Select this option if the UDF is internal to your organization. EMS uses this setting for internal reports only. The UDF does not appear on external documents, such as confirmations and invoices. This setting does not hide the UDF in EMS.

    Sequence

    Enter a number to define the display order when an item has multiple UDFs. EMS displays fields from the lowest to the highest sequence number.

    If all fields have the default sequence of 0, EMS displays them alphabetically.

    Dependency

    Field Description

    Dependent Upon

    Select the parent UDF that controls whether this UDF appears. You must configure the parent UDF first, and its field type must be List.

    Answer

    Select the parent UDF value that causes this UDF to appear.

    Value

    Field Description

    Required in EMS Desktop Client

    Select this option to require users to enter a value for the UDF when they create a reservation in EMS Desktop Client.

    EMS Web App Settings

    Field Description

    Display to Everyday Users

    Select this option to display the UDF when everyday users create reservations in EMS Web App.

    Display Text

    Enter the text that EMS Web App displays for the field.

    Inactive

    Leave this option clear to make the UDF active. Select it to make the UDF inactive.

  4. If you selected List as the field type, select the Items tab and complete these fields for each list item:

    • Sequence: Enter a number to define the item's display order. EMS displays items from the lowest to the highest sequence number. If all items have a sequence of 0, EMS displays them alphabetically.

    • Description: Enter a name or description for the item. The description can contain up to 50 characters, including spaces.

  5. Optional: Select Spelling to check the UDF for spelling errors.

  6. Select OK.

    The User Defined Field dialog closes, and the User Defined Fields window appears.

UDF Field Types

Select a field type based on the type of information that the UDF must accept.

Field Type Description

Date

Allows you to enter a date.

List

Allows you to select from a predefined list of values. Define the values on the Items tab. Select Allow Multi-Select to allow users to select more than one value.

Numeric

Allows you to enter numeric values only.

Text

Allows you to enter text. You can also configure the field as a multiline text box.