Configure User Defined Fields (UDFs)

You can configure User Defined Fields or UDFs, which are custom fields that store additional information or data for a Building, Group, Group with a Reservation, Reservation, room, service order, guest request, or web user.

For example, for a Reservation, you might want to note the date that the contract for the event was received and if the event was approved by a supervisor. For a guest request, you might want to inquire if alcohol will be served at the event. User defined fields display on the User Defined Fields tab in the Reservation Wizard and on the User Defined Fields tab in the Navigator. If a Reservation includes User Defined Fields, they can display on confirmations and invoices for the Reservation.

ClosedConfigure User Defined Fields (UDFs)

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

    The User Defined Fields dialog opens.

    • To view inactive User Defined Fields in your EMS database, under Show, click Inactive.
    • To view only a specific type of User Defined Field, on the Type field, select a different type, such as Booking, Building, Group, Group/Reservation (which is a Group for which a Reservation has been made), Reservation, Room, Service Order, Guest Request, or Web User.
  2. Click New. 

    The User Defined Field dialog opens.

  1. Enter the information for the new user defined field. 

User Defined Field Options 

Field

Description

Field Description

A name or description for the field.

Field Type

 

Select the type of data that the field is to hold (Text, Date, List, or Numeric).

If you select Text, then an option for displaying a multiline textbox in EMS and EMS Web App is available. If you select List, then an Items tab is displayed on the User Defined Field dialog. You must define the items that are to be displayed in the list. If you select List, then the "Allow Multi-Select" option appears. This lets your users pick multiple items from the list whenever the User Defined Field is used.

Field Applies To

Select the item to which the field applies:

  • Booking – Provides the ability for a user to enter a User Defined Field when creating a booking.
  • Building – Provides the ability to define a custom Building property for reporting in Query Builder.
  • Course – EMS Campus only.
  • Group – Provides the ability to enter User Defined Fields inside the group screen for each Group.
  • Group/Reservation – The UDF that is assigned to a Group when a new Reservation is created for the Group
  • Guest Request – Provides the ability for users to enter a User Defined Field when making a Guest Request.
  • Reservation – Provides the ability for users to enter a User Defined Field when making a Reservation.
  • Room – Provides the ability to define a custom Room property for reporting in Query Builder.
  • Service Order – Provides the ability for users to enter a User Defined Field when adding a Service Order.
  • Web User – Provides the ability for users to enter a User Defined Field when inside an Everyday User's options.

Category

Available only if you select Service Order for Field Applies To. Select the service order category for which the field applies.

If the appropriate category is not available, you can configure it.

Default Value

Optional field. You can enter a default value for the User Defined Field. This value is displayed in the field but a user can edit it if needed.

If you assign a default value to a UDF, then the UDF is always added to the item. For example, if you assign a default value to a UDF that applies to Reservations, then the UDF is always added to any Reservation that any user makes in your EMS system.

Internal

Indicates that the UDF is internal to your organization.

Used for internal reporting purposes only. The UDF is not printed on external documents such as confirmations and invoices, and it is not hidden in any area of your EMS application.

Sequence

If a booking, Building, Group, a Group with a Reservation, a Reservation, a room, a service order, a guest request, or a web user is to have multiple User Defined Fields, then specify the display order of these fields. Fields are ordered from lowest to highest sequence number, with the field with the lowest sequence number being displayed first.

If you leave the sequence set to the default value of zero for all fields, then by default, the fields are displayed alphabetically.

Dependency

Dependent Upon

Select a parent UDF. Your child UDF will be dependent on that parent. The parent UDF must be configured first and be a List type.

Answer

Select the answer that will cause your child UDF to display with the parent.  If the right answer is not selected the child UDF will not show.

Value

Required in EMS Desktop Client

Select if a user must enter a value in the field when making a Reservation in the EMS Desktop Client.

EMS Web App Settings

Display to Everyday Users

Select if you want the User Defined Field to display when users create a reservation in EMS Web App.

Display Text

Enter the text that is to be displayed for the field in EMS Web App.

Inactive

Leave this option blank to add the User Defined Field an active field. Select this option to de-activate the field.
  1. If you selected any field type other than List, go Step 5; otherwise, an Items tab is displayed on the dialog. Open the Items tab, and for each list item for the UDF, do the following:
    • In the Sequence field, enter the sequence for the list item.
    • Items are ordered in a list from lowest to highest sequence number, with the item with the lowest sequence number being displayed first. If you set the sequence for all items to zero, then the items are displayed in the list alphabetically.
    • In the Description field, enter a name or description for the item. The description can be a maximum of 50 characters, including spaces.
  1. Optionally, click Spelling to spell check the User Defined Field before you save it.
  2. Click OK. The User Defined Field dialog will close and you will be returned to the User Defined Fields window.

ClosedUDF Field Types

You can select from the following types of UDF fields in the Field Type field of the User Defined Field Tab

Date UDF 

Enter a value into a date field with the Date user defined field type.

List UDF 

Select items from a list that you populate with the List user defined field typle. The Allow Multi-Select option lets the user pick more than one item from the list.

You can configure the items for a list on the Items tab. The User Defined Field Dialog displays the Items tab when you select List as the field type.

Numeric UDF

The Numeric user defined field type allows the user to enter ONLY a number into a text field.

Text UDF 

The Text user defined field type allows the user to enter any text into a text field.

 

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