User Field Customization through Help Editor

User-defined fields are available in each module of Maintenance Connection, allowing you to track additional information unique to your organization. User-defined fields are accessible from the User-Defined sub-tab at the bottom of each Work Center Detail page. Although the user fields share common identifiers in each module, such as having UDF field 1 and UDF field 2, they are unique to the current module. You can customize UDF field 1 in the Asset module to contain the asset color and UDF field 1 in the Work Order module to contain the work order contractor ID.

In most modules, the User-Defined page includes five text fields, two date fields, and two check boxes. These fields can be used to track any additional information that is important to your organization, and are available for use in reporting. The fields can be renamed (labeled) and associated with lookups.

Customize user field labels:

1. Access the module you want to update, and select a record.

2. Ensure you are on the Details tab.

3. Click the User-Defined sub-tab.

   You can find this sub-tab in the lower-left part of the Details page.

   The User-Defined Details page displays.

4. Determine which field you want to modify.

5. Click the field's label. 

   The Help window opens.

6. Click Edit.

   The window refreshes and now includes additional fields.

7. Enter your preferred field name in the Name field.

8. If you would like this field to be associated with a lookup table, click the Lookup Table? check box.

   This setting ensures that users have a lookup available each time they edit this field.

9. If you would like value of this field to be automatically transferred to a field in an another module, select the module and user field from the Smart Transfer field.

   As an example, if the user field being customized is in the Asset module, you could set up a smart transfer to a user field in the Work Order module. It is not necessary for fields to be mapped to the exact same user field. However, it is important that they are mapped to a field of the same type—both fields should be text, date, or check box fields.

   Once a value is populated into the source user field, that value will automatically be populated onto the designated smart transfer field whenever a new record is created. In our example, if a value was entered in the XYZ Internal ID field for a particular asset, each time a work order was associated with this asset, that value would be automatically populated onto the designated field in the Work Order table.

   Although it is not necessary to customize the field in the recipient module in order for the smart transfer to take effect, you may want to customize the label to ensure consistency.

10. In the text area, enter any necessary help information for users.

    This text displays whenever a user accesses Field-Level Help for the field by clicking the label.

11. Click Save.

    The window refreshes, displaying the help contents for your newly defined field. Your new field label should appear at the top of the window.

12. Click Close.

    The User-Defined page displays your new field. If you have connected the field to a lookup, a Lookup button appears next to the field.

13. Enter acceptable values for the new field:

    1. Click the Lookup button.

       The Lookup window for your new field opens.

    2. Enter new values as desired in the New row.

    3. Click Save.

       You return to the page from which the help window was accessed.