Add Custom Defined Fields

Custom defined fields must have a unique combination of item, name, and data type.

To add a custom defined field:

1. From the Customisation menu, select Data Inventory Manager.

The Data Inventory Manager window displays.

2. From the left pane of the Data Inventory Manager window, select the item and the data category to which you would like to add a CDF.
3. From the right pane of the Data Inventory Manager window, click the button.

The CDF Editor window displays.

CDF Editor Window

4. Enter a name in the Name field. The name should be no longer than 60 characters and should not contain periods (.), underscores (_), or capital letters. In addition it cannot start with a digit.
5. Enter a label in the Label field. The label is the default custom defined field’s name that the user will see in the Data Entry Form Manager window.
6. Select the data type for the custom defined field from the Data Type list.

Data Types for Custom Defined Fields
Data Type	Description and Comments
Text Field	unlimited characters
Date	Month, day, year
Number	≤15 decimal points
Organisation	Allows the user to select organisational data
Place	Allows the user to select place data
Country Structure	Allows the user to select country structure level data
Multiple Select	Allows the user to select zero or more values provided in the CDF Values field
Single Select	Allows the user to select one value from provided values in the CDF Values field

7. Enter a description for the custom defined field in the Description field.




Display formats

8. For Text and Single Select CDFs, there are two different display formats to choose between.

In version 6.0 two different display formats for Text fields has been introduced.

9. If you selected the Multiple Select or Single Select option, click the button.

The Add window displays.

10. Enter the value for the list in the Value field.

When entering values for lists, be sure to: Enter values in the order that you would like them to display to the user Enter values in the language in which the users will use IMSMA

11. Do one of the following:
• If you would like to save the value and enter additional values, click the Save button.
• If you have completed entering the values for the list, click the Done button.
12. If you selected the Single Select option, chose an option from the Selection Display field to display the CDF as either a list of radio buttons or as a combo box.

You can also translate the label and, if applicable, list option values by clicking the Translate button at this time. See Translate Custom Defined Field Labels for more information.

13. Do one of the following:
• To save the custom defined field and close the CDF Editor window, click the Save button.

If the custom defined field information is successfully saved, the CDF Editor window closes and the custom defined field is listed in the Data Inventory Manager window.

If you would like to add the custom defined field to existing data entry form templates, you will need to update and republish the data entry form template.

• To discard the custom defined field and close the CDF Editor window, click the Cancel button.