Search

Create/Edit User Defined Field

Tips

Related Links

Use this page to create or modify a project user defined field. You can specify details about the field on the following tabs:

When finished specifying details on each tab, click Save.

Formula Tab

On this tab, specify the following general information about the project user defined field:

top

Use the following sections of the tab to specify additional information about the field; your selections determine how the field is calculated, as well as how it displays:

Formula
Use this section to define a formula or if/then/else statement to calculate field values. You can define a formula or if/then/else statement only if the field has a 'Formula' calculation type.

Tip: By default, this section displays basic operators such as + (plus) and - (minus). To view advanced relational operators and expressions, click More.

To define a formula without statements:

  1. In the Fields drop-down list, select a field to use in the calculation, then click Insert Field. You can select any project-related field defined in the project management database, including project codes, or any other project user defined field that exists for your organization.
  1. Next, use the operator and parentheses buttons and continue to insert fields to build your formula.
Tip: To enter "less than or equal to" into your formula, click the < icon, then the = icon. To enter "greater than or equal to" into your formula, click the > icon, then the = icon.

To define a formula with statements:

  1. ClickAdvanced, if necessary.
  2. Click IF/THEN/ELSE.

After you click IF/THEN/ELSE, the following default statement is added to the formula:

IF (condition) THEN (expression) ELSE (expression)

You must replace the (condition) and (expression) entries with valid statements.

  1. To replace the (condition) and (expression) entries with valid statements, highlight the entry you want to replace, including parentheses. You can only replace one entry at a time.
Tip: Alternatively, you can delete the (condition) and (expression) entries, then place the cursor in the appropriate location in the statement before inserting a field.
  1. In the Fields drop-down list, select the field you want to enter into the statement, then click Insert Field. You can select any project-related field defined in the project management database, including project codes, or any other project user defined field that exists for your organization.

  2. Next, use the operator, relational operator, and expression buttons to build your statement.
Tip: Relational operators (<, >, =, <>) are only valid for the 'IF' condition statement.

For example, assume you want to categorize your proposed projects by calculating a number that corresponds to each project's proposed budget. In this case, assuming you select Number as the Data Type, you could create the following expression:

IF [Proposed Budget]<250000 THEN 3
ELSE IF [Proposed Budget]<500000 THEN 2
ELSE 1

Based on this example, projects with a proposed budget of less than $250,000 have a calculated value of 3; projects with a proposed budget between $250,000 and $500,000 have a calculated value of 2; and projects with a proposed budget above $500,000 have a calculated value of 1.

Tips:

top

Graphical Indicators
Use this section to identify graphical indicators to display for the field. Graphical indicators display based on criteria set for field values. For example, you can choose a graphical indicator to display when the value of the field equals a certain number, or when the value of the field falls between a certain range of dates. Use the Parameter and Value fields to identify a criteria statement for each indicator.

Note: You can identify graphical indicators only for fields with a 'Cost', 'Integer', or 'Number' data type.
 

To identify a graphical indicator

  1. In the Parameter field, select a condition to use for the criteria statement.
  2. Next, choose value or field. Value lets you type a specific value, for example, a numerical value. Field lets you select an existing, project-related field from the project management database or any other project user defined field that exists for your organization.

    Tip: If you select a "is within the range of" or "is not in the range of" condition, use the Value field to specify the lower range value and the High Value field to specify the upper range value.
  3. In the Indicator field, click to select an icon to use as the graphical indicator.

top

Display Options
Use this section to customize display options for the project user defined field. You can specify display options only if any graphical indicators are identified for the field.

Mark one or both of the following checkboxes:

top

Summary Tab

On this tab, you can define a calculation for rows that summarize project user defined fields. You can also specify graphical indicators to display for summarized data; graphical indicators display based on criteria set for summary row values. For example, you can choose a graphical indicator to display when a summary row value equals a certain number, or when a summary row value falls between a certain range of dates.

To define a calculation for summary rows

  1. In the Calculation for summary rows drop-down list, select the calculation type you want to use for the field.

To identify graphical indicators to display for summarized field values

  1. In the Parameter field, select a condition to use for the criteria statement.
  2. Next, choose value or field. Value lets you type a specific value, for example, a numerical value. Field lets you select an existing, project-related project management field to use in the criteria statement.

    Tip: If you selected a "is within the range of" or "is not in the range of" condition, use the Value field to specify the lower range value and the High Value field to specify the upper range value.
  3. In the Indicator field, click to select an icon to use as the graphical indicator.

top