Overview

Tracker allows you to customize forms to suit your needs by adding and removing fields as necessary. In addition, you can specify the name displayed for all fields and other properties of each field such as whether a field is required or not and on which pages the field will appear.

The following sections explain how to manage fields:

Global Field List - information about the global list of fields and general operations such as adding, editing and deleting fields
Field Types and Properties - details of each field type that can be created and the properties that can be set for each
Field Visibility - how to configure which user groups can access each field in the various pages in Tracker
Fields and Forms - how to configure on which forms each field will appear and the properties it exhibits on a given form
Customizing Menu Items - how to define the option menu items within a pulldown or release number field
Customizing Pulldown Menu Dependencies - how to configure a parent-child relationships between pulldown fields

A list of the global fields in the workgroup is available in the Fields section. To get to the list:

1. Login to the workgroup as Admin
2. Click on the Admin icon
3. Click on the Fields link

Field Search

A search function is available in the Fields section to help you quickly locate a field or set of fields that match certain criteria.

To search for a field or set of fields:

1. Login to the workgroup as Admin
2. Click on the Admin icon
3. Click on the Fields link
4. Type in any desired criteria into the Search... box
5. If you wish to filter the search so that only fields of a certain type(s) are included in the search results, click on the dropdown icon to select by which fields you wish to filter. Selecting "<None>" will include all field types in the search results (this is the default selection). More information about the different field types can be found in the Field Types section. To make multiple selections, hold down the Ctrl button on your keyboard as you click on the field types you wish to select.
6. Click on the Search icon to run the search

A list of relationships between pulldowns can be accessed by clicking on the Pulldown Dependencies link in the upper right corner of the Fields page.

It is often a good idea to create a backup of your database before making major changes such as modifying your fields as some modifications are irreversible other than by restoring backup copy of your database.

To add a new field:

1. Login to the workgroup as Admin
2. Click on the Admin icon
3. Click on the Fields link
4. Click on the Add Field button
5. Select the field type you wish to add, then click Continue
6. Make selections for the field's properties. The properties available for each field type are described in the Field Types section.
7. Click OK to save the field or click Continue if you are adding a Link type field. If you are adding a Link type field, make selections for the Reverse Link Field properties, then click OK to proceed
8. A confirmation page will be displayed. Click on the OK button to return to the Fields section or click the Add Another Global Field button to add another field or click Manage Forms for this Field to select which forms in which the field will be included.

Editing Field Properties

The properties set for a field when created or edited in the Fields section are known as Global Field Properties. When a field is added to a form, the field can use its global field properties or the field can be modified such that it has different properties when it is used by each form. For example, you may want to configure a field such that it is required on the Add page on one form, but not required on the Add page for another form.

To edit a field's properties from the Set Forms section:

1. Login to the workgroup as Admin
2. Click on the Admin icon
3. Click on the Fields link
4. Click on the Forms button to the left of the field
5. The Forms Using This Field column displays any forms which include the selected field. Forms marked with a "*" indicate that the form uses the global field properties for the field. Click on a form in the Forms Using This Field column, then click on the Edit button.
6. The properties of the selected field will be displayed. When the box for the property Use Global Field Properties is checked, this indicates that the properties set for the field in the Fields section will be applied to this field on the selected form. Unchecking the box for the Use Global Fields Properties option will allow you to set the field's properties for the selected form. An explanation of the available properties for the fields by field type can be found in the Field Types section.
7. Click OK to save any changes to the field properties

Editing Field Attributes

To edit the attributes for a field:

1. Login to the workgroup as Admin
2. Click on the Admin icon
3. Click on the Fields link
4. Click on the Edit button to the left of the field you wish to modify
5. Make changes to the attributes (details of the available options are explained below)
6. Click on the OK button to save your changes

The Assigned To, Reported By, Status fields as well as the Pulldown and Release Number fields have an Items button available for modifying the options available in those fields. Details on editing items for Pulldown and Release Number fields are available in the Customizing Menu Items section.

The Items button for the Assigned To field will display the User Accounts section. Items listed in the Assigned To field are the users listed in the User Accounts section. For a user to be available in the Assigned To field on the Add Page, the user must be a member of a user group with the privilege "Can Be Assignee For Add". For a user to be available in the Assigned To field on the Edit Page, the user must be a member of a user group with the privilege "Can Be Assignee For Edit".

The Items button for the Reported By field will display the User Accounts section. Items listed in the Reported By field are the users listed in the User Accounts section.

The Items button for the Status field will display the Global States List. Items listed in the Status field are the states created in the Global States List.

Deleting Fields

Before you can delete a field, you must first remove it from any forms in which it is being used. Please review the Removing and Re-adding Fields to a Form section for background and instructions for removing a field from forms and subsequently deleting it from the workgroup.