Configuring a Custom Field

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to configure a Custom Field in SAP Fieldglass and associate it to master data.

Custom Field

Custom fields can be used to collect information that is not captured in standard SAP Fieldglass fields. Custom fields often have an "eye" icon next to it to indicate that it is a custom field, not native.

For example, a buyer may want the hiring manager to provide an explanation for creating a job posting, indicated if the position is full time or part time, or select a specific classification for the worker. Custom fields can be created to capture that information.

Custom fields can be as simple as the dropdown menus illustrated here, or more complicated with features like linked modules that require multiple set of data values.

The Custom Field admin object list page next to the Details page of a Job Posting. Two of the listed custom fields on the Custom Field List page correlate to the Part Time/Full Time and Worker Classification fields on the Job Posting.

Navigating the Custom Field Admin Object

Configuration section of the Admin Menu, the Custom Field selection is highlighted.
1To view a list of custom fields created for the tenant, select Custom Field from the Configuration section of the admin menu.

Custom Field List Page

Custom fields can be created for a variety of modules and added to forms within the application to capture nearly any type of data an organization needs. Some modules are available by default, but others require additional setup by SAP Fieldglass. Consideration must be given to the data required, who is responsible for providing this data, and at what point in the workflow the data needs to be captured.

Custom Field List page displaying all of the custom fields in the tenant. Details listed in columns include Module, Name, Entered By, Type, Personally Identifiable Information, Sequence, Section, Linked From, and Dependencies. The Module column, the Name column, the Type column, the Personally Identifiable Information column, the Section column, and the Worker Classification Details link for the Buyer Job Posting page are highlighted.
2Module indicates the module that will contain the custom field text.
3Entered By indicates who is responsible for entering information into the custom field.
4Type indicates the type of data required to complete the custom field. This includes text, numbers, dates, pick lists, and segmented object details.
5Personally Identifiable Information is used to specify whether the custom field is considered Personally Identifiable Information (PII). This field is not available in all modules.
6Sequence indicates the order in which custom fields will display when included in the same Section for the module.
7Section specifies the section of the page where the custom field will display.
8To view the details of a custom field, select an appropriate link in the Name column.

Custom Field Details Page

The fields and settings available to a custom field depend on the module that was selected. This example illustrates details and sections that may be different in other modules.

Custom Field Details page divided into three sections. Besides Details, there is also Predefined Pick List and Linked Modules. The Section row in the Details section, the Predefined Pick List section, and the Linked Modules section are highlighted.
9The Section and Placement areas identify where the custom field should appear on the page and/or section. As indicated here, this custom field will appear at the bottom of the Details section of a job posting.
10Since the data type selected for this module was Pick List, the Predefined Picklist section lists the specific pick list used to populate this custom field.
11Using the Linked Modules fields, a custom field can be linked to other modules to pass its value to other documents. In general, a custom fields value can be passed further along in the workflow, but not backward. For example, job posting custom fields can pass values to work orders but work orders cannot pass a value back to job postings.

Create a Custom Field

WorkingNet Networking, Inc., a global manufacturer of data networking equipment, wants any hiring managers who create job posting to indicate a detailed reason as to why they are creating that job posting.

In order to do that, you, as the SAP Fieldglass administrator for WorkingNet, will need to create a Custom Field for that reason and attach it to a job posting template.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Associating Custom Fields to Master Data

If a custom field is not associated to all of the data elements related to that field, as indicated in the Visibility section of the Custom Field Creation page, those associations must be made manually through the appropriate tile on the field’s Details page.

When a data element is deselected on the custom field’s Edit page, the related tile is made available on its Details page. The custom field, then, is only available to the specific data elements which have been associated through the tile.

Worker Classification Custom Field details page displaying the Site and Labor Type association tiles next to the edit page of that custom field showing the Site and Labor Type boxes in the Visibility section checked. The Business Unit filed is not checked on the edit page and therefore does not appear as a tile on the custom field details page.

Summary

Custom fields in SAP Fieldglass allow users to collect information not captured by standard fields. They can be simple (such as dropdowns) or complex (with linked modules).

Key Points:

  • Custom Fields Usage: Custom fields capture additional info like job posting explanations or worker classifications.
  • Field Attributes: Attributes include Module, Entered By, Type, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Sequence, and Section, defining custom field behavior and placement.
  • Field Details: Details vary by module; for example, pick lists and linked modules for data transfer.
  • Association with Data: Custom fields must be manually associated with relevant data elements if not done during creation.

Learning

SAP FacebookSAP YoutubeSAP LinkedIn