Creating Custom Fields

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to create custom fields for entities.

Custom Fields Configuration

Certain entities, such as classes, items, or users, may not include all the fields that a customer might desire by default. To accommodate specific needs, additional fields can be added to these entities. These fields can either contain unique text or reference predefined values.

For instance, you can create a custom field for the User entity called Division. This field can be set up as a reference field with limited options, such as:

Headquarters
HR
Maintenance
Operations
Training

Values for these custom fields can be entered manually by an administrator or imported through a connector.

Custom fields may be created for Class, Cohort, Curricula, Instructor, Item, Job Codes, Objective, Organization, Program, Question, Special Request, and User Entities.

Create a Custom Unreferenced Field for the User Entity

The creation of custom fields is a two-step process. First, you must configure the custom field in the appropriate entity and then use the entity configuration tool to make it displayed or required. Custom fields can be either unreferenced or referenced. Unreferenced fields allow administrators to input free text or values to satisfy the field’s attribute; for the user entity, these fields can be of type string, integer, or decimal. Referenced fields, present administrators with a dropdown menu to select a predefined string value, and this field type is only available as a string.

Steps

Navigate to System Administration→Custom Fields.
Select the User Entity.
Choose Search to display all the existing custom fields for that entity.
Note the field numbers that are already being used, if any. Custom fields that are in use will typically have an associated label.
Select and edit a custom field that is not in use.
Enter the field label.
Select Apply Changes.

Result

A custom unreferenced field for the User entity has been created.

Create a Custom Referenced Field for the User Entity

A referenced field enables users to choose a corresponding value for a field attribute from a predefined list in a drop-down menu. These custom referenced fields will be utilized as searchable criteria attributes within the system and are useful for assignment profiles rule creation and reporting.

Steps

Navigate to System Administration→Custom Fields.
Select the User entity.
Choose Search to display all the existing custom fields for that entity.
Note the field numbers that are already being used, if any. Custom fields that are in use will typically have an associated label.
Select and edit a custom field that is not in use.
Enter the field label.
Check Referenced.
Select Apply Changes.
Enter a Reference ID and Description.
Select Add.
Enter again a Reference ID and Description.
Select Add.
Select Apply Changes.

Result

The list of referenced values is populated.

User Custom Fields menu is opened and the referenced values are highlighted.

Managing Custom Fields in the Entity Configuration Tool

To display the custom field in the entity for which it was created, use the Entity Configuration tool. This tool allows you to display specific fields or make displayed fields required.

To view or change the entity configuration:

Steps

Navigate to Learning Administration→System Administration→Configuration→Entity Configuration.
Select the appropriate entity from the Select Entity dropdown.
Enter the word custom in the Search field to narrow down your results.
Find the custom field that was created.
Check the appropriate boxes to make it Required or Display.

Result

The custom field will now be displayed or required in the entity.

Entity configuration tool menu is opened and the required and display columns are highlighted.

Summary

Custom fields can be added to entities like classes, items, or users to meet specific needs.
Custom fields can be unreferenced (free text) or referenced (dropdown values).
Fields can be manually entered or imported through a connector.
Use the Entity Configuration tool to display or require custom fields.

Next lesson