Explaining Custom Fields

As a Designated Support Contact (DSC) for her organization, Jenny needs to request changes to a custom field from SAP Ariba Support. Jenny wants to learn more about field attributes so that she can submit her request properly.

Let's first try to understand what a custom field is and what its usage is.

SAP Ariba provides standard fields, but custom fields can be added and configured for your solution by SAP Ariba. Custom fields can be added during or after the deployment in your solution, however, there are contractual and system limits to the number and types of custom fields that can be configured.

Fields can be configured to be used as references for reporting and data entry, used to define custom attribute for master data, and used within conditions when configuring templates.

These are data entry fields and accept user-entered data or user selections.

These are read-only fields, whose content is determined by an expression. Computed fields are non-reportable.

Customers are allotted five (5) new custom header fields for Sourcing, and ten (10) for Contracts when a customer goes through a deployment. Customer header fields do not apply for SLP, nor Supplier Risk.

There are also changes that can be made to some of the standard fields, which does not count against these allotments. However, not all standard field attributes are editable. Field attributes that can be edited are found in the Data Collection File for Header Fields.

This URL https://support.ariba.com/Item/view/131840 will redirect to SAP Ariba Connect for a downloadable copy of SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing Custom Header Field Data Collection Template.

"As your deployment functional consultant, I will help capture your requirements and help with the configuration efforts during the deployment. For new custom field requests and edits post go-live, customers will want to contact their SAP Ariba Customer Engagement Executive, Account Manager, or SAP Ariba Support."

Specifies the user-visible name of the field. Limit labels to 30 characters or less. The system removes characters that it does not allow.

By default, the system uses cus_label as the internal name for custom fields. However, you can customize this internal name for both custom fields and standard fields to be the label you want to display in the user interface.

Specifies the type of field. For example, Account, Boolean, Currency, Date, User, and so on.

Displays a list of choices in a dropdown control. By default, the user can also select No choice as an option. This works correctly for string or int fields.

Require users to select an item from the item chooser, instead of leaving the field empty. The application will not allow users to continue without setting a value for the field.

Displays an information icon and specifies the text that displays when users select the icon.

Indicates whether the field data is available in the Reporting module for use in reports. By default, this field is available for use in reports.

If you specify a computed value expression and the user overrides it by entering a value, the system respects the value entered by the user. This setting also prevents the system from changing computed values each time the form is displayed.

The initial value for the field when the form is displayed.

SAP Ariba expression that determines the value of the field. This is typically used for computed fields, but can also be used to specify a default value for a normal field.

Specifies the views that display the field. The choices are: Print, Details, Search, Edit, and Mobile Summary. For example, if you have an Employee Information form and users are not allowed to search for employees based on gender, you can hide the Gender field in search pages. Or, if you create a confidential field, such as Social Security Number, you might want to hide it from the Details view so that it does not appear when users display the form.

Specifies whether users must enter a value and displays an asterisk beside the field, which indicates that the field is mandatory. The application will not allow users to continue without setting a value for the field.

An SAP Ariba expression that determines when this field is visible. When the expression evaluates to true, the field is visible.

• Example: cus_ContainsDairy == false

This expression causes the field to disappear if a user sets the Boolean "Contains Dairy" field to No.

An SAP Ariba expression that determines when this field is editable. When the expression evaluates to true, the field is editable.

• Example: cus_ProductNumber ﹤= 1000

This expression causes the field to be a non-editable (read-only) field if the "Product Number" field is 1001 or greater.

An SAP Ariba expression that determines when this field is valid. When the expression evaluates to false, the field is invalid and an error message that you supply displays.

• Example: cus_SuppliersName != 'Bruce’

This expression causes the field to issue an error if a user enters the string "Bruce."

The Conditions property displays two values for each section: Applied and Custom.

This is the predefined condition for the field.

This is the condition you define for the field.

Custom conditions, once published, appear in the Applied section as well.

The system uses the "AND" boolean operator to join the two conditions together, which determines the behavior of the field.

Let's see what the advanced properties of custom field are.

You can specify field behavior in special situations with the advanced properties.

Examples of features within Advanced:

• Optional Search Field
• Include field in approval email notifications
• Refresh screen on value change
• Optional Search Field
• Allow edit after the project completion
• Enabled for Project Mass Edit

For more information on Custom Fields, see the Intelligent Configuration Manager administration guide at Help.SAP.com