Creating Custom MDF Objects

Before configuring a custom data collection object, you need to assign permissions to work on MDF objects. To verify if the permissions are set, go to Admin Center → Manage Permission Roles → Permission... → Administrator Permissions → Metadata Framework.

You can configure the entities listed on the Custom Data Collection page and their respective interfaces using the Metadata Framework and Business Configuration UI.

After configuration, to map the entities to Onboarding forms, associate the entities with a Metadata Framework object linked to the ONB2Process object.

You can now configure custom data collection objects by completing the following steps.

1. Go to Admin Center → Configure Object Definitions..

2. From the Create New dropdown menu, select the Object Definition option.

3. In the Code field, enter a name for the custom object.

   Hint

   Custom object names must begin with the string CUST_.

4. In the API Visibility field, select Editable.

   

5. Add Fields for the additional data you want to collect from new hires.

6. To use the MDF custom object on any onboarding process, you must add this custom field:

   • Under Fields, add a custom field. In the Name field, enter cust_userConfig.
   • Choose Details associated with cust_userConfig field.
   • In the Data Type field, select Generic Object.
   • In the Valid Values Source field, enter ONB2DataCollectionUserConfig.
   • Choose Done.
   

7. Choose Save.

   Next Steps

   After creating a custom data collection object, you need to create a User Interface (UI) and configure it so it is visible to new hires.

The organization offers employees different benefits including company shirts, fitness center access, and parking spaces. But first, the organization needs to collect additional data on these benefits from new hires.

In this exercise, you will create two picklists to collect the data required so the organization can distribute the company shirts appropriately.

1. In the instance, navigate to Picklist Center using the Action Search bar.

2. To create a new picklist, choose + (Create a picklist).

3. Enter or select the following details for the new picklist:

   Code	Shirt Sizes
   Name	Shirt Sizes
   Status	Active
   Display Order	Alphabetical

   The new Shirt_Sizes picklist is now created without any items or values.

4. Choose + (Add New Value) and add the following three picklist values:

   	Value 1	Value 2	Value 3
   Ext Code	SS_Small	SS_Medium	SS_Large
   Label	Small	Medium	Large

5. To create another picklist, navigate back to Picklist Center and choose + (Create a picklist).

6. Enter or select the following details for the new picklist:

   Code	Shirt Color
   Name	Shirt Color
   Status	Active
   Display Order	Alphabetical

   The new Shirt_Color picklist is now created without any items or values.

7. Choose + (Add New Value) and add the following four picklist values:

   	Value 1	Value 2	Value 3	Value 4
   Ext Code	SC_NavyBlue	SC_Grey	SC_Red	SC_Black
   Label	Navy Blue	Grey	Red	Black

The organization has already created two picklists that will be used for MDF custom object data fields.

In this exercise, you will create an MDF custom object to define what data needs to be collected for the company shirt benefit.

1. In the instance, navigate to Configure Object Definitions using the Action Search bar.

2. From the Create New dropdown menu, select Object Definition.

3. Enter or select the following details for the new MDF custom object.

   Code	CompanyShirts
   Effective Dating	None
   Status	Active

4. Change the Data Type of externalCode to Auto Number.

5. For the Details of the externalCode and externalName fields, change the Visibility to Read only.

6. Use the following details to add three custom fields:

   Settings​	Field 1	Field 2	Field 3
   Name	ShirtSize	ShirtColor	userConfig
   Maximum Length	128	128	128
   Data Type	Picklist	Picklist	Generic Object
   Valid Value Source	Shirt Sizes	Shirt Color	ONB2DataCollectionUserConfig​
   Label	Shirt Sizes	Shirt Color	userConfig
   Visibilty	Editable	Editable	Not Visible

7. Under Security, in the Secured field, select No.

8. To create the new MDF custom object, choose Save.

A UI needs to be created or built for each MDF custom object in Onboarding. The UI of each MDF custom object is used to identify which MDF custom object will be presented to a new hire during the onboarding process. Different groups of Custom MDF Objects can be assigned to different new hires depending on the reason the organization wants to collect the additional data.

After creating and defining the MDF custom object for company shirts, a UI needs to be configured to make them accessible to new hires. In this exercise, you will create the UI for the company shirts MDF object.

1. In the instance, navigate to Manage Configuration UI using the Action Search bar.

2. Choose Create New.

3. In the Id field, enter CompanyShirtsUI.

4. In the Select Base Object field, select cust_CompanyShirts.

5. Delete the externalCode, externalName, and userConfig fields (if they appear) from the UI.

6. To create the new UI for the Company Shirts MDF object, choose Save.