Managing Custom Fields Visibility

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to manage the behavior of custom fields.

Custom Field Visibility

Some options can be set for the default and custom fields. We refer to this as Managing Visibility / Field Behavior.

These options are:

  • Required
  • Read-Only
  • Optional
  • Hidden

You must determine the field visibility at the Employee, Report, Entry and Allocation levels.

Note

Field behavior is defaulted to Optional for all levels.

How to Configure Custom Field Visibility

Follow these steps to configure custom fields visibility. We walk you through each part of the process, complete with detailed instructions and screenshots to help you along the way.

Once you complete these steps, a demo video is available to reinforce what you've learned and provide a quick recap.

Steps

  1. Select Edit on Custom Fields in the Capturing Spend section of the Expense Settings page.

    The image shows a screenshot of the Expense Settings page, divided into several sections: Deployment Toolkit, Access to Concur, Capturing Spend. Edit button is highlighted under the Capturing Spend.

  2. Select Switch to Advanced View on the Custom Fields page.

    The image shows a screenshot of the Custom Fields page. The page has two tabs: Custom Fields and Fields We Track. Under the Custom Fields tab, there is a table with columns for Name, Type, and Manage. The table currently lists one custom field named Project with a type of List. There is a Manage List Items link under the Manage column. On the right side, there is a button labeled Switch to Advanced View highlighted in yellow, and a Save button next to it.

  3. Select Manage Visibility for the custom field you need to change the visibility.

    The image shows a screenshot of the Custom Fields settings page. Key elements on the page include: A button labeled Add a Custom Field at the top left; a search bar labeled Search all fields at the top right; two tabs: Custom Fields and Fields We Track; a table with columns for Name, Type, Manage, Visibility on Forms, and Invoice Copy-Down. The table lists several custom fields such as Project, Level 1 Division, Level 2 Company, Level 3 Department, Location, Business Unit. Each field has options to Manage List Items, Manage Visibility, and set invoice copy-Down preferences. A Save button is located at the top right of the table. A chat icon is visible at the bottom right corner of the screen.

  4. Make a visibility selection (Required, Read-Only, Optional, Hidden) at the Employee Level (Profile) and Report Header/Expense or Line Item/Allocation Level (Expense).

    The image shows a screenshot of the Manage Visibility settings page. The page include options such as User Profile, Report Header, Expense or Line Item, and Allocation. Each option can be set to Optional, Required, Read-Only, or Hidden from employees. The Expense or Line Item and Allocation fields are marked as Required, while the Report Header field is marked as Read-Only. The User Profile field is marked Optional.

  5. Select Save to enable these changes.

    The image shows a screenshot of the Manage Visibility settings page available to customize the visibility of Project field. The page offers the possibility to set the visibility of the field selected for different categories, such as User, Expense, and Invoice. Each category has specific fields with options to set them as Optional, Required, Read-Only, or Hidden from employees. At the bottom right corner, there is a Save button highlighted in yellow and a Cancel button next to it.

Result

Field's Visibility at the Employee Level

The visibility of the fields at the Employee Level dictates how a field behaves for users. It's best practice to configure this level as either Hidden or Read-only. Implementing this strategy empowers you to maintain control of the inputs on employee profiles.

If a field is set to Hidden, it becomes invisible during data entry but continues to hold and provide data for reporting purposes. On the other hand, the Read-only option allows users to view the field but not modify it. If you set a field to Hidden, it retains data for reports but does not display for data entry. If the first linked list field is set to Hidden, all the related field lists are read-only (grayed out) for that application level, regardless of their settings.

Field's Visibility at Report, Entry, and Allocation Level

Like the Employee Level, these fields determine field behavior in the designated levels.

See below.

FieldDescription
Employee Level

Select the appropriate behavior for the field at this level of the application. The options are:

  • Required: You must enter data in this field before saving the employee.
  • Optional: Users can change the field value at that level.
  • Read-only: Users can see the field but cannot change the value at that level.
  • Hidden: Users cannot see the field at that level.

Every user who has access to that level has the selected field access.

Report Level / Entry Level / Allocation Level

Select the appropriate behavior for the field at this level of the application. The options are:

  • Required: Users must enter data in this field before submitting the report.
  • Optional: Users can change the field value at that level.
  • Read-only: Users can see the field but cannot change the value at that level.
  • Hidden: Users cannot see the field at that level.

Every user who has access to that level has the selected field access.

Hint

After entering list items, you can edit or remove them by selecting the Manage List Items link and updating the information. To do so, select an item in the list and then choose Edit.

References

TitleLink
Custom Fields Setup Guide for Concur Standard EditionCustom Fields Setup Guide for Concur Standard Edition

Summary

Thank you for completing this unit.

As we conclude this unit on custom fields, you have gained a comprehensive understanding of how to use custom fields in Concur Expense to capture more General Ledger information, manage field behavior, and ensure accuracy and thoroughness in expense report data. We have covered the basics of custom fields, demonstrated how to access and add various types, and explored the fundamental processes for managing list items, including adding, editing, and deleting both manually and via the import option.

Before you move on from this unit, there is a knowledge check to help reinforce and assess what you've learned.

Learning

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