Adding Custom Details Throughout Accolade

Create custom data fields, called extended fields, which can record data about deliverables, activities, resource pools, timesheets, and/or users. You can define the type of data recorded, indicate what the content should relate to, and specify whether the data applies to deliverables, activities, resource pools, timesheets, users, or some combination. Extended fields are also included in report contents.

If you synchronize and add Accolade users using Active Directory, you can define custom string fields within Accolade to map data into from Active Directory. See Synchronizing Users with Active Directory Overview for more information about this option.

To add an extended field:

1. From the System menu, select Configuration > Extended Fields.
2. Expand the section that contains the field type you want to define.

Each data type can have a maximum of ten fields in use. Select from the following options:

• Date - Creates date controls where you can select a calendar date.
• List - Creates single-select list boxes that you can populate either by a query or by entering the list items manually.
• Long String - Creates multi-line text boxes that accept numbers and letters.
• Multi-Select List - Creates multiple selection list boxes that you can populate either by a query or by entering the list items manually.
• Number - Creates number boxes that accept only numbers.
• String - Creates single-line text boxes that accept numbers and letters.

3. Modify the following columns to add an extended field with a control:

Field	Description
Name	Enter the name that identifies the content of the field. The name displays as the row or column label where the field displays.
List Source	(for List and Multi-List fields only) Create a query-based list or define a list manually. You define the options for the list much like you do for a list or multi-select list metric. To create a query generated list, select Query and select a query from the box. Click Edit to modify the query or click Preview to test it. To manually create a list, select Defined List and enter the list items separated by a pipe ( | ) character, just as if creating a list for a list metric. Note:  To manually create a list, select Defined List and enter the list items separated by a pipe (|) character, just as if creating a list for a list metric. Do not use spaces between the list item and the pipe character (a|b|c).
Active	Select one or more of the following options to make the extended field in the following: Activities - Select the check box to make this field available in the More Details section within an activity. Deliverables - Select the check box to make this field available in the More Details section within a deliverable. Pools - Select the check box to make this field available when adding resource pools. List-type extended fields that are associated with pools can be used to filter resources on the Resource Editor page. Timesheets - Select the check box to add this field to Timesheet Entry. See Time Tracking Overview for more information on using timesheets in Accolade. Resources and timesheets are available in optional features available for Accolade.
Users	Select one ore more of the following options to define additional details when you create user accounts: Active - Select to add this field to the User Admin page used to define user accounts. Required - Select to require a value for this field when creating new Accolade users or updating an existing user. Searchable - Select to add this field as a filter to the Select User dialog box. Date fields cannot be selected for user search. The Maximum Searchable Extended Fields system parameter defines the maximum number of fields that you can select for user search. The default value is five fields. Create a report using the Users subject to determine which users are missing values for required extended fields. AD Sync - Select if you have Active Directory enabled and want to pull data from Active Directory to this extended field. This check box only displays if the Active Directory functionality is enabled. If the extended field is set to required and a value is not set for a user for the field in Active Directory, the user is set to inactive when the directory synchronization occurs.
Order	Enter a number to define the vertical order of the field rows in relation to each other.

4. Click Apply to save your changes.

Mapping Extended Field System Names

If your company uses extended fields, you may have the need to retrieve the related system names for use when importing data or for reporting purposes.

The general syntax for the system name is ExtendedField<datatype><number>, where number is the sequential number of the extended field. For example, in the Date Fields section, the first field is ExtendedFieldDate1, the second field is ExtendedFieldData2, and so forth.

Extended field system names are automatically assigned, and cannot be changed.

To view the extended fields mapping specific to your company's configuration, Sopheon recommends downloading the list of all fields using the Download option on the configuration page. Note that all fields will be downloaded, regardless of whether or not they are in use.

Notes:    To remove an existing field, clear the selected check boxes for the field. After a detail row has been added to a project, its data cannot be simply deleted from the project. If the row is completely changed in the extended field definition, its data remains in projects until a user deletes the data or enters new data.