Create User Fields

Use the User Fields Maintenance (XMO) program to add up to 25 user (i.e., custom) fields to many PowerShift files. See Background, Road Map and Set User Field Transfer Parameters for more information.

The program displays these fields:

Field Name	Displays
File description	The title or description of the file
File name	The file name
Fields defined	Selected: User fields have been created Blank: No user fields have been created

Select the file for which you want to create user fields and click Select or double click the line.
If no user fields have been defined for the file, look ahead to step 4. The selected file name and description is displayed with existing user fields:

Field Name	Displays
Seq	The sequence number of the field
Fld act?	Selected if the field is active
Field desc	The field's label on the screen
Fld type	The field type
Req/Opt	R if the field requires; O if an entry is optional
Fld lg	The field length
Prec	The number places to the right of the decimal point
Table?	Selected if the entry is validated against a table
Lookup?	Selected if the field is used as a sort field in lookups
Help text	The message displayed when a user enters or maintains the field

Choose the appropriate options:

To	Do This
Add a user field	Click Add. See step 4.
Delete this user field	Click Delete. The field will no longer be displayed on program screens. Important! Deleting a user field makes it inaccessible; however, any previously entered data is retained in the associated master file. Therefore, it is recommended you first select the field and use Reset to clear existing data so that the user field sequence can be redefined or deleted.
Copy the selected user field	Click Copy. See Copy.
Display or change a user field	Click Select or double-click the line. See step 4.
Print the list of user fields	Click Print. See Print.
Set up transfer parameters	Click Transfer. See Set User Field Transfer Parameters.
Specify a different file	Click OK. See step 1.
Return to the menu	Click Exit.

Enter or change data in these fields:

Field Name

Type / Max Length

Action / Description

Seq no

Required
2 numeric (values 1 - 25)

Accept the displayed sequence number or enter a different number. User fields display in sequence number order.

Note
This field is available only when you are adding a new user field.

Field description

Required
20 alphanumeric

Enter the screen label to use for this field.

Field type

Required
1 alphanumeric

Select the field type:

Select	User action
A (Alphanumeric)	Enter text.
N (Numeric)	Enter a number. You must also enter data in the Precision field.
L (Logic)	Select a check box or leave blank.
D (Date)	Enter a date, which includes month, day, and year in any order.

Required/Optional

Required
1 alphanumeric

Select R if this user field requires an entry or select O if an entry is optional.

If you select R, users will not be able to leave the field blank.

Field length

Conditional
2 numeric

Enter the length of this user field.

If the field type is alphanumeric or numeric, you are required to specify the length of the user field.

Maximum field lengths vary, depending on the user field type you have selected:

Type	Maximum
Alphanumeric	40
Alphanumeric with a list of valid choices	25
Alphanumeric as a lookup sort field	25
Numeric	16
Date	8 (fixed length)
Logic	1 (fixed length)

Precision

Conditional
1 numeric

For a numeric field, enter the number of places to the right of the decimal point that can be entered. The maximum is 8 but precision cannot be greater than the declared field length. For example, if the field length is 6, then 6 is the maximum precision.

Leave the field blank or accept 0 to disallow fractional entries in the field.

Table validation?

Conditional/Optional
1 alphanumeric

For an alphanumeric field, select if you want to create a list of valid choices that display on a drop-down list or leave blank if you do not. When a table is associated with the field, users can select from a list of valid choices.

Note
The maximum field length is 25 if you select Table validation.

Lookup sort?

Conditional
1 alphanumeric

For an alphanumeric field, select if you want to be able to sort on this field in lookups or leave blank if you do not.

When you sort the lookup by this field, only those records with an entry in it are included.

Note
The maximum field length is 25 if you select Lookup sort.

Lookup sort key

Conditional
1 alphanumeric

If you selected Lookup sort?, enter a sort key. The program uses this determine how to sort records displayed in lookups.

The sort key must be unique; the program will not allow you to save one that is not.

Hint!
Run Data Dictionary Inquiry and enter the file name. The Srt key column lists the sort keys that are already used.

Default value

Optional
40 alphanumeric

Enter the value you want to display. This will vary depending on the user field type:

Field type	Default value
Alphanumeric or Numeric	Enter a default value that displays in the field. The system does not validate default values against tables, even if the field is set up for table validation. This allows you to create a user field and then build a table, without needing to enter the default after you have built the table.
Date	Enter T to default to the User Transaction Date, which you set in the Date-Output Maintenance (ZE) program, or enter S to default to the system date. Date fields use the date format set for your enterprise in System Options Maintenance (XM) program (Enterprise Options), for your branch in the Branch Maintenance (TBM) program, or for you in the User Maintenance (UIM) program. If you copy a date field that is set to default to T or S, the copied field reflects the current user transaction or system date. For example, suppose you have defined a Date created field with a default of T for the general ledger Master file. When you copy an account record, the copied record reflects the current user transaction date, rather than the date of the record from which it was copied.
Logic	Enter Y if you want the checkbox to be selected or N if you do not.

Help text

Optional
40 alphanumeric

Enter a message that the program will display below the field when a user enters or maintains this field. For example, enter a prompt or other help text.

Field active?

Optional

Select to activate this field or clear to make this field inactive.

Print field?

Optional

Select to print this field label and entry on documents output with the document management system:

Select	To
P	Print on all copies of documents. This field label and its contents print before header notes.
N	Not print on any copy.
B	Print on all copies of documents. This field label and its contents print before other user fields and all types of notes.
1 - 0	Print only if your selection matches the number you enter in the User field print codes field of a document copy in the Document Output Parameters Maintenance (TDOC) program. For example, if you select 1 and enter 1 in the User field print codes field of the customer copy of a document, this field and its contents print on the customer copy, but not on the sales rep copy. The field prints before type P fields and header notes.

Choose the appropriate options:

To	Do This
Change a field	Move the cursor to the field and make changes.
Accept changes and leave the record displayed	Click Apply.
Exit without changing this field	Click Cancel.
Change the Seq no field	Click Change no. Note This function is only available during when you are adding a new field. To change sequence numbers at a later time, you must clear existing values and delete the field.
Create choices from which users can select on a drop-down list	Click Table. See Create a Table of Choices.
Clear existing data so that the user field can be deleted and re-defined	Click Reset. The program prompts Reset will clear existing data for this user field. Continue with reset? Click Yes to reset the field or click No to end this action.
Return to the list of user fields	Click OK.
Exit and return to the menu	Click Quit.