Custom Field Admin - Custom Field Type Options

The following custom field type options are available. Which field types (e.g., drop-down list, hierarchy) are available is dependent on the type of custom field you are creating (e.g., compensation, training).

Branched Dropdown

Contents are contingent on the selected value of a parent drop-down field. This allows you to create a hierarchy of drop-downs which displays information to specific Users. The parent drop-down must be created before creating a branched drop-down. This field type is available for user record and training custom fields.

  • Assigned Parent Field - Click to select and associate a Parent field. Parent fields can be either type Dropdown or Branched Dropdown. Parent fields must be the same language as the Branched Dropdown. Available parent fields will be constrained by the Training Custom Field Creator Constraints. Branched Dropdowns with no parent will function as regular Dropdowns. Each option has a limit of 100 characters. Options may have more than one associated parent option. You can drag-and-drop options to re-order them. From an end-use perspective, when creating an LO or submitting external training, Branched Dropdowns are disabled until the parent Dropdown has a value selected.
  • Alphabetize Options - Select this option to alphabetize the branched drop-down options.
  • Click Options icon to add selections.
  • Name - Enter text for drop-down field name. If multiple languages are enabled, click the Translate icon to the right of the field to localize the values to the other available languages.
  • Active - Check to make the option active.
  • Remove - Click to delete option.

Check Box

This is a field that contains a checkbox, which is unchecked by default.

Conditional Numeric Field

This is a calculation-based numeric field, which can perform IF conditions and mathematical expressions to determine a value. This allows you to set specific calculations. The value is calculated based on an equation which may be contingent on one or more other fields. Both mathematical and logical (IF, THEN, ELSE) conditions are available. Conditional Numeric Fields are available for all LO types (Online Class, Session, Event, etc), as well as for an end user submitting external training. A Calculate link displays for the end user. This field type can be helpful for ensuring accuracy for the submission of external training.

  • Equation - Enter an equation. Click the pop-up icon to select a previously created numeric custom field value to include in the equation (e.g., {CPE Credits}*2). Click the Save icon to save the equation.
  • To add a condition to the equation, click the Conditions icon. This creates an If, Then, Else equation using the selected custom field. For example, if "Training Hours" is greater than 10.
  • You can add additional conditions using the And and Or links.
  • Click the Edit icon to the right of the condition to edit the equation.

Conditional Numeric Field Validation

When creating a Conditional Numeric Field type, a validation can be configured to ensure a valid value is entered when a conditional numeric field is completed on the Add/Edit External Training pop-up or the Training Details page. The Validations section can be configured during the create, edit, and copy process for Training custom fields.

To add a validation:

  1. Click the plus sign to the right of the Validations section header. This opens the validation options.
  2. The Field column always displays the text "Final Calculated Value." This indicates that the value calculated on the Add/Edit External Training pop-up or the Training Details page must meet the validation criteria entered in the Operator and Value fields.
  3. In the Operator column, select one of the following operators from the drop-down:
    • Must be equal to
    • Must not be equal to
    • Must be less than
    • Must be less than or equal to
    • Must be greater than
    • Must be greater than or equal to
    • Must be one of
  4. Enter a numeric value in the Value column. The field is blank by default.
  5. Enter a custom validation message. The character limit is 500. This is not a required field. For portals with multiple languages enabled, you can localize the message using the Translate icon.

Custom error messages appear in the following format: <Custom Error Message Text>. Calculation used: (<calculation>).

Note: If a custom validation message is not entered, the following standard validation message displays for any instance in which an invalid value is entered for the field: "Error: The final calculated value for this field <operator> <value>. Please adjust your values and try again. Calculation used: (<calculation>)."

  1. The Remove column allows you to remove the validation by clicking the Delete icon. You can delete a validation at any time. The deletion is only committed when Save is clicked.

Additional validations can be included by clicking the plus sign next to the Validations section header.

Date Field

Create a date field. The format of MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY is determined by the culture settings for the portal. Note: The maximum date supported for custom date fields is November 2077.

Dropdown

This is a field that contains a drop-down list.

To add a drop-down selection, click the Add New Option icon to the right of the Options heading.

  • Set "Select" as default option - Select this option to set the default drop-down value as "Select." If this is not selected, a Default column displays and you can select which field is the default value for the drop-down list. When this option is selected, users are required to select a value for the field.
  • Name - Enter the text for the drop-down field name. The character limit for this field is 100. If multiple languages are enabled for your portal, select the Translate icon to translate the field into other available languages.
  • Active - Select this option to make the drop-down option active.
  • Remove - Click this icon to delete the option.
  • Sort - If there are two or more options, you can drag and drop the options to order them.

Note: If translated values are defined in the Options section, then the values display in the user's language, if available. If the user's language is not available, then the values display in the default language for the portal.

Encrypted Short Text Box

See Custom Field Admin - Encrypted Short Text Box.

Formula Metric

Formula Metric custom fields enable the ability to combine multiple ratings into a single formula metric custom field. The administrator can combine ratings from numeric user custom fields, performance reviews, competency assessments, and succession rating scale metrics into one rating that can be used to plot users on a metric grid. Formula Metric may be added to individual profile step of template.

See Configuration Guide - Using a Formula Metric in an SMP Template.

Formula Metric - Formula Properties

Click Add icon to select a field. After selecting a field, you must send a percentage value for the field. The total for all percentages must equal 100%.

Formula Metric - Rating Scale

  • Scale - Enter the number of values should be in the scale (e.g., 1-5 creates a scale with five scale scores). After entering a value, click the Add button to update the scale. The maximum value is 15.
  • Include N/A rating - Select this option to include a Not Applicable or N/A rating in the rating scale. This enables the assessor to select this rating if they feel the question or item does not apply to the assessee.
  • Map custom ranges - The availability of this option is controlled by a backend setting. Select this option to map the points on the rating scale to custom ranges of values. See the Range field description below for additional information.
  • Points - This column displays each point value on the rating scale.
  • Range - This option is only available when the Map custom ranges option is selected. This field enables the administrator to define score ranges that are mapped to points on the rating scale. For example, if a range of 13.55-15.00 is mapped to the 15 point value, then if a user receives a score that is within the 13.55-15.00 range, this score is automatically mapped to the 15 point value.
    • When the administrator defines the rating scale, the system automatically populates the Range values with equal increments based on the size of the rating scale.
    • The left value in the range is known as the range floor and it represents the lowest value that is included in the range.
      • The range floor value is always read-only. If a range ceiling is modified, the range floor for the following range is automatically adjusted to match the previous range ceiling. For example, for the first rating (1.0), the range is set to 0-1.0. The range floor for the following rating (2.0) is automatically set to 1.1 because this is the next possible score. If the range ceiling for the first rating (1.0) is modified from 1.0 to 1.4, the range floor for the following rating (2.0) is automatically updated to 1.5 because this is the next possible score.
      • The first range floor is always set to zero.
    • The right value in the range is known as the range ceiling and it represents the highest value that is included in the range. This value can be modified for all ranges except the final value, which is equal to the highest rating point value.
      • The last range ceiling is always set to the value that is entered for the Rating Scale.
  • Active - This option is only available when the Map custom ranges option is selected. This field enables the administrator to make the rating active or inactive for the formula metric. When this option is selected, the corresponding rating scale score is available to assessors when completing a succession task. When this option is deselected, the corresponding rating scale score is not available to assessors and cannot be selected. In addition, when this option is not selected for a rating score, the Score Display and Rating fields are disabled.
  • Score Display - Enter the score value that is displayed in the scale. If multiple languages are enabled for your portal, select the Translate icon to translate the field into other available languages.
  • Rating - Enter a rating title that describes the rating score (e.g., Exceeds Expectations, Needs Improvement). If multiple languages are enabled for your portal, select the Translate icon to translate the field into other available languages.
  • Description - Enter a detailed description for the rating score. The character limit is 1000. If multiple languages are enabled for your portal, select the Translate icon to translate the field into other available languages.
  • Select Color - Click this icon to select color that will be associated with the ratings so that reports can be run which color code users by this rating.

Hierarchy

Field that contains options in a parent/child relationship.

  • Click Options icon to add selections.
  • Order - Drag and drop the options to determine the order in which they appear.
  • Add Child - Click to add child filed to parent field.
  • Name - Enter text for drop-down field name. If multiple languages are enabled, click the Translate icon to the right of the field to localize the values to the other available languages.
  • Active - Check to make the option active.
  • Remove - Click to delete the option.

Metric Grid

This is a field that allows the ability to create a box grid. Reporting and analytics capabilities are also available for the box grids.

  • X-Axis - Click on the search icon to select field for X-Axis. Can select any performance, competency, succession rating scale, or formula metric field.
  • Y-Axis - Click on the search icon to select field for Y-Axis. Can select any performance, competency, succession rating scale, or formula metric field.
  • Columns (X) - Enter a number for the X columns.
  • Rows (Y) - Enter a number for the Y columns.
  • Display Axis Labels - Check to display Axis labels.
  • Use Default Trend - This option enables administrators to disable the Trend functionality in Helicopter View for the metric grid field. When this option is selected, the Trend filter and Color Code options are available in Helicopter View. If this option is unselected, the Trend filter and Color Code options are not available in Helicopter View.

Enter a label for each row, column, and grid placement. When defining the grid labels, if multiple languages are enabled, click the globe icon to translate the name into other available languages. Note: Localization may not be available for all types of custom fields.

Editing Note: Once a metric grid field has been used in a template, the field can no longer be edited.

Multiple Checkbox

Field that contains the options to check multiple values.

  • Click Options icon to add selections.
  • Order - Drag and drop the options to determine the order in which they appear.
  • Name - Enter text for option name. If multiple languages are enabled, click the Translate icon to the right of the field to localize the values to the other available languages.
  • Active - Check to make the option active.
  • Default - Select this option to make the option selected by default.
  • Remove - Click to delete the option.

Note: If translated values are defined in the Options section, then the values display in the user's language, if available. If the user's language is not available, then the values display in the default language for the portal.

Numeric Field

This is a text box that accepts numerical characters. The character limit for these text boxes is dependent on the custom field type:

  • Application - 15
  • Compensation - 15
  • Development Plans - 29
  • Offer Letter - 15
  • Performance Reviews - 10
  • Succession - 10
  • User Record - 8

OU Field

This is a field that allows the user to search and select an OU from the selected OU type as a value for the field. Groups are not available for selection. This field is available for informational purposes only and not for changing OUs related to the user.

Permission Note: When creating a Users type OU custom field, end users must have the Global Search - People permission in order to search for and select a user from the custom field.

Radio Button

This is a field that contains a radio button.

To add a radio button option, click the Add New Option icon to the right of the Options heading.

  • Name - Enter the text for the radio button option. If multiple languages are enabled, click the globe icon to translate the name into other available languages. Note: Localization may not be available for all types of custom fields.
  • Active - Select this option to make the radio button option active. When an option is active, then it appears to users.
  • Default - Select this option to make the radio button option selected by default.
  • Remove - Click this icon to delete the option.
  • Sort - If there are two or more options, you can drag and drop the options to order them.

Note: If translated values are defined in the Options section, then the values display in the user's language, if available. If the user's language is not available, then the values display in the default language for the portal.

Rating Scaling Metric

This is a field that allows users to select one rating for the employee being assessed which determines the score for that user.

In the Scale field, enter the number of values should be in the scale (e.g., 1-5 creates a scale with five scale scores). After entering a value, click the Add button to update the scale.

  • Include N/A Rating - Check to include N/A rating.
  • Score Display - Enter the score value that is displayed in the scale. If multiple languages are enabled, click the globe icon to translate the name into other available languages. Note: Localization may not be available for all types of custom fields.
  • Rating - Enter a rating title that describes the rating score (e.g., Exceeds Expectations, Needs Improvement). If multiple languages are enabled, click the globe icon to translate the name into other available languages. Note: Localization may not be available for all types of custom fields.
  • Description - Enter a detailed description for the rating score. The character limit is 1000. If multiple languages are enabled, click the globe icon to translate the name into other available languages. Note: Localization may not be available for all types of custom fields.
  • Select Color - Click this icon to select color that will be associated with the ratings so that reports can be run which color code users by this rating.

Scrolling Text Box

This text box can accept up to 2500 Characters.

If you go over the maximum number of characters, an error message appears. If you reduce the number of characters and still get an error message, check for hidden characters and remove them.

Short Text Box

This text box can accept up to 100 characters.

Default Value Definition for Custom Fields

A default value can be defined for the following custom field options in the Custom Field Administration:

  • Dropdown
  • Multiple Checkbox
  • Radio Button

By setting a default value for one of these custom field options, the defined value is shown as preselected for that custom field in the user record page.

Note: If a custom field with a default value is created after the creation of a user profile, the default value section of that custom field is not automatically populated in the user record. In such cases, the default value is not reflected in reporting or other outbound interfaces, unless the user record is edited and saved or appropriately updated using APIs or Data Loads. However, the UI may still display the custom field populated with a default value in the user record as it is intended to look like that by design and it should not be confused with the above mentioned scenario.

Custom Field Auditing

All of the following custom field types can be audited via outbound data feed:

  • Short Text Box
  • Date
  • Radio Button
  • Dropdown
  • Checkbox
  • Multiple Checkbox
  • Numeric
  • Scrolling text
  • Hierarchy
  • Branched Dropdown
  • Conditional Numeric