Listed below are the different types of data you can apply to a custom field.  There are some settings that are common to many of these fields, including:

• Required - ticking this box makes completion of the field mandatory;

• Read only - ticking this box makes the field read only (so can be useful for displaying important on-screen information);

• Searchable - ticking this box means the value entered into the field can be found using Workbooks search functionality.

If you customise your database using Custom Form Layouts you have greater control and flexibility over the positioning and order of fields, as well as being able to override whether or not the field has a default value, is mandatory or is read only.

Checkbox

A box which can be ticked to indicate that a particular parameter is met or left empty if the parameter isn't met.

Currency

Choosing a data type of currency will generate some new dialogue boxes where you can specify which currency should be displayed and whether or not users can change the currency code. The currency options available are those for which an exchange rate has already been defined and added to the foreign currencies available for your Own Organisation.

Date

A date field (with the format dd/mm/yyyy).

Date & Time

A date/time field. Times are displayed using the 12-hour clock, eg 4:00 AM or 4:00 PM.

Decimal Number

Decimals are displayed to two decimal places (rounded up).

Dynamic Linked Item

A Dynamic Linked Item allows you to create a picklist that displays values held elsewhere in Workbooks. The list of options in a Dynamic Linked Item's picklist is based on a report, so you can use the fully power of reporting to select which values appear in the list. For example, you might want to create a field on an Opportunity record to show the primary contact for that Opportunity, which you can do using a Dynamic Linked Item field. Additionally, you can configure the field so that when you pick an option from the list other fields, such as Email, Phone Number and Address are automatically populated. When you've chosen a Linked Item from the picklist you can hyperlink to that record using the button next to the field. More information about creating a Dynamic Linked Item is available here.

Dynamic Picklist

A Dynamic Picklist is essentially the same as a Dynamic Linked Item. The only difference is that this picklist doesn't include a button that allows you to link to the linked record. More information about creating a Dynamic Linked Item/Dynamic Picklist is available here.

iFrame

Creating an iFrame custom field enables you to access information held in an external system via a Workbooks field.  For example, you might want to create a field on an Organisation record that displays a Google map showing the location of the Organisation (based on the values entered in the postcode and country fields). To do this, follow the steps below:

• Start > Configuration > Custom Fields & Picklists > Custom Fields. Select the object type of Organisations and click New Custom Field.
• Give the field a name, eg, Google Map.
• Enter the following into the URL field:  https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=@main_location[postcode]@,@main_location[country]@&t=m&z=14&view=map&hl=en&ie=UTF8&iwloc=&num=1&output=embed

By default the checkbox next to Show Link Button is ticked, which means that in addition to displaying the Google map on the Organisation record, you'll also see a button you can click to open the map in a new window. If you don't want the ability to open the record in the new window simply remove the tick.

•   Click Save & Close.

Now when you open an Organisation record you'll see a field that displays the Google map for that Organisation's location (provided that both the Postcode and Country fields are populated with valid values).

Integer Number

A field to store a whole number. Alpha characters cannot be entered in number fields. This field can be made searchable.

Multi-line text

A field where you can enter multiple lines of text. This field can be made searchable.

MultiSelect

Use this if you want to create a picklist where the user can select more than one option.

Picklist

This data type generates a picklist where only one option can be selected.

Rich Text 

Choosing this option will create a field where you can enter text and format it (or enter it as HTML). This field can be made searchable. 

Text

Use this option if you want to enter alphanumeric characters (up to a maximum of 256).  This field can be made searchable.

Time

Times are displayed using the 12-hour clock, eg 4:00 AM or 4:00 PM. 

URL 

A URL field can be used to hold a URL address so that at the click of a button the user can access a specific web page.  The simplest way to use it is to give the custom field a Field Label and leave the URL field blank. This allows the user to enter a URL of their choice and then link to that destination.

Alternatively, you can enter a URL that when combined with the value that a user enters in the field, generates a whole URL. In a similar way to an iFrame, this enables you to link to an external destination (relevant to the Workbooks record you have open) without the user having to enter the whole URL. To do this, include @value@ within the URL. This indicates the point in the URL where the value entered by the user (in the form field) will appear and thus generate the whole URL to which they can link.

For example, if you entered www.bbc.co.uk/@value@ in the URL field, a user could enter news or radio4, which would enable them to link straight to the BBC News or BBC Radio 4 site respectively.

If you include a URL custom field in a Landing Page view you can click on the value in the grid to launch the relevant site.

NOTE:  For URL links to work correctly, you should ensure that your browser is not blocking pop-ups.