A UDF (User Defined Field) is a field created by you to capture data that is not included with the standard implementation of StaffSuite. For example, you may elect to capture the stock market symbol of a company, which is not included in the standard StaffSuite implementation. Define UDF allows you to create a field to capture that information.

For more information on User Defined Fields, click here.

You can do the following with Define UDF:

• Create a New UDF

• Edit an Existing UDF

• Remove a UDF from View

• Preview a UDF

• Delete a UDF

• Publish a UDF

Create a New UDF

1. Use the Category droplist to select the category to which you want to add a UDF.

2. Click New..

3. The New User Defined Field window displays.

4. Enter all necessary information (see New User Defined Field for details).

5. Click OK.

Edit an Existing UDF

1. Use the Category droplist to select the category for which you want to edit a UDF.

2. Select (single-click) the row that contains the UDF you want to edit.

3. Click Edit.

4. The Edit User Defined Field window displays.

5. Edit the field you want to change (see Edit User Defined Field for details).

6. Click OK.

Remove a Published UDF from View

The Remove functionality causes a published UDF field to no longer display in Operations, but keeps it in your database. This is useful if you feel you might want to use the UDF at a later date. If you click Remove on an unpublished field, it removes it from your UDF field list (acts like a Delete).

1. Use the Category droplist to select the category from which you want to remove a UDF.

2. Select (single-click) the row that contains the UDF you want to remove.

3. Click Remove.

4. To re-display the UDF, follow the instructions from "Edit an Existing UDF", select a screen and then select the Row and Column position.

Preview a UDF

Preview displays a UDF as it appears (or will appear) in Operations. It is similar to Published UDF Screen Layout, except that Preview displays both published AND unpublished UDFs. This is useful for reviewing what a UDF will look like before committing it to Operations. In addition, you can only change the Edit List entries on an unpublished UDF. Therefore, performing a Preview is the only way to examine and then change your edit list contents. Once it is published, the edit list contents can no longer be edited.

1. Use the Category droplist to select the category of the UDF you want to preview..

2. Click Preview.

3. The UDF Screen Layout window displays. Select the window (Additional Info 1 or Additional Info 2) that contains the UDF you want to preview and click OK.

4. The window displays showing all UDFs assigned to it. Click OK when you are finished previewing the UDF.

Delete a UDF

Deleting a UDF removes it from your database. If you would rather keep the UDF in your database, but remove it from view, use the steps in "Removing a Published UDF from View".

1. Use the Category droplist to select the category from which you want to delete a UDF.

2. Select (single-click) the row that contains the UDF you want to delete.

3. Click Delete.

4. A warning message will display. Read the message and click Yes if you want to delete the UDF and No if you decide not to delete the UDF.

Publish a UDF

Publish makes any new (or unpublished) UDFs for the selected category available in Operations. Once Published, you may no longer edit the Type or Edit List fields. You only have to Publish a UDF once. After that, any changes made to the UDF will immediately update the UDF in Operations.

Note: The Publish action publishes ALL unpublished UDFs for the selected category...so make sure you preview your changes before publishing.

1. Use the Category droplist to select the category for which you want to publish a UDF.

2. Click Publish.

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