database. Additionally, when a field is set up to appear in multiple areas, updating the
field in one location does not update it in any other location.
7. To continue to the next step, click Next.
8. On Step 3, select the field attributes.
9. To continue to the next step, click Next.
10. On Step 4, select the display type.
Once you save a user-defined field has been saved, you cannot change the display type from a
selectable type (selection from a set of values and allow assignment of only one item) to a free-
form type (text box and note field), or from a free-form type to a selectable type.
l Selection from a set of values: Also referred to as a multi-select field, this type of field
appears as a set of checkboxes and allows users to select multiple values on the field. For
example, you might create a Volunteer Availability field with the values Day, Evening, and
Weekend so a volunteer can indicate that they are available at more than one of those
times.
l Allow assignment of only one item: Also referred to as a single-select field, this type of
field appears as a drop-down menu and allows users to select only one value in the field.
For example, you might create an Account Type field with the values Individual, Business,
and Foundation. An account can only be one of those three choices, so a single-select field
works well.
l Text Box: A text box allows the user to type in a single line of data. For example, you
might create a field on the Journal Contact screen for Volunteer Hours, where the user
could type how much time a volunteer worked during a session. Text box fields must obey
the data type. For example, if the data type is set to date, only dates in mm/dd/yyyy
format can be entered.
l Note Field: A note field allows the user to enter large amounts of data with multiple lines.
For example, you might create a field on the constituent's Defined Fields page used to
record how the constituent came to be involved with your organization. Because this
could have several lines of text, you might use a note box display type for that field. Note
fields must obey the data type. For example, if the data type is set to date, only dates in
mm/dd/yyyy format can be entered.
11. To continue to the next step, click Next.
12. If you use advanced security, in step 5 make any necessary security selections to control which
users can see the field.
13. To continue to the next step, click Next.
14. On Step 6, you add values to fields of selectable types (selection from a set of values and allow
assignment of only one item). If you set the display type to one of the free-form displays, you
do not need to create values and can proceed to the Finish step.
A selectable field must have some values listed in it in order to appear on screen for data entry.
If you create a selectable field and do not create any values for it, the field will not appear
anywhere in the database.
To create a value, type the value name into the Name field, enter a Description if you like, and
click Add Value. Continue adding values following those steps until you have all the values you
15 CHAPTER 1