Define Procedure Fields

Fields are the typed pieces of information a Procedure takes in and produces, such as a new hire's name, a start date, or an asset tag. Each Assignment captures its own values for them. Portfolio Administrators and Leads may define Fields.

How Fields work

• A Field Definition describes a Field once: its label, name, and type. It belongs to the Portfolio, so any Procedure or Step in the Portfolio can use it. To share it with every Portfolio, move it to the Organization Catalog.
• A Procedure or Step then uses a Field as an Input (information the work takes in) or an Output (information the work produces). The same Field can be one Step's Output and a later Step's Input.
• Procedure-level Inputs are entered when an Assignment is created. Step Inputs and Outputs are entered on the Task as the work is done. See Capture Field Values.

Define a Field

1. Navigate to the Procedure and press the Fields tab in the detail pane.

   

2. Press the Create button in the Field Definitions panel to open the Create Field dialog.
3. Complete the dialog:

   

   • Label: the prompt shown when a value is entered, such as Start Date.
   • Name: the identifier exports and automations use, such as startDate. It is filled in from the Label; change it only if you need a different identifier.
   • Type: Text, Number, Date, Yes / No, Single Select, Multi Select, or File. The type decides which control is used to enter the value.
   • Options: for Single Select and Multi Select Fields, the choices to pick from, one per line.
   • Description: why the value is recorded and how it is used. It is shown as the tooltip on the input.
   • Guidance: how to enter a good value, shown as the placeholder inside the input.
   • Scope: Portfolio, or Organization to put it in the Organization Catalog.
4. Press Save.

To change a Field Definition later, press its Actions menu and select Edit Field…. Changes apply everywhere the Field is used. To delete it, select Delete Field….

Add an Input or Output

On a Step

1. Select the Step and press the Fields tab in the detail pane.
2. In the Inputs & Outputs panel, press Create to define a new Field and add it, or press the Reuse button to add an existing one.
3. In the Add Input or Output dialog, complete the settings:

   

   • Field: pick a Field from This Portfolio or the Organization Catalog.
   • Direction: Input or Output.
   • Required: turn on if a value is expected before the Task or Assignment is finished.
   • Guidance: optional guidance for this use of the Field. Leave it blank to use the Field's own guidance.
4. Press Save.

Fields can be added only to Steps without Substeps. A Step that has Substeps shows the Inputs and Outputs of its Substeps, read-only.

On the Procedure

The Inputs & Outputs panel on the Procedure's Fields tab lists what the whole Procedure takes in and produces. Press the Reuse button to add a Field there. Procedure Inputs are asked for when an Assignment is created, and Procedure Outputs can be carried to a following Procedure by a Hand-off Trigger.

To change or remove an Input or Output, press its Actions menu and select Edit, Edit Field…, or Remove from this Step.

Related Articles

Overview

1. Procedures Overview
2. Key Terms

Step-by-Step

1. Capture Field Values
2. Organization Catalog
3. Hand Off to the Following Procedure
4. Schedule Assignments