User Defined Fields

• What are user defined fields and why would I use them?
• Where can user defined fields be used?
• How many user defined fields can be created?
• What are some examples of how user defined fields are actually being used?
• Do reports include user defined field information?
• How do group codes compare with a user defined field on segment codes?
• What is user defined field flow?
• When using the Budget features to budget for outcome measures (using user defined fields), how are actual counts recorded for comparison?
• How does the allocation method based on user defined fields work?

What are user defined fields and why would I use them?

User defined fields (UDFs) can be termed "custom fields" and are intended to allow for some tailoring of the MIP system to track additional data not represented by the "out of the box" fields and to track non-financial performance data. They are available throughout the system for both master records and transaction records. Business rules can be associated with the user defined fields to help ensure accuracy. They are used for any special data attributes that it makes sense to track in the system and can be used to centralize information, sort and group records for reporting (master or transaction), and to add information on printed forms (checks, invoices, purchase orders).

Where can user defined fields be used?

UDFs can be added to:

• Traditional master records [vendors, customers, employees]
• Segment codes [funds, programs, etc.]
• Transaction records at both the document and transaction line level
• Purchase Orders at document level
• AR Invoices at both the document and charge level

How many user defined fields can be created?

Master records, segment codes, purchase orders and AR invoices allow up to 100 UDFs per type (for example 100 vendor fields or 100 customer fields) and transaction records allow for up to 10 document and 10 transaction line fields.

What are some examples of how user defined fields are actually being used?

Just like segments, UDFs vary widely among the diverse public sector customer base. Some examples are:

• Tracking program managers and contact information on a program segment.
• Tracking key completion dates on a project segment.
• Noting related client records on a customer.
• Flagging a vendor record to note the presence of a negotiated purchase agreement.
• Recording place of purchase for each expense line for a credit card invoice.
• Marking the budget approval manager on a purchase order.
• Budgeting for number of clients that are to be served by each program.
• Tracking employee certifications.
• Allocating facilities indirect costs based on number of client office visits.
• Flagging grant records for the filing of quarterly reports.

Do reports include user defined field information?

Yes, here is a list of reports that contain UDF selections.

Reports>	Report Name	User Defined Field Record Type*
Lists>	Chart of Accounts	{Segment}
	Grants
Check/Voucher Register		Vendors, {Segment}, and Transaction Documents
Journals>	Cash Journal	Vendors, Customers, {Segment}, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
	Revenue Journal	Vendors, Customers, {Segment}, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
	Expenditure Journal	Vendors, Customers, {Segment}, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
Transactions>	Unposted General Ledger Transactions	Vendors, Customers, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
	Posted General Ledger Transactions	Vendors, Customers, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
	Unposted Budget Transactions	Transaction Lines
	Unposted Encumbrance Transactions	Vendors, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
	Posted Encumbrance Transactions	Vendors, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
	Memorize/Recurring Transactions	Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
General Ledger Analysis>	Expanded General Ledger	Vendors, Customers, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
	Comparative Trial Balance	{Segment}
Financial Statements>	Balance Sheet	{Segment}
	Statement of Revenues and Expenditures	{Segment}
Accounts Payable>	Vendor Information	Vendors
	Aged Payables	Vendors and Transaction Documents
	Vendor Activity	Vendors, Transaction Documents and Transaction Lines
Accounts Receivable>	Customer Information	Customers
	Charge Codes	Charge Codes
	Billing Groups	Customers and Charge Codes
	Charge Register	Customers, Charge Codes, A/R Invoices, and A/R Invoices Detail
	Aged Receivables	Customers, Charge Codes, A/R Invoices, and A/R Invoices Detail
Allocation Management>	Pre-Allocation Statement of Revenues and Expenditures	{Segment}
Budget>	Summary Budget Comparison	Transaction Lines
	Budget Worksheet	Transaction Lines
Encumbrances>	Encumbrance Budget Report	{Segment}
Payroll>Lists>	Employee Information	Employees
Payroll>Processing>	Quick TImesheets	Employees
	Quick Calculated Check Register	Employees
Payroll>History>	Earnings	Employees
	Taxes	Employees
	Labor Distribution	Employees
Purchase Orders>	Purchase Order Register	Vendors and Purchase Orders
	Purchase Order Tracking	Vendors and Purchase Orders

* User Defined Fields record types must be set up using Organization>Set Up User Defined Fields prior to them being available in reports.

Note that along with the UDFs record type, data type also determines how and when the UDFs appear in reports.

How do group codes compare with a user defined field on segment codes?

Group codes are intended to help aggregate and sort within segment codes. They are available throughout the report writer as content, filter, and even substitution selections. UDFs do allow for aggregation and filtering of accounts but are limited in availability.

What is user defined field flow?

UDF is intended to enable field values to be automatically populated with default values from a corresponding field on a related record. For example, if there is a field on the vendor record to track a contract number this information could be set to flow to the contract number to a UDF on an invoice. It is also possible to have field values flow from a related transaction document, so for example if you wanted the contract number to flow to the related check you could set that process to occur. Note that there are two flow diagrams that illustrate flow possibilities in the Help system.

When using the Budget features to budget for outcome measures (using user defined fields), how are actual counts recorded for comparison?

Use the journal voucher form to record the actual counts which will be compared against the budget figures. You can also import these values.

How does the allocation method based on user defined fields work?

If you use journal entries to record actual unit counts, the allocations module can aggregate those entries based on dates defined and use them as an allocation basis.