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Check box and drop-down list fields use a list of pre-defined values from which users can select from. These fields ensure data integrity and consistency by limiting data entry into the fields to the values from the list of pre-defined values configured by your campus.
Drop-down fields are commonly used for selecting department, position/rank, and academic year. All drop-down fields offer type-ahead functionality, allowing users to see the list of pre-defined values to select from, while checkbox fields consist of boxes that users can check to select or deselect values.
To learn more about these fields and importing data into them, continue reading this article.
Managing the List of Pre-Defined Values
Determining the List of Pre-Defined Values
To check the list of pre-defined values, refer to your Configuration Report and navigate to the tab corresponding to the activity screen you wish to review. Once on the screen's tab, locate the "Options" column. This column will display the list of pre-defined values for each field. For instructions on how to download this report, see Configuration Report.
Updating the List of Pre-Defined Values
The following updates can be made to the list of pre-defined values as needed:
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Adding new values: New values can be added and should follow the same formatting as existing values to maintain consistency. For example, if you use abbreviations for your other departments, the new department value should also be an abbreviation.
New values should be created if the value does not currently exist in your configuration and should be added to begin utilizing. Additionally, a new value should be created if there was a change for an existing value and you wish to use the new value going forward, but still want the existing value to appear in historical reporting. An example of when a value should be updated or added is in the following listed item for Renaming existing values.
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Renaming existing values: Existing values can be updated to reflect changes that need to be included in your configuration. If you want the updated value to appear in both future and historical reporting, then the existing value should be updated accordingly. However, if you want the old value to appear in historical reporting and the new value to be used in current and future reporting, the old value should remain and a new value should be created instead.
For example, if the "College of Business" changes to "College of Business Administration," and you want the "College of Business" to appear in historical reporting, the existing value should remain as "College of Business," and the a new value of "College of Business Administration" should be created. However, if you want "College of Business Administration" to be reflected in both historical and future reporting, then the existing value "College of Business" should be updated to "College of Business Administration."
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Deleting existing values: Existing values can be deleted as needed. When a value is deleted, it must be specified if the existing records containing that value should be updated to a new value. This process will maintain the data in the field by replacing the soon-to-be deleted value with a another value.
If it is not specified that the deleted value should be replaced with a new value for existing records, then the data associated with the field will be removed from existing records once the value is deleted.
To proceed with updating the list of pre-defined values, submit a Screen-Revision Work Request that includes:
- The title of the activity screen where the field you wish to update its list of pre-defined values is located.
- The label and field code of the field you wish to update. The code for a field can be retrieved by downloading the Configuration Report.
- A description and reason for the requested update.
Once the work request is received, it will be reviewed and further updates will be provided through the work request. For more information on this type of request, see Submitting Screen-Revision Work Requests.
Adding Data to Checkbox and Drop-Down List Fields
Checkbox and drop-down list fields allow values to be selected manually by users or by users with the proper access to the Manage Data utility. Alternatively, values can be imported into these fields via a CSV Data Import or Web Services API, provided they meet the following requirements:
- The value being imported must exist within the field's list of pre-defined values. If the value does not exist or if you need to review the list, refer to the Managing the List of Pre-Defined Values section of this article.
- The value being imported must be an exact match for it's value in the list of pre-defined values.
Failure to meet the requirements outlined above will result in an error for the import. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure the requirements are met before importing data into these fields.
Customizing Checkbox and Drop-Down List Fields
A checkbox field can be set to be required so that a user has to make a selection in the field in order to save their record. To request this change, submit a Screen-Revision Work Request that includes:
- The title of the activity screen where the field you wish to make required is located.
- The label and field code of the field you wish to make required. The code for a field can be retrieved by downloading the Configuration Report.
Once the work request is received, it will be reviewed and further updates will be provided through the work request. For more information on this type of request, see Submitting Screen-Revision Work Requests.