Understanding and Planning Uses for User-Defined-Fields (UDFs)

Many clients find it necessary or desired to track and record information unique to their organization, that does not have a pre-defined field in the program. User-Defined-Fields (UDFs) allow you to maintain unique information in the database by customizing the names of certain fields. These fields have been strategically placed throughout the software program. UDFs can be defined with specific data entry rules such as edit, lookup only, or lookup and edit.

Data stored in a UDF can be used in custom reports and forms. Examples of client uses of user-defined-fields include:

• Book and page reference for deeds and certificates
• Payment receipt number
• Route sign instructions
• Marker foundation sizes
  
  

SETTING UP AND DEFINING RULES FOR USER-DEFINED-FIELDS (UDFs)

1. Click the box to the left of any UDF title

2. Type the desired title for the field in the Field Name box
3. Choose the desired Entry Rules option:
   1. Edit—This option allows any user to type in the value needed
   2. Lookup Only—This option requires any user to select the value needed from a drop-down list
   3. Lookup and Edit—This option allows any user to either type the value needed OR to select the value needed from a drop-down list
4. If necessary, Create the Drop-Down Values—(for Lookup Only and Lookup and Edit options)
   1. Click in the white space below the Values title to open the first line
   2. Type the needed option in the line and hit the TAB key on the keyboard to open a second option line
   3. Repeat above steps as many times as necessary to create the entire drop-down list
5. Click OK

BUSINESS CONSULTING - PROCESSES AND PAPERWORK

Many Pontem customers have simple requirements or well-established internal processes that make it easy for them to determine best practice use of their User Defined Fields without any additional assistance. 

However, some clients wish to have additional help in determining the best approaches to turn their paper chaos into a streamlined database with well-defined staff procedures for its use. 

Pontem consultants have years of experience and understand how various cemeteries across the country approach common (and not-so-common) data dilemmas.   Business process consulting is offered at our standard service rate of $150 per hour.   If you would like to explore this service, we will provide you with a quote and give an opportunity for you to have an initial conversation with one of our consultants to determine the scope of the consulting project. 

If you would like to begin a dialog about establishing organization-specific best practices for the use of your new software, please contact your Pontem Product Specialist at 888.742.2378

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