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Helper Help
User-Defined Fields (UDFs)
What are User-Defined Fields (UDFs)?
UDFs are fields that hold data that can be searched easily.
UDFs are configured by the user. This customization lets users personalize the program, and track the data in the way that is best for their business.
Why do I want to use UDFs?
»» To pinpoint the exact market for sales campaigns.
»» To keep up-to-date with special dates, anniversaries, birthdays, etc.
»» To keep track of when new money is available.
»» To survey new investors – each user field
can be its own question, and you can enter in prospects’ and clients’ answers as you’re asking the questions.
»» Any other use you can find – it’s completely flexible.
What are the different kinds of UDFs?
There are four different types of UDFs:
»» String (Text)
»» Selection (Checkboxes)
»» Date
»» Money / Floating Point (Numerical values)
There are three classes of UDF, but you should always use Class B (Global, Read/Write).
UDFs appear in the Accounts Manager, in the Products Manager, and
twice in the Contacts Manager (Personal User Fields and Financial User Fields).
In each area, you may have up to 40 fields: 40 Personal User Fields, 40 Financial User Fields, etc.
How do I set up the UDFs?
1. From the Contact Manager, select Options from the pull-down menu,
and select Personal User Fields. This will display the list of all current Personal UDFs,
their type, and their class. (Repeat as needed for Financial User Fields and for Accounts.
To edit Product UDFs, you must select Options from the Products Manager.)
2. From this screen, you can Delete, Add, or Reorder the Personal UDFs.
. . . a. Delete: If there is a UDF that you wish to delete, click on it, then click Delete.
All information that was stored in that UDF will be lost once the field is deleted.
. . . b. Reorder: If you wish to reorder the fields, click Reorder, and this will open a new window.
Click and hold on any UDF and move it up or down to its desired location, then let go. Once you are content with the new order, click OK, and the changes should show up immediately.
. . . c. Add: If you wish to add a new String (Text), Date, or Money (Numeric) field,
select the type of field you’d like to create, and select Class B. Name the new field, and click OK.
3. Adding Selection (Checkbox) UDFs is the most important part of this process.
. . . a. To add a new Selection field, click Add, choose Selection, select Class B, and click OK.
. . . b. Name the field, and choose Single Choice or Multiple Choice. (An example of a Single Choice Selection
field might be Gender – clients would be marked M or F. An example of a Multiple Choice Selection field would be Hobbies or Interests.
You could have Golf, Skiing, and Movies as different options, but any given client may have all three choices selected and appearing in that UDF.)
. . . c. Enter in the first choice (e.g. Golf). Note that there’s an Abbreviation field.
If you leave the abbreviation field empty, the abbreviation for Golf will be “Golf.” Click OK.
. . . d. Repeat as often as needed, clicking Add each time to enter new choices for your selection field.
You may enter up to 18 choices for each selection field.
. . . e. Once you have all of your choices entered, you can Delete, Edit, or Reorder these choices.
. . . f. Click OK, and your new Selection field will appear at the bottom of the list.
Helpful Hints
»» Use unique, descriptive names so you know what field you are searching.
Never have two fields with the same name.
»» Selection fields are the best type of UDF to use for non-numeric data.
Selection fields save you time by preventing the need for data entry. More importantly, however, they standardize the data to
enable clean searches. Example: If you have Doctor as a checkbox rather than as a String (Text) field, it will prevent variations
such as Doctor, Dr., M.D., MD, and Doc.
»» Now you have created some UDFs, it will make it much easier for you to search through
your contact databases. If you would list to create a list to set up a mailing or sales call campaign, learn how by clicking here.
go to Helper Help index page
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Copyright ©
2002 North American Software, Inc. All rights reserved.
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