What are the different Types of Fields available?
Here are the Field selections available in the Base Tool:
1. Name - Name of the Field (limited to 46 characters in length).
2. Field Type (look further down to see more information about the options):
- Text
- Long Text
- Number
- Date
- List
- File
- HTML
- ID
- Sparkline
3. Description - General descriptive text for meta data catalog and overall documentation.
4. Format - Sub-Type Format of each Field Type (described in greater detail later in this same article).
5. Length - This allows you to set Field length, be sure to make it long enough that it will cover your data entries.
6. Custom SQL - This allows you to create this Field as a mashup Field, which means you can use custom SQL to manipulate this Field.
7. Default Value - This allows you to set a default value in this Field, it can be changed, but if nothing is entered it will stay the default value.
8. Index Field - This allows you to set this Field as an indexed Field in the database for faster loading.
9. Required - This allows you to set the Field to a mandated completed Field in the Table and in Forms.
10. Readonly - This allows you to set this Field to Read Only to allow only automated process or Custom SQL to update the value.
11. Hidden - This allows you to have a Field that is not seen in Prep, but can be utilized for calculations and processing.
12. Disable on Export - This allows you to set this Field to not show data on export.
Here is a bit more information about the Field Type(s):
Allows limited entries in a Form. 50 characters is the default length of characters (but this can be manually adjusted). If you expect to need longer entries submitted for a Field you are setting up, then the Long Text option would be a better option.
The Text Type has several Format options available:
Allows text, numbers, and special characters to be entered into a Form.
Allows you to type or paste a URL location into a Form.
Allows you to enter an Account Number (using an alpha numeric Format) into a Form.
Allows you to enter a Phone Number.
Allows you to enter an International Phone Number.
Allows you to enter a Zip Code.
Allows you to enter an International Postal Code.
Provides you a list to enter a State name or abbreviation.
Allows you to enter a full URL path to an Image.
Allows you to create a Minitab Connect managed custom Shortened URL.
Allows you to setup a Field that creates a unique URL based upon other Fields in your Table.
Options under the Tagged URL Format:
- Update Value On Record Update - lets the platform know if ONLY new records have this URL generated or any row level update.
- Collision Handling - lets the platform know what to do if a collision of 2 or more duplicate URLs are created (use new, old, or ignore).
- URL Field - What other Field in the table is to be used for the base URL (not parameters).
- Parameter(s) - 1 or more Fields (and associated parameter names) to create the unique URL.
- Add Parameter - ability to add as many parameters as needed.
Allows you to generate and store a QR Code based upon whatever data (normally URL) is stored in that Field.
Allows Bar Code entries in a Form.
Allows Long Text entries in a Form.
Allows Number entries into a Form.
The Number Type has several Format options available:
Allows you to enter and displays numbers and "." only.
Allows you to enter and display numbers, "," and "." only.
Allows you to enter and display numbers, ",", "$", and "." only.
Allows you to enter and display numbers, ",", "%", and "." only (in appropriate percentage values to the nearest 100th).
Allows you to enter and display numbers in Scientific Notation Format.
Allows you to enter and display numbers, ",", "%", and "." only (in appropriate percentage values).
Allows Date entries in a Form.
Select a Date Type as well:
- User Entered
- Insert Date
- Update Date
Select a Format:
Allows you to enter a date in YYYY-MM-DD Format.
Remember, this can be applied to the Date Types:
- User Entered
- Insert Date
- Update Date
Allows you to enter a Date in YYYY-MM-DD and hh:mm:ss Format.
Remember, this can be applied to the Date Types:
- User Entered
- Insert Date
- Update Date
Allows you to enter a Date in hh:mm:ss Format.
Remember, this can be applied to the Date Types:
- User Entered
- Insert Date
- Update Date
Allows Lists in a Form.
Select a Format:
This option will allow you to enter predefined values or fill in values from another Table that are easily user searchable.
This option will allow you to enter predefined values that are searchable, but will also allow new values to be added when they are entered into the Table.
This option will allow you to enter predefined values (that will populate a typical style drop down, allowing 1 and only 1 selection) on a Form.
This option will allow you to enter predefined values that will populate a typical style drop down (where you can choose multiple entries) on a Form.
This option will allow you a list of 1 or more items with individual check boxes beside them (giving the same function as a multi-select box but with a different format) on a Form.
This option allows you to create a drop down that will appear as Radio buttons on a Form.
This Type of Field allows you to store 1 or more File(s) of any type.
This Field Type allows you to enter and/or store any HTML in a Field in a Table.
In addition to the standard Field options, the ID Type provides three Formats for its Field Type:
This Format provides a unique Numeric ID per record for every row of data (tied to the System: ID that is generated).
This Format provides a unique identifier in Alphanumeric Format (example: 2845edbd-fe15-11ea-93ae-0e13ba927133).
Additionally, it will allow the selection of upper or lower for the case of the alpha characters.
This Format provides an extensive set of options to generate a Custom, unique, and specialized ID for you.
The following additional options are available:
- Update Value on Record Update - Allows you to select the option to update only on new record inserts or change every row update.
- Case - Allows the setting of case for your identifiers (lower or upper case).
- Separator - Allows you to select the separator(s) between values (if any) in your ID.
- Fields or values to be included in your ID which can also include unique system ID or even other ID Fields that you have created.
- Add Field - Allows you to add additional Fields.
A Sparkline is an inline visualization type (it displays in the row of a Table). All Sparkline Formats require data to be setup as comma-separate-values in the Field (example: 1 Field value = "13,12,43,12") for the Field to function correctly.
Note: Additional options can be configured using the Custom Options text box (it is available via the Base Tool, if Sparkline is selected). Please contact support for more information.
There are several Formats available:
Here is an example of what the Line Format looks like in a Table.
Note: All Sparkline Formats require data to be setup as comma-separate-values in the Field (example: 1 Field value = "13,12,43,12") for the Field to function correctly.
Note: Additional options can be configured using the Custom Options text box (it is available via the Base Tool, if Sparkline is selected). Please contact support for more information.
Here is an example of what the Spline Format looks like in a Table.
Note: All Sparkline Formats require data to be setup as comma-separate-values in the Field (example: 1 Field value = "13,12,43,12") for the Field to function correctly.
Note: Additional options can be configured using the Custom Options text box (it is available via the Base Tool, if Sparkline is selected). Please contact support for more information.
Here is an example of what the Area Format looks like in a Table.
Note: All Sparkline Formats require data to be setup as comma-separate-values in the Field (example: 1 Field value = "13,12,43,12") for the Field to function correctly.
Note: Additional options can be configured using the Custom Options text box (it is available via the Base Tool, if Sparkline is selected). Please contact support for more information.
Here is an example of what the Area Spline Format looks like in a Table.
Note: All Sparkline Formats require data to be setup as comma-separate-values in the Field (example: 1 Field value = "13,12,43,12") for the Field to function correctly.
Note: Additional options can be configured using the Custom Options text box (it is available via the Base Tool, if Sparkline is selected). Please contact support for more information.
Here is an example of what the Column Format looks like in a Table.
Note: All Sparkline Formats require data to be setup as comma-separate-values in the Field (example: 1 Field value = "13,12,43,12") for the Field to function correctly.
Note: Additional options can be configured using the Custom Options text box (it is available via the Base Tool, if Sparkline is selected). Please contact support for more information.
