User Fields Overview
The User Defined Fields feature allows you to create and use data fields that are not included in the product as delivered by Deltek.
These fields provide flexibility and customizability because they can be used by most tables and are available in any view where you can select fields for display.
- It is important to note that while user defined fields can be created very quickly, they are not the only way in which data fields can be added to the Open Plan database. It is also possible to add fields to the Open Plan tables by modifying the table structures. The question of which is the better avenue to take depends on how often the additional fields will be used:
- Additional Fields will be used infrequently: Because user defined fields may be used by many projects, they require identifying information in addition to their data. This means that there is much more information that must be processed each time the field is required. If the field is used frequently, performance may be adversely affected.
- Additional Fields will be used frequently: Add fields by modifying the structure of the affected Open Plan table. While this will take more effort than creating a user defined field, the improved performance may be significant. Deltek recommends that you consult with your Database Administrator if you want to modify the structure of an Open Plan table.
Use the User Fields option to display the User Defined Fields dialog box. The dialog box displays a list of user defined fields that are available for selected data table.
Note: Data is not saved by Open Plan when the data is entered on inter-project links for user defined fields created on the Relationship table.