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Define a Reference Field

You can define your own reference fields and add them to objects to extend the product and enhance how users enter information for the objects they manage. When you define a reference field, you can reference an existing object, or define a new object. For example, when defining an asset, you want users to select the specific terms and conditions for an asset and select an approved general ledger code. In this example, you define a reference field to an existing object and standardize the terms and conditions and general ledger codes the user can select when defining the asset.

Important! These steps work only the first-time you complete the wizard and define the reference field. Before you define the reference field, verify that you have the following information for reference: table name, label, format (character, boolean, currency, date, decimal, or integer), field name, attribute name, field size, and whether an entry for the field is required. After you complete the wizard, you can configure the reference field by adding and removing fields, making a previously-hidden reference field appear, and moving a reference field to a new location.

To define a reference field

  1. Click the tab and optional subtab for the object that you want to configure.
  2. On the left, click CONFIGURE: ON.

    The configuration of the page is enabled.

  3. In the Configuration Information area of the page, complete the following steps:
    1. Specify the information for the new global configuration, or select an existing global configuration that you want to change.
    2. (Optional) In the Object drop-down list, select the part of the object that you want to configure. Any permission changes you make (for example, deny permissions to move a field) apply only to that part of the object.

      For example, when configuring a legal document, you select Legaldoc Status History in the Object drop-down list. You deny permissions to move fields for that part of the object (the status history). The permission changes apply only to the status history part of the object, and not to the other parts of the object.

    Important! You can only define a reference field for a global configuration. You cannot define a reference field for a local configuration.

  4. (Optional) Click Save Configuration to create the global configuration.
  5. Click Add Extension.

    A wizard appears.

  6. Select the Reference Field option and follow the on-screen instructions to enter the information for the reference field. The following fields require explanation:
    Object Label

    Displays the default reference field object label to appear when you add a field to the reference field criteria and results, and make a previously-hidden reference field appear. You can change this label to meet your requirements. For example, change the default label Location Extensions to Location.

    Label

    Enter the label for the reference field that you want to appear in list management.

    Service provider eligible

    Determines if field values from the service provider are included in the reference field. When you select this check box, public data and service provider objects are included in the reference field.

    Based on current object

    Select an existing object on which to base the reference field you are defining.

    Note: When you select this option, the reference field for the object already exists and the multi-tenancy options for the object are applied.

    Object table name

    Specify the database table name for the reference field.

    Object Tenancy

    If multi-tenancy is enabled, specify how multi-tenancy works for the reference field by selecting one of the following options:

    Untenanted

    Defines objects without a tenant attribute. All data in these objects is public, and any user can create and update untenanted public data.

    Tenant Required

    Defines objects with a tenant attribute that cannot be null (enforced by CA APM, not the DBMS). All data in these objects is associated with individual tenants; there is no public data.

    Tenant Optional

    Defines objects with a tenant attribute that can be null. You can either create these objects as tenanted or public. When you select a tenant in a tenant drop-down to create an object, the object becomes a tenanted object. However, when you select the Public Data option in a tenant drop-down, the object becomes a tenanted public object. Users assigned to a role that only exposes a single tenant will not see a tenant drop-down when entering data.

    Note: When multi-tenancy is disabled, you do not see the Object Tenancy drop-down for the reference field. However, the product applies the Tenant Optional setting to the reference field. The product works this way so that if you enable multi-tenancy, the Tenant Optional setting is applied to the reference field.

  7. Click Save Configuration.

    All users see the reference field on the page. When you define a reference field based on a new object, the reference field appears as a list item that can be managed using list management.