Fields

  Table of Contents

• Overview
• Field Definitions
  • Standard Fields
  • Definition-Specific and Instance-Specific Fields
• Required Fields
• Data Tables

Overview

Fields allow Factorial to collect structured data on inventory, steps, issues, and other supported entities.

Field Definitions

Field definitions are configured globally and can be reused wherever Factorial supports fields. Each definition has a name, a type, and any options required by that type.

Supported field types include:

• Text
• Numeric
• Date
• Boolean
• Select
• Multiselect
• Factorial entity references, such as a user, part, work order, or step

Select and multiselect definitions specify the available options. A numeric definition may specify a unit of measure. An entity-reference definition may allow one or multiple referenced entities.

Validation rules belong to the reusable field definition. A definition may require a value or constrain a numeric value to an acceptable range. These rules apply consistently everywhere the definition is used.

Standard Fields

A standard field applies to every entity of a supported type. For example, an organization may configure standard fields for all inventory, steps, or issues. Factorial automatically includes those fields when users create or edit an entity of that type.

Definition-Specific and Instance-Specific Fields

Some entities in Factorial have both a reusable definition and an instantiated record. Fields configured on the definition carry forward to records instantiated from it.

For example, fields configured on a step carry forward to the corresponding task. Fields configured for a part carry forward when inventory for that part is created.

Additional fields may also be placed directly on an individual task or inventory record. These fields apply only to that instance and do not modify its step or part.

Required Fields

Requiredness is configured on the reusable field definition and applies everywhere that definition is used. A task with an incomplete required field cannot be marked as completed.

See Data Fields for how procedures configure step inputs and Data Input for their behavior during execution.

Data Tables

Data tables are available on steps and tasks. A table contains one or more columns. Each column uses a field definition to determine its value type and validation rules.

Use a data field when a task requires one value. Use a data table when operators may record the same set of values multiple times during a task.