Adding Objects to the Layout

You can drag-and-drop objects, such as fields, tab sets, sections, text boxes, placeholders, custom objects, and trending charts on the layouts of applications, questionnaires, and sub-forms. After adding an object to the layout area, you can move the object up or down, from column to column, or from tab to tab. You can also configure some objects to span across multiple columns in the layout.

On this page

Key guidelines for adding objects to the layout

  • To move a single object, click the object and drag it to the location you want.
  • If you are working in a layout with more than 1 tab and you want to move an object from 1 tab to another, click and drag the object to the tab you want.

  • If you are working in a 2-column layout and want a custom object, placeholder, text box, or trending chart to span across columns, do the following:

    1. Click the drop down arrow on the layout object.
    2. Select Edit Span Properties and select column and row span options.

Add sections

Add sections as headings to group related fields together. For example, create a section called “Contact Information” to group together a contact's phone, fax, and email information.

  1. In the left pane, expand the Layout Objects list.
  2. Click and drag the Add Section option to the layout area.
  3. In the Section Name field, enter the heading that you want to display in the layout.
  4. In the Default Visibility field, select whether you want the section to be expanded or collapsed by default.
  5. (Optional) Do 1 or both of the following to add panel text or help text to the section:
    • To add an information panel to provide your users with additional details about the section, select Panel Text and enter the text that you want to display.
    • To add Help text to provide your users with detailed instructions and background information about the section, select Help Text and enter the text that you want to display.
  6. (Optional) Customize your text and add dynamic elements, such as images and Flash animation, using the options available in the Rich Text Editor toolbar.
  7. Click OK to close the Section Description dialog box.
  8. Click Save to save your changes.

Add text boxes

Text boxes provide guidance or additional information that users need to successfully interact with fields.

  1. In the left pane, expand the Layout Objects list.
  2. Click and drag the Add Text Box option to the layout area.
  3. In the Text Box Name field, enter a name for the text box.
  4. In the Text field, enter the text that you want to display in the text box when it is displayed for users.

  5. Select whether you want the text box to display when users view the record, edit the record, or both.

  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Save to save your changes.

Add placeholders

Placeholders create space between other layout objects, such as fields, sections, text boxes, and custom objects.

  1. In the left pane, expand the Layout Objects list.
  2. Click and drag the Add Placeholder option to the layout area.
  3. Click Save to save your changes.

Add custom objects

Custom objects enable you to enter code you have written to create buttons or other objects. For example, you can create Next and Previous buttons using JavaScript code so that your user can click to move from tab to tab when adding or editing records.

Note: It is recommended that only trusted administrators create and edit custom layout objects, as this flexibility introduces a potential attack vector.

  1. In the left pane, expand the Layout Objects list.
  2. Click and drag the Add Custom Object option to the layout area.
  3. Enter a name and description for the custom object.

    Note: The name is not displayed for users when they add, edit, or view records in the application.

  4. In the Code field, enter or paste the HTML or JavaScript code for the object.

  5. Select whether you want the custom object to display when users view the record, edit the record, or both.

  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Save to save your changes.

Add trending charts

On a trending chart, you can view historical data for a Numeric or Values List field that has trending enabled, in order to identify patterns in the data for a specified period of time. Trending charts must be added to another container object, such as a section.

  1. In the left pane, expand the Layout Objects list.
  2. Click and drag the Add Trending Chart option to the layout area.
  3. In the Name field, enter the heading that you want to display in the layout.
  4. From the Trending Field list, select the trending-enabled field for which to display chart data.
  5. (Optional) In the Show Title field, click the Display the chart name as the title when users open the application or questionnaire.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Save to save your changes.

Add report objects

Report Objects allow you to embed reports directly within records. The system applies default filters based on the filters used to create the base report. However, you can override default filters, as well as the advanced operator logic. When viewing a report object record, users can click on the report, which opens a new search results page with the filters already applied. Based on user permissions, users can modify the report.

  1. In the left pane, expand the Layout Objects list.
  2. Click and drag the Add Report Object option to the layout area.
  3. Enter a name and description for the report object.

    Note: The name does not display for users when they add, edit, or view records in the application.

  4. Under Report Selection, select the report from the Available Reports column.

    Note: Only global and search based reports are available for selection, and you can only select only report.

  5. (Optional) Add or update filter options for how you want to view the report.

    Note: If the selected report has default filters, they are automatically populated as existing filters.

    1. In the Field to Evaluate field, select the field to evaluate for 1 or more specific values.
    2. In the Operator column, select the filter operator. For more information, see Report Object Operator Types.
    3. In the Value(s) column, select the values for the condition. Depending on the operator type, the selection can be a value or a field.
    4. (Optional) To create additional conditions, click Add New and repeat steps a-c.
    5. (Optional) If you create more than 1 condition, apply logic to your filter criteria in the Advanced Operator Logic section. For more information, see Advanced Operator Logic.
  6. In the Load Report section, select whether you want the report object to be display as soon as the page loads or when a user clicks the report object.

  7. In the Display section, select whether you want the report object to display when users view the record, edit the record, or both.

  8. Click OK.
  9. Click Save to save your changes.

Adding tab sets

Tab sets provide a means for grouping related tabs and fields, to help users quickly find the fields they need to add or edit in a record.

Note: If a user does not have access to any of the fields on a tab, the tab is not displayed when the user adds or edits records. Using data driven events, tabs can be dynamically shown or hidden based on the current state of content, including nested tabs. When a data driven event hides all sections on a tab, the tab is also hidden.

Important: If you want to add a new section to the layout and give it the same name as a new tab set, you must add the section before you add the tab set.

Add a new tab set

  1. In the left pane, expand the Layout Objects list.
  2. Click and drag the Add Tab Set option to the layout area.
  3. In the Tab Set Name field, enter a name for the tab set.
  4. From the Height list, select 1 of the following options:
    • To use default height settings for the tabs in the tab set, select All from the Height list, and click OK.
    • To select the height in pixels for the tabs in the tab set, select the value, and click OK.
  5. Click Save to save your changes.

Add tabs to a tab set

  1. Click the New tab in the tab set that you added.
  2. In the Tab Name field, enter a name for the tab
  3. (Optional) In Default Tab field, click Display this tab by default when users first access the page to display a tab by default when users open the application, questionnaire, or sub-form.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Click Save to save your changes.

Add fields to a tab set

  1. Add a section to the tab.
  2. Drag and drop the fields onto the Layout page to add fields.
  3. Arrange the fields until they display in the correct order.
  4. Click Save to save your changes.