Data Entry (Classic)

Important: This topic is for the Classic Record experience. To view the content for the Next Generation Record experience see Records. For information on Classic experiences, see Archer Classic Experiences.

An application, questionnaire, or sub-form (records) may contain a variety of field types, each requiring you to enter or select a specific type of information.

Cross-reference selection

A cross-reference or related record field enables you to associate the record with 1 or more records in the same application (resulting in internal references) or in a related application (resulting in external references).

Data-selection rules for a cross-reference field:

• You might be required to select a related record in the field before you can save a record.
• If the references are displayed in a list, you can select only 1 record.
• If the cross-reference or related record field is configured to allow multiple selections, you might be limited in the number of related records you can select.
• If the application allows you to only see the records that pertain to you, you can select from a list that contains specific field values.

When you select record references through a cross-reference or related record field, a Record Lookup page displays that enables you to select records from a list or to keyword search for specific records in the related application.

The following table describes the options for filtering the list of fields in the Record Lookup page.

Option	Description
Search	Allows you to enter a keyword to filter the list with only matching records.
Level	Allows you to identify the level that should be searched for the keyword.
Display Higher Levels	Allows you to include lower-level records that meet the keyword search criteria even if they do not have a primary application that meets the search criteria. Also, primary application records are included in the results if they contain lower-level records that match the search criteria.
Expand All	Allows you to expand a tree view if the application is a leveled application. Top-level record references are shown as the top level and record references in subsequent data levels are indented.

Date Entry

Date fields accept date values in the following format: mm/dd/yyyy, such as 10/15/2023. When entering a value in a Date field, you can either enter the value or click to select the date from a calendar pop-up control.

The Date field can also display a that enables you to enter time information.

Depending on how the date field is configured, you might see a default value in the field when you create a new record. This default value can be any of the following:

• The date of record creation
• A date that is a specific number of days after the date of record creation
• Static date defined by the administrator

If you have full access to the field (not read-only access), you can change this default date if necessary.

Data-entry rules for a date field:

• You might be required to enter a value in the field before you can save a record.
• You might be required to enter a unique value in the field. If you enter a value that has already been saved in the field within another record, you are prompted to enter a new, unique value.

External link entry

An external links field enables you to enter named links in a record that references websites, email addresses, and others.

To enter an external link, you must click Add New Link, and specify the link protocol and the target URL. You can also specify link text (an alias) for the link, for example, Google.

The following are supported link types:

• HTTP
• HTTPS
• FTP
• Mailto
• News
• Relative
• File

You can enter multiple external links in a single record by clicking the Add New link again. By default, the links display in alphabetical ordered list.

File or image attachment

An attachment field enables you to attach documents or images to individual records, 1 file at a time. You can upload multiple attachments in a single operation. When you attach a file to a record, the file is uploaded to the server, and any user who has access to the record can open and save the attached file.

To attach files, click Add New, and browse to the file you want. The file is saved by its file name, type (if recognized by Archer), size, and upload date.

You can also attach images through an image field. This field provides an Add link that you can click to upload and display an image in a record. After you attach an image file, it appears as a thumbnail in the field with a Delete link that you can click to delete the image. If you click the thumbnail, the image renders in full size in a new window.

Data-entry rules for attachment and image field:

• You might be required to attach at least 1 file before you can save a record.
• You might not be able to attach files that are larger than a specific file size. If you attach a file that is too big, you are notified that the file cannot be uploaded and saved to the record.
• You might be limited in the number of files you can attach to the field.

IP address entry

An IP Address field enables you to enter 1 of the following address types:

• IPv4 format. Divided into 4 adjoining sub-fields, which must contain a numeric value between 0 and 255.
• IPv6 format. Divided into eight adjoining sub-fields and is displayed using either the full syntax or the shorthand syntax.

Matrix value selection

A matrix field enables you to select values in a 2-dimensional array of checkboxes. You can select values relative to 2 factors: a row value and a column value.

Data-selection rules for a Matrix field:

• You might be required to make at least 1 selection in the field before you can save a record.
• You might be limited in the total number of selections that you can make.

Multiple reference selection

A multi-reference field enables you to select a record in the same application or a record in multiple applications. A multi-reference field includes the following 2 components:

• Drop-down List. This list allows you to select the cross-reference or related records field from a list that forms a relationship between the application in which you are working and other applications, allowing you to relate 1 record to another.
• Pop-up Control. By clicking , you can select records from the application that you referenced in the drop-down list.

If the field is configured to allow references to multiple applications, you see an Add New link above the field. Clicking this link allows you to select related records from additional applications.

If the field is designed to allow references to only 1 application, you can select multiple records from a single application.

Numeric data entry

A numeric field requires you to input numeric values. Numeric fields do not accept text or special characters, but they accept both positive and negative numbers. Negative numbers can display in black text, red text, or in black or red text surrounded by parentheses.

Data-entry rules for a numeric field:

• You might be required to enter a value in the field before you can save a record.
• You might be limited to a specific number of numeric characters that you can enter.
• You might be required to enter a unique value in the field. If you enter a value that already has been saved in the field in another record, you are prompted to enter a new, unique value.
• You might be required to use a specific number of decimal places.

Record permissions assignment

A record permissions field requires that you have access privileges to the field. A record permissions field can be displayed in any of the following control types:

• Drop-down lists
• Radio buttons
• Checkboxes
• Listbox
• Values pop-up

Data-selection rules for a record permissions field:

• You might be required to make at least 1 selection in the field before you can save a record.
• You might be restricted to a minimum and maximum number of users and groups that you can select.
• You might be restricted to a specific number of users and groups from which you can select.
• You might be limited to select only groups for which you are a member.

Sub-form data entry

A sub-form is a group of fields embedded in an application or questionnaire. The sub-form is designed to collect multiple entries for a record. You can enter data in a sub-form several times.

Example: Sub-form used for capturing comments

You are adding a record in an application and you encounter a Comments sub-form. When you click Add New to make an entry in the sub-form, a new sub-form window opens, displaying 3 fields:

• User
• Comment
• Date

You fill out the fields in the sub-form, and click Save in the sub-form to save your entry and return to the record. Later that day, you decide that you want to make another comment about the same record, so you open the record for editing, click Add New to make an entry in the sub-form and fill out the sub-form fields. When you click Save in the sub-form, both the entry that you just made and the entry you made earlier in the day displays in a table in the record. The sub-form can also display comments other users have made about the record.

You can add a sub-form record while viewing a child record without having to save the parent record.

Data-entry rules for a sub-form:

• You might be required to make at least 1 entry in the sub-form before you can save a record.
• You might be restricted to a specific number of entries that you can make in the sub-form.
• You might be able to edit and delete entries made by other users, you might be able to edit and delete only your own entries, or you might not be able to edit or delete sub-form entries at all.

Text area entry

A text area field enables you to format the text that you enter through the Rich Text Editor toolbar. The toolbar supports standard keyboard shortcuts for most common tasks such as CTRL + X for cut, CTRL + C for copy, and CTRL + V for paste.

Note: For non-western language users (for example: Chinese, Japanese, and Korean), the Rich Text Editor toolbar is not available. When you paste or enter non-western language text, the Rich Text area displays HTML tags automatically. To change the HTML formatting, you must edit the tags manually.

The following table describes the Rich Text Editor tools.

Button	Tool	Description
	Find and Replace	Searches for a text string and replaces it with a different text string.
	Cut	Deletes the selected text and copies the text to the clipboard. Text that is cut from a field remains available for pasting until another copy or cut operation replaces the clipboard content.
	Copy	Copies the selected text in the system clipboard. Text that is copied from a field remains available for pasting until the clipboard content is replaced by another copy or cut operation.
	Paste	Pastes the contents of the clipboard into the rich text field at the current insertion point. Formatted text that is copied from a field retains the formatting when it is pasted into the rich text field.
	Paste as Text	Pastes only the text of the clipboard into the rich text field at the current insertion point, and removes all formatting and styling.
	Graphic Selector	Opens the graphic selector, where you can select and insert images to the field. Caution: Deleting an image from the graphics selector permanently removes the image from your Company Files folder.
	Undo	Reverses the previous action or keystroke from within the text area field.
	Redo	Reverses the effects of an “Undo” command.
	Bold	Applies bold formatting to the selected text. If the selected text is already bold, this button removes the bold formatting from the text.
	Italic	Applies italic formatting to the selected text. If the selected text is already italicized, this button removes the italic formatting from the text.
	Underline	Underlines the selected text. If the selected text is already underlined, clicking the Underline tool removes the underlining from the text.
	Strike-through	Applies a strike-through to the selected text. If the selected text is already struck-through, this button removes the line from the text.
	Font Family	Provides a list of font types, which can be used to format the selected text. If the text is truncated when it is printed, you can adjust the font size to ensure the text prints properly.
	Font Size	Provides a list of font sizes, which can be used to format the selected text.
	Text Color	Applies a color to the selected text. The most recently applied text color is displayed on the button.
	Highlight	Applies a highlight color to the selected text. The most recently applied text color is displayed on the button.
	Align Left	Aligns the selected paragraphs with the left margin.
	Align Center	Center aligns the selected paragraphs.
	Align Right	Aligns the selected paragraphs with the right margin.
	Justified	Aligns the selected paragraphs with the left margin, and spaces between words and between glyphs or letters are stretched or compressed in order to align both the left and right ends of consecutive lines of text.
	Unordered List	Applies bullets to the selected paragraphs.
	Ordered List	Applies automatic paragraph numbering to the selected paragraphs.
	Outdent	Decreases the current indenting for the selected paragraphs by 1 step to the left.
	Indent	Indents the selected paragraphs 1 step to the right. To indent a paragraph again, click the button again.
	Superscript	Applies a superscript to the selected text, or the text entered following the insertion point after clicking the tool. If the selected text already has superscript formatting, this button removes this formatting.
	Subscript	Applies a subscript to the selected text or the text entered following the insertion point after clicking the tool. If the selected text already has subscript formatting, this button removes this formatting.
	Hyperlink Manager	Links the selected text to an external FTP, HTTP, or HTTPS site or an email address (External Link tab), or to an internal page, record, or workspace (Internal Link tab).
	Insert Date	Inserts the current date at the current insertion point.
	Insert Table	Inserts an HTML table in a text field at the current insertion point.
	Horizontal Rule	Inserts a horizontal rule in the text field. When you click the tool, the Insert/Edit Horizontal Rule dialog box opens. You can set the width and height of the horizontal rule and add a shadow.
	Remove Formatting	Removes all formatting from the selected text.
	Insert Custom Character	Inserts special characters into the field.
	Edit HTML	Opens the HTML Source Editor dialog box, where you can edit the HTML code of the text field. You can select the Word wrap option to display the text in a wrapped format. Note: Do not use absolute positioning in HTML content.
	Bi-Directional Text	Inserts bi-directional (BiDi) text in Rich Text Area fields. Use the Bi-Directional Text tool to enter text from left to right, right to left, or a combination of both. Additionally, you can search and sort on any text that contains BiDi languages. The following functions are currently not supported for BiDi languages: Calculations Notifications Print or Export Bullets and numbering in Mozilla Firefox Bullets and numbering when the dir="rtl' tag is included on a list item instead of the entire list Search Records and search filters do not accept BiDi characters when using all supported versions of Firefox.

Text entry

A text field enables you to input text values as 1-line text boxes or as multiline text areas. You can also encounter a text field that displays a masked format in a defined format, such as an IP address, a Social Security number, a telephone number, an email address, or a zip code.

Data-entry rules for a text field:

• You might be required to enter a value in the field before you can save a record.
• You might be restricted to a specific number of characters that you can enter.
• You might be required to enter a unique value in the field. If you enter a value that has already been saved in the field within another record, you are prompted to enter a new, unique value.

User and group selection

A user/groups list field enables you to select users and groups from an application. A user or groups list field may be displayed in any of the following control types:

• Drop-down list
• Radio buttons
• Checkboxes
• Listbox
• Values pop-up

Your name can be selected by default when you create a new record. If your name does not display by default in the field, you can select your name along with the names of other users or groups.

Data-selection rules for a user or groups list field:

• You might be required to make at least 1 selection in the field before you can save a record.
• You might be restricted to a minimum and maximum number of users and groups that you can select.
• You might be limited by the users and groups that are available for selection.
• You might be only able to select only groups for which you are a member.

Values from a values list selection

A values list field enables you to select from a list of values. A values list field can display in any of the following control types:

• Drop-down lists
• Radio buttons
• Checkboxes
• Listbox
• Values pop-up

When there are a large number of values displayed in a Values Pop-up control, you may see a Find field at the top of the control. The Find field enables you to search by keywords for a value in the values list.

Data-selection rules for a values list field:

• You might be required to select a value in the field before you can save a record.
• You might be limited to the number of values that you can select when the values list is displayed as checkboxes, a listbox, or a values pop-up (all of which enable you to select multiple values).

Advanced Workflow user action nodes

If the Enable Workflow Auditing option is selected for the Advanced Workflow, records enrolled in that Advanced Workflow display a workflow tracker of previous, current, and next user action nodes in the workflow. The workflow tracker displays if there is a user action on at least 1 user action node. The workflow tracker displays up to 4 nodes. An ellipsis displays on either or both sides of the current node to show that there are additional nodes before or after the displayed nodes.

You can view node details by hovering over the node. To view the details for all nodes, click Details. The following details are displayed for each user action node:

• Node name/node title
• Action taken by the user
• Name of who performed the action
• Date on which the action was performed

To complete actions for the workflow node, do the following:

1. Click Edit.
2. Click Actions.
3. Select the action.
4. Click Save.