Adding User/Groups List Fields

User/Groups List fields allow users to select users or groups to display in the values list for this field.

You can add a User/Groups List field to an application or questionnaire. In the General Information section, you can also convert a User/Groups List field to a record permissions field to limit record access to only those users or groups selected in the field.

Task 1: Create the field

  1. From your application, go to Designer tab > Layout tab > Objects panel > click Add new.
  2. Select a field type from the drop-down list, enter a name for the field, and click OK.
  3. Field name guidelines:

    • If possible, keep names under 20 characters. For example, use Description instead of Description of the Asset.
    • Capitalize the first letter of each word in the field name. For example, use Predicted Impact instead of Predicted impact.
    • Avoid redundant wording in field names. For example, using the word Asset is unnecessary in the following series of fields: Asset Name, Asset Type and Asset Value.
    • Use noun-based field names whenever possible. Avoid verb-based field names, for example, Set Asset Name.
    • Do not use the names: Version, Level ID, or Content ID for fields that you add to an application or questionnaire. Field do not display properly with these names.
  4. In the General Information section, enter a description.
  5. Note: When you save the field, the system strips any HTML tags <xml>, <form>, <textarea>, <option>, <select>, <meta>, and <body> that you may have inserted in the description because they may constitute vulnerabilities in the system. The following example shows how you can correct the cascading style sheet (CSS) syntax for the <body> tag so that it will function correctly:

    <html>
    <head>
    <style type="text/css">.c0 { font-family: 'Arial' } .c1 { margin: 0px; background-color: #ffe4e1 } </style>
    </head>
    <body class="c0">
    <p class="c1">This is a text field.</p>
    </body>
    </html>

    Note: Do not use absolute positioning in HTML content.

Task 2: Determine how the field displays

In the Display Control section, select how you want the field to display in the record.

Option

Description

Dropdown

Displays a list of items from which users can select an item.

Radio button

Displays a list of items from which users can select an item.

Checkboxes

Displays a list of items from which a user can select one or more items.

Listbox

Displays a selection list from which users can select one or more items.

Values Popup

Displays a selection list from which users can select one more items.

For example, a list may contain hundreds or thousands of values. It is recommended that you select a values popup for large lists of values. For small lists of values, it is recommended that you select a dropdown, radio buttons, or checkboxes.

Task 3: Configure options

In the Options section, select all of the following options that apply to this field.

Option

Description

Make this a required field

Designates the field as required and forces users to enter a value when adding or editing a record in the application. An icon indicates required fields to alert users that they must enter a value.

Display last modified data

Displays the date and time of the field’s last update, and the name of the person who made the change.

Make this a searchable field

Makes this field available for display in all search results.

Display this field in global search results

Makes this field available for display in global search results. This option is only available if this field is set as searchable.

Enable bulk update from search results

Makes this field available for bulk updates from advanced search results.

Enable editing in search results

Enables the field to be editable in search results and reports.

Display advanced formatting options

Displays the Advanced Field Display Options section, in which you can add descriptive text and alter the standard display of the field.

You can set the following options:

  • Display text: Enter your supporting text in this field. For example, you can enter a specific question related to values users enter in the field, such as "When was the date of your last security audit?" This text is always displayed, even if you select to hide the field name.
  • Orientation: Select whether to display or hide the field name and whether to display the values horizontally or vertically.

Validate this field when any value changes in the record

Designates that a field is validated whenever any value changes in a record.

If this option is not selected, this field validates only when the value in this field has changed.

Task 4: Set configuration options

In the Configuration section, set the following options:

Option

Description

Minimum selections

Specifies the minimum number of required selections of users or groups for the Dropdown, Checkboxes, Listbox, and Values Popup display control options.

Maximum selections

Specifies the maximum number of required selections of users or groups for the Dropdown, Checkboxes, Listbox, and Values Popup display control options.

Column layout

Specifies the number of columns for the Radio Buttons or Checkboxes display control options.

Field height

Specifies the height of the field in lines and is specific to a Listbox or Text Area display control.

If more values are available for selection in the field than the number of lines you specified, a vertical scroll bar appears in the field to enable users to view all available values.

Task 5: Set field population options

In the Field Population section, set the following options:

Option

Description

Users/Groups

Selects the groups or users that you want to place in a field:

  • Record Creator. Adds the user who is adding or editing the record
  • Individual Groups and Users. Adds individual groups and users
  • All Groups. Adds all groups from the Available List
  • All Users. Adds all users from the Available List

Show Users

Enables the end-use to expand groups within a field to view the users in that group.

Default

Designates a group or record creator as the default value for a field.

When users add new records, the field automatically selects the default values.

Cascade

Applies group selections to sub-groups in the User/Groups list.

If Cascade is selected for a group that contains sub-groups, those sub-groups will be available for selection in the User/Groups List field.

If a user selects only the parent group, the selection does not include sub-groups nested beneath that parent group. The selection only includes individual users who are members of the selected parent group.

Display Only End-User Groups

Limits the groups that are available for selection to only those groups for which the user is a member.

For example, you select the Sales, Marketing, and Management groups as available selections in the field. If a user who is a member of only the Marketing group adds a record in the application, the Marketing group is the only group available to that user for selection in the User/Groups List field.

Default to Record Creator Groups

Includes only the groups for which the default selection is the record creator.

Groups defined as available values for this field can be selected by default.

Exclude Inactive Users

Excludes inactive users whose user status is no longer active and whose access is revoked.

Task 6: Configure help text

Field-level help provides additional guidelines and instructions to ensure users enter appropriate information in the field. This Help text displays for users when they add, edit, and view records in the application where the field resides.

Consider the following general guidelines when writing field-level Help:

  • Use short, concise instructions that direct the user to take a specific action. For example, "Enter your name" is preferable to "This field is used to enter your name."
  • Use complete sentences whenever possible.
  • Avoid jargon (unless terms are critical and are familiar to your users).
  • Consider the technical aptitude of your audience, and author your help text at a corresponding level.
  • Use “you” and “your” as if you are speaking directly to the user.
  • Consider posing Help text in the form of a question, for example, "What is your level of interest?"

In the Help text section, do the following:

  1. Select a display option for both edit and view modes.
  2. Option

    Description

    None

    Help text does not display.

    Tooltip Icon

    Help icon displays beside the field in edit and view modes. Click this icon to display the field Help. The application dynamically sizes of the Help box based on the number of characters in the text.

    Field information on help icon hover

    Below

    Help displays below the field in edit and view modes.

    Field information below field

  3. If you are using help text, use the Rich Text Editor to format the text as needed.

Task 7: Configure field access

Access rights determine whether all users or only select users or groups have access to the field.

In the Access section, do the following:

  1. Select Public or Private.
  2. Note: Key fields must be public.

  3. If you selected Private, maximize the pane and click Add to select the users and groups to whom you want to grant access.