This getting started article will help users to understand the usage of custom attributes. The user must have administrator permissions in TDAdmin.
Overview
Custom attributes allow to capture and report on data elements specific to their organization. Although most custom attributes will undoubtedly focus on capturing information related to tickets and projects, custom attributes can be created within a variety of areas. TeamDynamix has several standard fields meant to capture ITSM and PPM-related information. There are a variety of data types that are supported for custom attributes.
The following represent areas of the application which support custom attribute creation:
- Projects
- Tickets
- Services
- Assets
- Configuration Items
- Contracts
- Product Models
- File Cabinet
- Project Issues
- People
- Vendors
- Knowledge Base
- Locations
- Location Rooms
Where to Find This
This feature appears in various areas of the product. The creation and management of custom attributes all occurs within TDAdmin. The use of custom attributes will take place in both TDNext and TDClient.
Where to Start
Custom Attribute Types
TeamDynamix supports a variety of custom attribute types for different data collection scenarios. Several attributes allow users to provide the valid choices for them. Currently, the only attribute types that support this are checkbox lists, dropdowns, radio button lists, and multiselects. It is also worth noting that Choices cannot be added to the attribute until after it has been created.
The following data types are available for custom attributes:
- Checkbox List – Contains a list of checkboxes which you can select independently.
- Color – Displays a dropdown list from which you can select Green, Yellow, or Red.
- Date Picker – Allows you to select a date with no time component.
- Date/Time Picker – Allows you to select a date with an included time component.
- Dropdown – Displays a list of choices, from which no more than one can be selected.
- Multiselect – Displays a list of choices, from which the you can select any number.
- Person – Displays a list of people, from which you can select one.
- Radio Button List – Displays a list of choices, from which no more than one can be selected. This supports both vertical and horizontal lists when displaying the radio buttons.
- Text Area – Allows you to provide multiple lines of text. Since you do not have control over the valid choices for these fields, a default value can be provided.
- Text Box – Allows you to provide a single line of text. Since you do not have control over the valid choices for these fields, a default value can be provided. You can also provide a data type for the text as detailed below:
- Text – The value in this field will be validated as a text string.
- Integer – The value in this field will be validated as an integer number.
- Decimal – The value in this field will be validated as a decimal number.
- Yes/No Dropdown – Displays a dropdown which allows you to select Yes or No.
Text Area and Text Box fields have a maximum limit of 4,000 characters.
Global Settings
The following fields are available for configuration of all custom attributes, regardless of component:
- Attribute Name – The name of the attribute as it will display in component forms and attribute configuration pages.
- Header Text – The text that will appear in the header if this attribute is included in a report for the component.
- Attribute Type (only available on creation) – The type of data that the custom attribute stores. See the Related Articles section for further details about supported attribute types.
- Sort Order – The order in which the attribute will appear relative to other attributes on the component form. Each Attribute Section is ordered by the Sort Order, and then alphabetically.
- Description or Help – Text that explains the purpose of the attribute in terms of the data it is supposed to represent.
- Options
- Required – Whether to make users provide a value for the attribute when it appears on forms.
- Active – Whether the attribute should be considered active for the component.
Custom Attribute Options
There are a few options available for custom attributes that help you to better configure how and where they may be used or interacted with. Keep in mind that these options are different for custom attributes depending on where you are creating them.
- Updateable (Editable on update forms) – This option determines whether the attribute is going to appear on the Update form within TeamDynamix so its value can be changed if needed there.
- Required – Allows you to configure whether the attribute must have a value selected or entered for it.
- Active – Sets the attribute as active for use.
- Client Visible – Sets the visibility of the attribute within the Client Portal for which it is being created.
- Protected – Sets the visibility of the attribute only to authorized users, requiring a PIN to be entered to view the attribute value.
Component-Specific Settings
There are a variety of attribute configuration options that are only supported by specific components. Each configuration option, as well as all associated components, are as follows:
- Associated Type(s) – The types of work items that should be associated with this attribute. When specified, the attribute will only be used for items with the same component and type. This setting is supported by the following components: Projects.
- Section – The section in which the attribute will appear when used on component forms. If not specified, then this attribute will appear at the bottom of the General section of the form. Otherwise, this attribute will appear within the specified form section. This setting is supported by the following components: Accounts and Projects.
Creating Custom Attributes
To create custom attributes:
- In TDAdmin, click Applications, then select the desired Ticketing Application.
- Click Attributes in the left navigation.
- Click the +New button in the Ticket Attributes window
- In the New Ticket Attribute popup window, fill in the required and optional fields as desired.
- Click the Save button.
All other custom attributes can be created within the respective areas for those items. For example, Assets for Asset Attributes, Projects & Workspaces for Project Attributes, etc.
Choice Configuration
Choices are sometimes incorrectly entered and must be changed or removed from the system. Both actions can be performed by clicking on the appropriate column link for a choice.
Each of the columns in this grid can be clicked to modify each choice as follows:
- Active – Whether the choice is active for the attribute. Only active choices will be displayed when the attribute is used in a form.
- Default – Whether the choice should be a default value when the attribute is loaded on a form. This is unavailable for items that use custom forms. For items that use custom forms, defaults are configured on the form level instead of the attribute level.
- Action – You can click this link to edit the Order and Name of the choice. The Save link can be clicked to store all changes, while the Cancel link can be clicked to prevent the choice from being altered.
- Delete – This link can be clicked to delete choices from an attribute. Click the OK button in the confirmation popup to remove the choice, or the Cancel button to prevent this from occurring.
Gotchas & Pitfalls
- Once a the Attribute Type has been selected it is not possible to change that value. In order to correct this, it would result in creating a new attribute with the correct Attribute Type.
Examples
- You could configure a Service Request ticket centered around Requesting an Operating System Upgrade. This would most likely be a service request that exists in your service catalog. Since this service is to request an Operating System upgrade, it is probably relevant to capture which Operating System the request is for, such as Windows 10. A custom attribute configured as a dropdown menu type might be applicable in this example. Choices within the Operating System custom attribute might be: Windows 7, Windows 10, El Capitan, etc.
- Common Project Management Related attribute examples might be: "Has Funding Been Approved (Yes/No)?"; "Describe the Funding Source (Text Area)"; "Business Impact (Text Area)"