Setting up a complex Custom Variable

You can set up complex custom variables to use within forms as default answers to text or numeric question types or as values applied within calculation type questions. A complex custom variable has multiple rows and columns defined because a complex custom variable is a two-dimensional construct.

Field View enables both simple and complex custom variables. These instructions show you how to set up a complex custom variable.

  1. Confirm that the correct business unit is selected in the Current Business Is field, and that no project is selected in the Current Project Is field.
  2. Select Business Setup > Standards And Templates , and click Custom Variables.
  3. In the Business Setup - Standards And Templates - Custom Variables screen, click Add Custom Variable.
  4. In the Add Custom Variable window, enter a name in the Custom Variable Name field.
  5. In the first Column Name field, enter a column name.
  6. If the value of the variable will be a number, select the Is Number check box. Numbers can be used in numeric and calculation question types in forms.
  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each column you want to add.
  8. Click Save.
  9. In the Business Unit pane, click the down arrow next to a business unit for which you have permissions to reveal the Add Custom Variable Detail table.
  10. Right-click in the table and select Add or click the Excel icon to use the custom variables template.
  11. If you're adding the variables in manually, in the Add Custom Variable Detail window, enter a value in each of the columns you just created, and then click Save.
  12. Repeat steps 10 and 11 for each column.
  13. If you want to add this custom variable to multiple business units, repeat steps 9 through 12 for each business unit in the Business Unit pane or upload the spreadsheet template to each business unit.
  14. In the Business Setup - Standards And Templates - Custom Variables screen, make sure your variable and a business unit are selected, and then in the Add Project pane, click Add Project.
  15. In the Add Project window, select the project to which you want to assign the variable.
  16. Leave the Copy the Business Units Variable's (Recommended) check box selected.
  17. Click Save.
  18. To override the business unit's values for this variable in a project:
    1. In the Add Project pane, right-click the project and select Edit.
    2. Click the down arrow next to a project to reveal the Add Custom Variable Detail table.
    3. Right-click on the row you want to edit, and select Edit.
    4. In the Add Custom Variable Detail window, change the values in the columns you created, and click Save.