Setting Up Optional Fields for Inventory Control Items and Transactions

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I/C Optional Fields Screen

About Using Optional Fields in Transactions

Setting Up Inventory Control

Optional fields are custom fields that you can use to store additional information with Inventory Control items and transactions. You can define an unlimited number of optional fields for transaction entries, transaction details, and items.

Once you add optional fields, you can enter data in the optional fields when you add new inventory items and enter inventory transactions.

  • Determine which optional fields you need in Inventory Control.
  • Decide which optional field information you want to pass to other subledgers and General Ledger.
  • Make sure that the optional fields you need were added to the Optional Fields screen in Common Services.
Notes:
  • Make sure that no one else is using the Inventory Control data and that no other Inventory Control screens are open for the company before you try to set up or change the settings for the optional fields.
  • After making changes to program options (on Options screens) or optional fields (on Optional Fields screens), you and all other users must sign out and sign in again to apply the changes.

To set up optional fields for use in I/C items and transactions:

  1. Open Inventory Control > I/C Setup > Optional Fields.

  2. On the I/C Optional Fields screen for Optional Fields For, select the type of record or transaction to have optional fields.
  3. Click Add Line to add a line to the table.
  4. In the Optional Field column, click Image of Finder button. and select the optional field that you want to use.
  5. If you want to specify a default value for the optional field:
    1. Select Yes in the Value Set column. More...

      This also alerts the data entry clerk that a seemingly blank optional field actually has an entry.

    2. In the Default Value column, specify the default value. More...
      • If the optional field is validated, you must specify a value that is defined for the optional field in Common Services. You can click Image of Finder button. and select the value to use as the default.

        Note: If the optional field allows blanks, you can leave the Default Value blank.

      • If the optional field is not validated, you can enter any value that is consistent with the type of field (such as yes/no, text, number, date, or amount), providing the value you enter does not exceed the length permitted for the field. You can also leave the field blank.
  6. If the optional field must be used in the items or transactions, select the Required field. More...

    During data entry, if an optional field is required but does not have a default value, you must enter a value before you can proceed. If the optional field has a default value, you can accept the value that appears or enter a different value.

    Note: If you make an optional field a required field, the Auto Insert field changes to Yes.

  7. If you want the optional field to appear automatically in new items or transactions, enter Yes in the Auto Insert column

  8. If the optional field you are defining is for certain transaction detail types, select the associated General Ledger accounts:

    1. Click Image of Edit button. (the edit icon) in the Settings column.
    2. Specify whether to include this optional field with transactions sent to General Ledger and other subledgers.

      3. Note: Consider carefully the purpose of each optional field that you add. For example, send to General Ledger only optional fields that are used for financial analysis, and only to the accounts where they are required.

    3. Save your changes and close the screen to return to the I/C Optional Fields screen.
  9. Click Save.
  • After making changes to program options (on Options screens) or optional fields (on Optional Fields screens), you and all other users must sign out and sign in again to apply the changes.
  • You can now enter data into the optional fields. For example, if you defined an optional field for items, you would see the optional field on the Optional Fields tab of the I/C Items screen.
  • If you selected to pass optional fields from Inventory Control transaction details to General Ledger, use the G/L Optional Fields screen in General Ledger to add the optional fields to G/L transaction details.
  • If you want to add optional fields associated with inventory items to O/E and P/O transaction details, use the O/E Optional Fields screen in Order Entry and the P/O Optional Fields screen in Purchase Orders.