Custom Registers

What is the Custom Register?

The custom register is a feature that allows you to add your own fields to some of the main registers. For example, a Custom register of "Teams" can be created and assigned to Lots to help with allocating specific team members and tracking accountabilities.

What are the purposes of the Custom Register?

The main purpose of the Custom Register is to allow users to create and add custom fields to some of the main registers and hence, can assign custom values to items on that register. Custom Register can be applied only to the following registers :  

• Lot
• Test Request
• NCR
• Checklist
• Checklist Item
• ITP
• Quantity (Desktop only)
• Variation (Desktop only)
• Filestore
• Photo
• Daycost (Desktop only)
• Production (under Daycost – Desktop only)
• Punchlist
• Contract Notices
• Invoice (Desktop only)
• Cost Code (Desktop only)

For example, you may want to track the senior manager responsible for each lot in the lot register. You can create a Custom Register called Managers and assign the names of your Senior Managers as values in that register.

Another usage of the Custom Register is in creating custom Lot Numbers by using the Short Code field with the Custom Register. For example, it may be useful to add the subgrade codes to your lot numbering. The Custom Register is set up before a Lot is created.     

Using the Parent Custom Register 

The Parent Custom Register field is used for nested collections. For example, If you have two custom registers: 

• Activity Type
• Activity Sub-Type

You may want the values available in Activity Sub-Type to be limited based on what you select in Activity Type e.g. Activity Type A corresponds to Activity Sub-Type 1

You can do this by setting the Parent Register of Activity Sub-Type to Activity Type, then in the CR Items for Activity Sub-Type, you can select what each value requires from Activity Type.

What happens when a custom register is activated in two associated registers? (skip this part if you're creating the custom register solely for one register)

Associated registers are linked via a common reference such as a Lot ID or a code, for example :

• Lot Quantity has a reference to the Lot - see Fig 1a 
• Test Request has a reference to the Lot - see Fig 1b
• Checklist has a reference to the Lot 
• Daycost has a reference to the Cost Code - see Fig 1c

For the purpose of this explanation, we call the Lot register the top-level register and Lot Quantity, Test Request and Checklist, the inherent registers.  Likewise, Cost Code is the top-level register and Daycost is the inherent register.  

Fig 1a - the Lot Quantity has a reference to the Lot 

Fig 1b - the Test Request has a reference to the Lot

Fig 1c - the Daycost has a reference to the Cost Code

Hence the custom values in a Lot ( the top-level register) become the default values in the associated Lot Quantities , Test Requests and Checklists (the inherent registers) because they have references to that lot . For example, a custom register that is activated in both a Lot and Quantity, will by default display the custom value as selected in the Lot. However, this can be overridden in the Quantity register, if it is necessary to change it.     

Likewise, the custom value in a Cost Code (top-level register) becomes the default value register in the associated Daycost (inherent register). However, you can override the default value if there is a need to do so. 

Example : You have created a custom register called ‘Recoverable’ activated for both Cost Codes and Daycosts. Let’s say you have cost codes CC1001 and CC1002 and CC1003 where their corresponding custom values are selected as follows :

CC1001 - Yes + offsite

CC1002 - Yes at Cost 

CC1003 - No.

Hence, in the Daycost register, any record with CC1001 will, by default, show the Recoverable field with a value of Yes + offsite, because that is the value it inherits from the Cost Code register. However, assuming in this instance there is an item that is not recoverable. You can override the default value and update the field to ‘No’ ( see Fig1d). 

Fig 1d (Note: desktop view - Daycost is not available on the web app yet) 

Pro-Tip: 

If you want to use the same custom register independently between two associated registers, simply make a copy of the custom register and activate a custom register separately each.

Where a default value is present due to an association with a top-level register, the field cannot be left blank. The work around is to add a value into the Custom Register Items to represent an unknown or unspecified field such as “None” or “Unknown”

How to create Custom Registers?

If you are creating Custom Fields to add new values, please refer to the following articles:

Create Custom Fields Using Custom Registers

Create Custom Fields Using Custom Registers (D) 

For instructions to create Custom Lot Numbers, please refer to these articles:

Create Custom Lot Numbers Using Custom Registers

Create Custom Lot Numbers Using Custom Registers (D)

Tips for Users

• The Custom registers can be switched on and off at any time using the tabs within the custom register.  
• You can select to have the Custom register items listed as “Lookup” which will appear as dropdown lists, or as ‘Text” which allows the values to be freeform but has to be entered manually.
• Use the Short Code field only for creating Custom Lot Numbers
• If you want the custom registers to always be available without adding them through the Column Chooser, then use a Custom View. See Set Up and Save Custom Views in Registers / Set Up and Save Custom Views in Registers (D) 
• If you need to rapidly update multiple rows, you can use the Fill Up/Down functions.
• When activating the same custom register in two registers that has a reference to each other, the top level register values will appear by default.  However, you can override this easily by updating the field manually, if there is a need to do so.