Custom labels provide a way for YOU to customize a form.

Overview
Every software application attempts to build in all required fields to adequately track the information needed by users. However, and usually because every company has some unique methods of doing business, many times there's a need for additional information that has no field for it in the application.

Custom fields allow System Administrators to define those fields and even specify formulas to automatically calculate information based on other fields or data.  Custom field changes are saved in the current database, so they're available to all users the next time they login to the system. Consequently, setting up custom fields should be one of the FIRST things you do when creating a new database.

You can change the name of a custom field any time you like, but it does NOT change the data already entered in the field in the database table. Changing the field name from something like 'Shipping Date' to 'International FAX' is possible, but it won't make much sense to your users if you don't also update all of the data for that field. Consequently, you should please plan carefully how you will use Custom Fields BEFORE you open up a new database to other users.

Please NOTE: The page must be in 'READ' mode in order to edit custom fields.  Also, all users should be informed of what any custom fields that you create are for and how to use them.

Naming A Custom Field
Right-click on the field label and choose 'Customize Field' from the popup menu to open the field editor.

Creating A Field With No Formula
Every custom field can be setup simply to accommodate a text value. When this is what you need, you only have to change the label so users see the correct field name.  Enter the new field name in the 'Field Name' textbox and check the 'Don't use a formula for this field' option. Click 'OK' to save your settings.

Fields WITH Formulas
To design a calculated field, uncheck the 'Don't use a formula for this field' option, then choose the type of value the formula will create. To remove a formula from a field, uncheck this option and click 'OK'. The formula will be removed automatically.

Please NOTE: Calculated fields values are updated WHEN THE RECORD IS SAVED. Users will not see the results until after the save is complete and the record is in Read Mode.

Text Value Formulas
This option lets you use values from other fields in the form to create a new value.

Select each field name that will be replaced by its data from the drop-down list, and add text and/or punctuation around it to get the final text value. Please note that the [brackets] MUST be around each field name in order for the formula to work correctly.

Date Value Formulas
This option is only available if there is at least one date field in the design of the form. Choose the date field from the drop-down list, then choose 'Add' or 'Subtract' to define whether to add or subtract days, weeks, months, quarters or years from the date field.

Enter the number of days to add or subtract in the 'Enter Number' field, then choose the time period from the drop-down list. Choose how to format the new date value from the 'Choose Format' drop-down list, which are:
-- Short Date: This will display the date in your system's short date format, as defined in Regional Settings in Control Panel. For example: 12/15/2010.
-- Long Date: This will display the date in your system's long date format, as defined in Regional Settings in Control Panel. For example: Wednesday, December 15, 2010.
-- Date & Time: This displays the data in Short Date/Short Time format. For example: 12/15/2010 05:03 PM.

Number Value Formula
This option is available if there is at least one number field in the design of the form. Choose the number field from the drop-down list and then choose the operator (Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide By). Enter the number to add, subtract, multiply or divide by and choose the format of the result.

Query
This is the only option that can read and manipulate data from another table in the database. For example, you could use this to get the total number of Orders for a Company record from the Orders table. Please click the 'Query Builder' button to open the Query Builder dialog to create a query. The Query MUST return a single value that will then be stored in this custom field. Choose the format of the result from the 'Choose Format' drop-down list.

Please NOTE: You will need a good understanding of how aggregate SQL queries work in order to get the results you need.

Column Calculations

This option is only available when the form has child data (on one or more DataGrids at the bottom of the page), as these calculations get data from the child grids. 

1) Select a field from the first drop-down list, which holds all of the fields from the first child DataGrid.

2) Choose the type of calculation from the next list; use "MAX" if your calculation will return a text value.

3) Enter a valid filter in the Filter textbox.  This should use a field from the DataGrid (from the first list) and a valid (SQL) search string. 

4) Choose the resulting value's format from the last drop-down list.

Click OK to save your changes.