On the User-Defined Column Details page for a report, you can create up to 20 report columns based on Certain fields.
Each user-defined column can be one of two types.
- The first non-blank value from up to three different columns, with a default text label.
- A combination of multiple columns.
Click Add New to create a new user-defined column.
The existing custom columns are listed in a table. Click one to edit it. Click the delete option to delete it.
The custom columns added here are available in the list of Available Data Fields on the Columns page to add to the report.
User-Defined Column
Column Name
- Column Name is the name of the column as it should appear in all report screens.
- Maximum length is 25 characters.
Column Definition
- Column Definition is the section where you specify which Certain field(s) will make up a user-defined column.
- A user-defined column can consolidate several columns into a single column in your report output.
- This consolidation saves the steps of merging cells in a separate application.
- The Column Definition section lets you select from the same fields as those that appear on the Groups page for the report.
- A custom column is defined as a database field or free-text.
- A custom column can also be multiple columns combined into a single column.
Display the first non-blank from (3 drop-down lists, plus a free-text field)
Select this option if the custom column is pulling from one or more Certain fields, and must return the first non-blank value for each record in this order.
If no value exists for the record in the field specified, you can enter a label in the free-text field to display in the report instead of an empty cell. Example labels include '[blank]' or 'missing'.
Example: State/Province or: Province/District or: City or: [blank]This example column would return:
- State /Province for records that have a value for that field.
- Province/District for records that do not have a State /Province value.
- City for records that have neither State /Province nor Province/District.
- the text '[blank]' for records that do not have values for State/Province, Province/District, or City.
Combine two or more columns
Use this option to combine two or more Certain columns into a single report column.
For example, list registrant's full name in a single column.
You can do this by first selecting Prefix in the drop-down list and clicking Append. Then, select First Name and Append. Then, select Last Name and Append, and again for Suffix.
The field below the Append section will show:
<{Prefix}><{First Name}><{Last Name}><{Suffix}>
You can add spaces between fields for proper formatting.
> Note: A user-defined column must have at least one column selected or at least one character entered in the free-text form field. Once the user-defined column is created it can be added to the report in the Reports > Columns page.