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About custom fields

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Discover important information about using custom fields in WorldShare Acquisitions.

Overview

Custom fields allow you to enter additional information about order items and invoice items that are not part of the standard data model of Acquisitions.

 Note:

  • A maximum of 20 custom fields can be created per item type.
  • Invoice item custom data custom fields do not inherit values from order item custom fields, even if the field names match.
  • Custom data can be reported on, if you know the number of the custom field. For more information, see WorldShare Reports.

Create custom fields to represent fields or workflows that are specific to your institution, such as:    

  • Custom material types (e.g., book, ebook, journal, etc.)
  • Academic department (e.g., Geography, History, Literature, etc.)
  • Workflow status (e.g., E-Resource configured for access, Access confirmed, etc.)
  • Endowed status (for order items or invoice items)

There are four custom field types. Select the field type based on the data you plan to include in the field. For example, lists are preferred over text fields if you have data that is standardized. This prevents accidental errors in the data entry. Field options:

  • Text - Creates a field that allows single text input of up to 190 characters.
  • Number - Creates a field that allows a single number with up to four decimal places.
  • Date - Creates a field that allows a single date. 
  • List - Creates a field that contains a drop-down list of up to four predefined options.

Custom fields by item type

In general, it is recommended to use custom fields only with order items. Order items flow through the entire acquisitions lifecycle, so custom field data remains consistent for:

  • Ordering
  • Invoicing
  • Expenditure analysis
  • Analytic reporting

Invoice item custom fields do not inherit values from order item custom fields, so they should be used sparingly. One exception is if you are adding a custom field that applies to both order items that are invoiced, as well as resource invoice items.