What you will learn
Section titled “What you will learn”Distinguish information that needs to be stored from information that can be looked up or calculated.
Prerequisites: plan a page change. No IFS login is required.
A field begins with a data question
Section titled “A field begins with a data question”Custom attributes extend an entity with additional information. IFS distinguishes persistent attributes, which store values, from read-only attributes, which obtain related or calculated information. Once published, supported custom attributes can be placed on pages using Page Designer. Displaying additional attributes can also add overhead, so evaluate the effect in the actual use case.
These concepts are described in the official custom attributes guide.
Compare two requests
Section titled “Compare two requests”Consider these fictional requirements:
| Request | Question to investigate |
|---|---|
| Capture a reference supplied by an external team | Is it new information that should be stored? |
| Show information already available through a related record | Can it be looked up instead of entered twice? |
Neither request automatically justifies a new custom attribute. First check whether a suitable standard field already exists and whether its meaning matches the requirement.
Try it yourself
Section titled “Try it yourself”The fictional Northstar team wants to record an external handover reference. Draft a definition with:
- A plain-language description of the value.
- Who supplies it and who is responsible for corrections.
- Whether the value already exists elsewhere.
- An example using fictional data.
- A proposed validation rule for review.
See a suggested answer
“External handover reference: a reference supplied by the handover team, such as DEMO-HO-014. The coordinator records it and asks the issuing team about corrections. We need to confirm that no existing field serves the same purpose. The allowed length and whether it is required remain open questions.”
This defines the business meaning without inventing a datatype or implementation constraint.
Check your understanding
Section titled “Check your understanding”Your definition should distinguish the business requirement from implementation decisions that still need testing.
Common mistake: creating duplicate data because it is easier to see on one page. Trace the existing source before deciding to store another copy.
Cleanup: none. This lesson does not create or publish an attribute.
Source and review status
Section titled “Source and review status”Reference: IFS Cloud 26R1 custom attributes. This concept draft awaits review and environment testing.
Continue exploring the glossary or return to all learning paths.
Put this into practice
Section titled “Put this into practice”Ready to implement? Follow Add a custom field through Entity Configuration, Page Designer, ACP delivery, and acceptance checks.