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Fields & Custom Columns ​

Overview ​

Capture Templates define which metadata fields are displayed when creating and reviewing captures. Administrators can add custom fields, mark fields as required, and configure which fields appear as columns in the inbox.

Field Configuration Basics ​

What Can Be Configured ​

For each field, you can define:

  • Field Name - Label shown to users
  • Field Type - Data type (text, date, dropdown, etc.)
  • Required - Whether field must be filled
  • Default Value - Pre-populated value
  • Show in Inbox - Display as column in inbox
  • Filterable - Allow filtering captures by this field
  • Help Text - Guidance for users

Available Field Types ​

Text (Single Line) ​

Purpose: Short text input

Configuration:

  • Max length (optional)
  • Validation pattern (optional)
  • Default value

Use for:

  • Names, titles, reference numbers
  • Short descriptions
  • Identifiers

Example: "Transmittal Number", "Project Code"

Text Area (Multi-Line) ​

Purpose: Longer text input

Configuration:

  • Row count (height)
  • Max length (optional)
  • Default value

Use for:

  • Descriptions, notes, comments
  • Instructions, requirements
  • Detailed information

Example: "Review Comments", "Description of Changes"

Purpose: Selection from predefined options

Configuration:

  • List of allowed values
  • Default selection
  • Allow blank/None option

Use for:

  • Categories, types, statuses
  • Predefined choices
  • Controlled vocabularies

Example: "Project" (Project A, Project B, Project C), "Priority" (High, Medium, Low)

Multi-Select List ​

Purpose: Selection of multiple options

Configuration:

  • List of allowed values
  • Minimum selections (optional)
  • Maximum selections (optional)

Use for:

  • Multiple categories
  • Tag-style selections
  • Checkbox groups

Example: "Disciplines" (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil), "Review Types" (Technical, Quality, Safety)

Editable List ​

Purpose: Dropdown with option to add custom values

Configuration:

  • Suggested values
  • Allow custom input
  • Validation rules

Use for:

  • Semi-controlled vocabularies
  • Growing lists of options
  • Flexibility with guidance

Example: "Reviewer Name" (common reviewers listed, but can add others)

Date ​

Purpose: Date selection

Configuration:

  • Date format
  • Min/max date ranges
  • Default to today

Use for:

  • Due dates, review dates
  • Effective dates
  • Timestamps

Example: "Due Date", "Review Completed Date"

Number ​

Purpose: Numeric input

Configuration:

  • Min/max values
  • Decimal places
  • Default value

Use for:

  • Counts, quantities
  • Scores, ratings
  • Numeric identifiers

Example: "Number of Drawings", "Quality Score"

Checkbox ​

Purpose: Boolean yes/no

Configuration:

  • Default checked/unchecked
  • Label text

Use for:

  • True/false conditions
  • Confirmations
  • Flags

Example: "Urgent", "External Review Required"

Email ​

Purpose: Email address input

Configuration:

  • Validation enabled
  • Allow multiple addresses

Use for:

  • Contact information
  • Notification recipients
  • Email routing

Example: "Reviewer Email", "CC Notifications To"

User Picker ​

Purpose: Select MinuteView user

Configuration:

  • Single or multiple users
  • Role filter
  • Default to current user

Use for:

  • Assignments
  • Reviewers
  • Approvers

Example: "Assigned To", "Reviewer"

Configuring Fields in Templates ​

Adding a New Field ​

  1. Open Capture Template in Console
  2. Navigate to Fields or Custom Fields section
  3. Click Add Field
  4. Configure field properties:
    • Name
    • Type
    • Required
    • Default value
    • Display options
  5. Save field configuration
  6. Save template

Reordering Fields ​

Drag and drop or use up/down controls to set field order:

  • Order in template = order shown to users
  • Group related fields together
  • Put most important fields first

Editing Existing Fields ​

  1. Select field to edit
  2. Modify properties
  3. Save changes

Note: Changing field types on existing templates may affect existing captures.

Removing Fields ​

  1. Select field to remove
  2. Delete field
  3. Confirm removal

Warning: Removing fields from templates with existing captures may result in data loss. Consider hiding instead of deleting.

Inbox Column Configuration ​

Show in Inbox ​

For fields where "Show in Inbox" is enabled:

  • Field appears as column in capture inbox
  • Users can sort by this field
  • Column width auto-adjusts

Column Display ​

Configure:

  • Which fields show as columns
  • Column order (left to right)
  • Default sort column
  • Column width preferences

Best Practices ​

Show in inbox:

  • ✅ Status, priority, dates
  • ✅ Key identifiers (numbers, names)
  • ✅ Fields used for filtering

Don't show in inbox:

  • ❌ Long text areas
  • ❌ Internal/system fields
  • ❌ Rarely-used fields

Filterable Fields ​

Purpose ​

Filterable fields allow users to:

  • Quick-filter inbox by field values
  • Create saved filter views
  • Find captures faster

Configuration ​

Mark fields as filterable:

  • Dropdowns and lists work best
  • Dates support range filtering
  • Text fields support contains/equals filtering

User Experience ​

In the inbox:

  • Filter controls appear above capture list
  • Users select filter values
  • Inbox updates to show matching captures only
  • Multiple filters can be combined

Field Validation ​

Required Fields ​

Behavior:

  • User cannot submit/approve without filling
  • Visual indication (asterisk, color)
  • Error message if attempted

Use for:

  • Critical metadata
  • Fields needed for downstream processes
  • Compliance requirements

Field Dependencies ​

Some systems support field dependencies:

  • Field B only shows if Field A has specific value
  • Cascading dropdowns
  • Conditional validation

Check your MinuteView version for dependency support.

Default Values ​

Static Defaults ​

Set a fixed default value:

  • Always pre-populated
  • User can override
  • Reduces data entry

Example: Project field defaults to "Current Project"

Dynamic Defaults ​

Some fields support dynamic defaults:

  • Current user
  • Today's date
  • System-generated values
  • Values from automation

Example: "Created By" defaults to current user

Common Field Configurations ​

Document Transmittal ​

  • Transmittal Number - Text, required, show in inbox
  • Recipient - Text, required
  • Project - Dropdown, required, show in inbox, filterable
  • Due Date - Date, show in inbox
  • Description - Text area, required
  • Priority - Dropdown (High/Medium/Low), show in inbox, filterable

Engineering Review ​

  • Drawing Numbers - Text area, required
  • Revision - Text, required, show in inbox
  • Reviewer - User picker, required, show in inbox
  • Review Date - Date, required, show in inbox
  • Review Type - Dropdown (Technical/Quality/Safety), filterable
  • Comments - Text area
  • Approved - Auto-populated on approval

AI Validation ​

  • AI Confidence Score - Number, show in inbox
  • AI Model Version - Text, auto-populated
  • Validation Notes - Text area
  • Reviewer Decision - Auto-populated (Approve/Reject)
  • Processing Time - Number, show in inbox

Advanced Field Features ​

Calculated Fields ​

Some systems support calculated fields:

  • Values computed from other fields
  • Formulas or expressions
  • Auto-updated

Example: "Days Open" = Today - Created Date

Field Groups ​

Organize related fields:

  • Visual grouping in UI
  • Collapsible sections
  • Improved user experience

Example:

  • Group 1: Project Information (Project, Code, Manager)
  • Group 2: Review Details (Reviewer, Date, Comments)
  • Group 3: Deliverables (Files, Documents)

Field Permissions ​

Advanced security:

  • Read-only for certain roles
  • Visible only to specific roles
  • Editable at specific stages

Example: "Management Notes" visible only to manager role

Best Practices ​

Field Design ​

  1. Essential fields only - Every field adds complexity
  2. Clear labels - Use terminology users understand
  3. Helpful defaults - Reduce data entry burden
  4. Appropriate types - Match field type to data
  5. Validation when needed - But not over-validation

User Experience ​

  1. Logical order - Group related fields
  2. Required sparingly - Only truly essential fields
  3. Help text - Provide guidance where needed
  4. Testing - Validate with real users

Maintenance ​

  1. Review periodically - Remove unused fields
  2. Update vocabularies - Keep dropdowns current
  3. Monitor usage - Which fields are actually used?
  4. Document changes - Track field evolution

Troubleshooting ​

Field Not Showing ​

Check:

  • Is field enabled in template?
  • Does user role have permission to see it?
  • Is field in hidden group?

Validation Not Working ​

Check:

  • Is field marked as required?
  • Is validation rule correctly configured?
  • Check browser console for errors

Inbox Column Issues ​

Check:

  • Is "Show in Inbox" enabled?
  • Is column width too narrow?
  • Browser cache cleared?

Next Steps ​

Complete your configuration:

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