Enumerated Fields

Enumerated fields can provide a powerful visual impact by displaying a graphic image or color-coded label in place of field values.

About Enumerated Fields

Enumerated fields have an associated numeric value, which can be used to group, sort or filter data in Views and Reports. (In Reports, enumerated fields can appear as color-coded labels, only.)

Graphic stars for movie ratings

Color-coded labels

These Field Display Types are enumerated:

Displaying Enumerated Fields

Enumerated Fields in Views can provide users with visual indicators of a data metrics. In this example, a movie library View is enhanced with the addition of stars to rank the movies by preference. Although the ranking (Picklist Value) is not displayed, it is used to sort the list.

Sorted by Movie Name

Sorted by Movie Rating (Stars)

The ranking (with 1-4 stars) is created by adding a series of images and values to eligible Field Display Types:

Because the Picklist Value is stored in the database, it can be used in these areas of the platform:

Sort order in Views and Reports
Filters in Views and Reports
Color coding criteria in Views and Reports
Grouping criteria in Reports

Learn more: Using Enumerated Picklists with Other Platform Elements

Enumerated fields include these elements:

Display Label

Can be either an alphanumeric string or an image, or both

Alphanumeric string, with optional color coding for text and background color
Image, optional, selected from the Documents object
Not used to group, sort, or filter records

Item Value

Stored as part of the record
Used to group, sort, or filter records
A number that can be used to define the display order

Working with Picklists

A Picklist is a field that can contain a list of values. It appears as a dropdown list when displayed.

Create a Picklist

Click Designer > Objects > {object} > Fields
Click [New Field]
Provide the information in the sections below.
Click [Save]
The field is added, and the field-definition is shown. You can now Manage and Reorder Values to specify display text and colors, images, and grouping labels.

Basic Information

Specify the basic characteristics of the field:

Label - The text that appears as the field name
Display Type - Picklist
Picklist Values - For a simple Picklist that returns the same values it displays, with no special colors, images, or groups for the display values, you can simply enter the values, as shown here:

Otherwise, wait until the Picklist has been created, then Manage and Reorder Values.

Maximum Storage Length - The String length of the longest value in the list.
Use First Value as Default - Otherwise, the field is initially empty.
Sort List Alphabetically - Otherwise, you manually arrange the order.
Always Required - A selection must be made when adding or updating a record.
Field Name - Automatically created by the system (but you can change it here)

Display Attributes

Determine where the field is displayed in the default form, and whether or not the field is required when adding or updating a record.

Default Value

In general, the default value you specify will be a simple String. For example: 'rush'. But it is also possible to select functions and specify arguments, creating a formula expression that returns the default value.

Considerations

The default value must resolve to the value of an entry in the list of enumerated items (not a label).
If the value resolves to a string which is not in the list of the enumerated items, it is as though no default were specified. Nothing is pre-selected in the Enumerated Field.

Role-Based Field Visibility

Set Field Visibility based on Role. This option defines the Roles that are permitted to view and use the designated Field. Available field settings include:

Visible
Read-Only
Hidden

This control is created when a Field is Added to an object.

Learn more: Visibility Controls

Considerations

When a field is added to a Form, the field visibility control is set to Visible by default
When a new role is added, that role receives Visibility rights to all the fields across all the objects
When this control is specified for a field, it will be enforced in the Field Audit Log; This means that the user Role determines whether a record is visible in an Audit Log

Description Information

Include a description of the field and its use. This information is only visible to users with rights to customize this field.

Working with Global Picklists

Create a Global Picklist

Click Designer > Global Resources > Global Picklists
Click the [New Global Picklist] button and enter the following information:
- Name - The field label that will be displayed
- Show First Value as Default - Checkbox
- Sort List Alphabetically - Checkbox
Click [Save].
You can now proceed to Manage and Reorder the Values, as explained below.

Locked Package Options

When a Global Picklist is included in a published Package, these options determine what the package installer is allowed to do with the picklist.

Specify a Default Value

Default Value for an Enumerated Field

Manage and Reorder Values

Specify Display Text, Colors, Images, and Grouping Labels

The Enumerated Values section of the field-definition page lets you specify display-text, colors, images, and grouping labels, as well as the values returned by user selections:

Note: These options are available only when viewing an enumerated field, not when editing it.

Click [Manage Values] to specify display text, color, images, and grouping labels.

Fields

Alphanumeric Characters are allowed in labels and values, including special characters (+ / ' - _) and spaces.

Display Label - The label to display in the list.
Value - The actual value that is stored in a record (or returned to a program) when this item is chosen from the list.
Image - Specify an image to display (learn more below)
Show only Image in View mode - Whether to show the image alone, or together with the label.
Font color - Foreground color
Background color - Color of the area in which the text is displayed
Use Label for grouping - The specified label becomes a heading in the list, rather than a selectable value (learn more below)

Specify images

To specify images, first upload them to the platform as Documents. This example shows records that were created after selecting such images from a picklist:

Fruit and Vegetable are group labels
Specify grouping labels

Click Use Label for Grouping to use a label as a group indicator, rather than making it a selection the user can click.

This option is useful when a picklist is long, and can be organized into groups.

Considerations

The Use Label for grouping option is available only for Picklists
After the Use Label for grouping option is selected, the Sort List Alphabetically option is reset to No (otherwise, the label won't be helpful).
If the Use Label for grouping option is selected, the enumerated values are not available for dependent field associations.

Reorder Values

In the Enumerated Values section of the field-definition page, click [Reorder Values] to change the order in which the values appear:

Note: Reordering can be done only when the Sort List Alphabetically option is unchecked.

Additional Operations

Create a Dependent Picklist

When the possible choices depend on selections made in other fields, use a Dependent Picklist.

Using Enumerated Fields with Other Platform Elements

Because Picklist Values can contain alphanumeric characters, additional functionality becomes available, as listed here:

Sort order: Use the Picklist value in Views and Reports to define sort order
Grouping: Use the Picklist value to Group records in Views and Reports
Display in Views: The Display Labels are shown when displaying a record and in Views. Based on the options selected, the image and the text colors are shown.
Color coding in Views: Criteria can be specified using Display Labels or Picklist values; The first match is done using the display label, followed by the Picklist value
Searches/Filters in Views: Criteria can be specified using display labels or Picklist values; The first match is done using the display label, followed by the Picklist Value
Global Search: Global search can use the Picklist values
Display in Reports: The Display Labels are shown (no images or color coding are displayed); Reports must not use the Group option
REST or JAVA API: The Picklist values are returned (not the display label)
Conditional Layouts: Layout rules can use the Picklist values

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