Parent Attributes
Attributes are additional properties that can be attached to the object values. Parent attributes are a special kind of attributes for creating parent-child hierarchies. In a parent-child structure each child object value is assigned with an attribute describing what object value within the same object is the parent. This implies that the hierarchy can have an unlimited number of levels and have different depth in different parts of the structure.
Access Parent Attributes by selecting Client Data > Object Overview:
The Object Overview page displays, as shown below:
To add a parent attribute to an existing object, select the object ID.
Access Parent Attributes by selecting the Object Structures tab from the right panel:
Once the right panel displays, select the Parent Attributes tab to expand this section:
Any existing parent-child structures display in the Attribute grid.
To create a new parent attribute, select the + icon next to the Parent Attributes header:
A Link New Parent Attribute dialog displays, as shown below:
Select the attribute from the drop-down or select the plus icon to add a new attribute.
Enter the information defined in the table below and select Save.
Below is a list of available fields when creating a parent attribute:
Field |
Description |
Example |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|
Attribute ID |
The ID of the attribute. |
ORGPC |
Keep short, no spaces. |
Description |
The description of the attribute. |
Cost center structure |
|
Active |
Determines if the parent attribute it active or inactive (ON/OFF). |
|
|
| Mandatory | Determines if the parent attribute is mandatory when creating and object value (ON/OFF). |
To attach the parent attribute to an object, select the object in the object list and click the drop-down in the Attribute ID column in the attribute list (right side).
Below is a list of available fields when attaching an attribute to an object:
Field |
Description |
Example |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|
Attribute ID |
Select the parent attribute you want to attach to the object. |
ORGPC |
|
Active |
Defines if the attribute is currently active. |
You cannot delete an attribute with values attached to any object values. Instead, inactivate the attribute. |
|
Mandatory |
Defines if the attribute is mandatory when creating an object value. |
Due to the fact that you can add unlimited number of attributes to an object, you can have more than one parent-child structure for an object.
Usage
To get parent-child structures to work appropriately, both selection panes and forms (and report templates) must be configured to support these kind of structures. For more information, see Pane Designer and Template Designer.