Custom Screen Setup allows the district to configure custom screens for use in SSS events instead of using Form Builder forms. The district can include a variety of field types on custom screens, including text, long text, checkbox, number, date, time, select one, select multiple, logging, computed, computed table, signature, placeholder, email address, and phone number.
Each custom screen is set up as a category. The category will house the fields that will display on the custom screen. The category is linked to the desired step in the SSS event in SSS > Setup > Sequences using the Custom Field Category field. The category can be designated as a supplement in SSS > Setup > Forms / Custom Field Category using the Custom Field Category field.
1. In the SSS menu, click Custom Screen Setup.
The Categories tab is opened by default.
2. Enter the Title for the custom screen in the blank row. This is the title that will display at the top of the form for the end user.
3. If desired, select the Default View Profiles and Default Edit Profiles
When new fields are assigned to the category, the profiles selected in Default View Profiles will have view permissions for those fields by default. The profiles selected in Default Edit Profiles will have edit permissions for those fields by default. You can leave these fields blank, if desired. Profiles who can view or edit fields can be added or changed on a specific field when editing the field in the Fields tab.
4. Press Enter to add the row.
5. Continue adding more categories, as desired.
6. Click Save.
1. In the SSS menu, click Custom Screen Setup.
The Categories tab is opened by default.
2. Edit the Title, Default View Profiles, and Default Edit Profiles, as desired.
3. Click Save.
The fields in a category should be moved to another category or deleted before the category is deleted. A warning message will display if you attempt to delete a category that has fields assigned.
1. In the SSS menu, click Custom Screen Setup.
The Categories tab is opened by default.
2. Click the red minus sign next to the category to delete.
3. In the confirmation message, click OK.
The category is grayed out.
4. Click Save to complete deletion.
1. In the SSS menu, click Custom Screen Setup.
2. In the Categories tab, locate the category in the list and click Edit Fields at the right side of the screen.
The Fields tab opens, displaying the fields that are assigned to the category.
3. To view the full list of fields that belong to all categories, click the View all fields link at the top of the screen.
1. In the SSS menu, click Custom Screen Setup.
2. Click the Fields tab.
3. In the blank row at the top of the screen, enter a Title for the field.
This is the field title as it will display to the end user on the custom screen, except for Placeholder fields, which can be formatted using a rich text editor.
There is an 122 character limit for the field Title. Anything longer will be truncated when viewed by the end user. For titles exceeding this character limit, consider using a Placeholder field with the Rich Text option enabled.
4. Enter the Alias for the field.
All fields require a unique alias that combines the field name with the name of its associated custom screen or an abbreviated version of the screen name. This will facilitate querying and report-writing.
All alias should:
- use lower case text
- include the custom screen name/abbreviation first, and then the field name
- use _ to separate the screen and field names in the title
- placeholders should use _text at the end
5. Select the field Type.
| Field Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Text | Text fields work best for capturing information that has an unlimited number of potential answers. Text fields accommodate short answers, usually less than 50 characters in length, and can include numeric data, like street addresses and zip codes. |
| Long Text | While text fields work well for short entries, long text is best suited to note-like entries. |
| Checkbox | Use check boxes to record information where a single option is going to be selected. This data type stores a "Y" or null. |
| Number | Number fields include information like student ID numbers, Social Security numbers, and other purely numeric data. This data type works best when the combination of numbers is virtually unlimited, rather than strictly limited, like a range of zip codes in a school district. If a number field type is selected, the user will not be able to enter non-numeric characters into the field. |
| Date | In date fields, users can type in the date or select the date from the calendar. The date format stored is yyyy-mm-dd. |
| Time | Time fields allow users to enter a time. Users can only enter time in the hh:mm format. |
| Select One | This field type allows the user to select only one option from the pre-defined list. The list of options can be manually entered when setting up the field or defined with a query. |
| Select Multiple | This field type allows the user to select one or multiple options from the pre-defined list. The list of options can be manually entered when setting up the field or defined with a query. |
| Logging Field | Logging fields are used when several pieces of data make up a single record of information. An example is the student’s special education exceptionality, the date it was determined, and when the student was placed. These three data points are part of a single record, and the student could have multiple records. Logging fields work best for providing comprehensive records of activity, like visits to a guidance counselor, qualifying for sports or academic probation, logs for vaccinations or physicals, or performance on standardized tests. Unlike the other field types, logging fields can be more extensive, involving a set of fields for entering data. View and edit permissions are set for the logging field and for each individual column. |
| Computed | This field type allows users to define a query that will be executed and the results displayed to the user when viewing the field. |
| Computed Table | This field type allows users to define a query that will be executed and the results displayed in a table. The table can have multiple columns of data. |
| Signature | The signature field allows users to digitally sign their acknowledgement or consent in Focus. Users can use their mouse to sign. When using a tablet, users can use their finger or stylus to sign. This field can be set up to require the user to enter their username and password to authenticate the signature. |
| Placeholder | Placeholder fields are used to separate sections on a page. A placeholder can function as a heading, or can include a URL. |
| Email Address | This field type allows users to enter an email address into the field. The field will automatically format and validate entries to ensure proper email address formatting. |
| Phone Number | This field type allows users to enter a phone number into the field. The field will automatically format and validate entries to ensure proper phone number formatting. |
For any field that will pull in values from the SIS record, e.g. stu_name, stu_grade, 504/ELL status, etc.:
- Use the Placeholder field type
- Enable the Rich Text setting so that the Insert Field option can be used
- End users will NOT be able to edit these fields
- This will function as collections do in Form Builder
6. Click Save.
7. Click Edit Field next to the new field.
The Edit Field pop-up window is displayed. The setup for the field depends on the field type.
If you already know the category (custom screen) a field will be assigned to, you can click Edit Fields next to the appropriate category in the Categories tab, and then add the new field in the blank row at the top of the screen. This will automatically select the category when setting up the field.
1. Use the Select Categories pull-down to select the categories (custom screens) this field will appear on. One or multiple can be selected.
2. In the (Category) Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category (custom screen). You can select to place it before an existing field, at the end of the category, or unsorted. If multiple categories were selected in the Select Categories field, a Sort Order pull-down will display for each category.
3. Select Required to make the field required.
Setting the field as required will display a red asterisk before the field title on the form.
This option is not available for placeholder, computed, and computed tables.
4. Select Restricted to hide this field for inactive students.
Only users who have the profile permission "View Inactive Student Restricted Information" enabled in Users > Profiles can view this field in an inactive student's record.
Restricted fields will still display if the student has a future enrollment date.
5. Select Clear on Non-Prod to clear the contents of the field on non-production sites during refreshes when the Scramble or Scramble Harder methods are used. This should be set on fields that contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or other sensitive data.
6. Enter a Help URL if desired.
This will display a link icon next to the field title on the form. Clicking the link icon will open the URL in a new tab.
7. Enter a Description if desired.
When the user hovers the mouse over the question mark icon on the field in the form, the description will display.
8. Select the profiles that will be able to view the field in the Profiles (View Access) pull-down. One or multiple profiles can be selected.
9. Select the profiles that will be able to edit the field in the Profiles (Edit Access) pull-down. One or multiple profiles can be selected.
For logging fields, select the profiles that will have the ability to delete records (rows) from the logging field in the Profiles (Delete Record) pull-down. Select the profiles that will by default have the ability to create new records in the logging field in the Profiles (Default Create Column). Select the profiles that will by default have the ability to view columns in the logging field in the Profiles (Default View Column) pull-down. Select the profiles that will by default have the ability to edit columns in the logging field in the Profiles (Default Edit Column) pull-down.
The Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down displays for logging fields in the Edit Field pop-up window, which allows you to restrict profiles to only viewing records the user has created.
Similarly, the Profiles (Restricted Edit) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only edit log records the user created.
10. When finished setting up the field, click Save at the bottom of the window.
1. (Select One fields only) In the Options, select Display as Radio Buttons to display the select one field as a set of radio buttons rather than as a select box.
This preference is stored in the column “display_as_radio.” If a field is not marked as Required, an N/A option will be included in the set of radio buttons.
2. In the Select Options section of the window, define the Select Options manually, import the select options, or enter a Select Options Query.
Select Options:
a. In the blank row, enter a Code and Label (what will display for the user) for the option.
b. Enter a Sort Order for the option. This will display the options in the defined order.
c. If desired, enter the Min School Year and Max School Year, which are used to make these options only available for selection within the range of school years. Existing data will be maintained.
d. Press Enter to add the option.
The added row turns yellow. A new, blank row will display where you can add the next option.
e. Select the Inactive check box next to an option to inactivate it. Inactive options will not display for selection when the user opens the pull-down.
f. To delete an option, click the red minus sign to the left of the option and in the confirmation message, click OK.
Import the Select Options:
a. Click the Import button and select the CSV file from your computer. The file can include values for Code, Label, Sort Order, Min School Year, and Max School Year (the Inactive option will not import).
b. In the Import CSV window, the File includes a header row option is selected by default. Deselect the check box if the file does not include a header row.
c. Select where each column of the CSV file should import and click Import CSV.
d. The options are imported into the table. If there were any existing options in the table, the options from the file will be added in addition to those already in the table.
If multiple select one/select multiple fields will use the same select options, you can export the select options from one field by clicking the Excel icon above the Select Options table. Click Import above the Select Options table on the other field to import the options.
Select Options Query:
Enter a query that defines the options in the pull-down.
The highlighted area provides instructions and an example query.
For signature fields, select Requires Authentication to require the user to enter a username and password in order to save the signature. When this option is turned off, the user can save the signature without entering a username and password.
1. For placeholder fields, you may enter a URL for a link, if desired. When the user clicks the placeholder title, the URL will open.
2. In the Options section of the window, select Rich Text to provide a rich text editor for the placeholder field.
3. Use the formatting options to enter the desired text.
To insert spaces between a Placeholder field and other field on a custom screen, enable the Rich Text toggle on the Placeholder field. In the text editor, press Enter/Return and begin typing on the second line. This inserts a blank space between the Placeholder text and the field above it. Alternatively, press Enter/Return after the text in the text editor to insert a blank space between the Placeholder text and the field below it. You can also use the Insert Horizontal Line option in the text editor to use a horizontal line for visual separation within a paragraph or before or after a Placeholder.
Placeholders as Section Titles
Placeholders can be used to title sections of a custom form.
- Use _text at the end of the alias.
- Enable Rich Text to use all caps in the default font size; it will appear bold by default.
Placeholders as Instructional or Descriptive Text
Placeholders are typically used to provide a description of or instruction for completing a long text field within a section of the custom form.
- Use sentence case in the title.
- The placeholder should have the same name as the related long text field but end with _text to aid in querying (prevents text field from being pulled in to a report).
- If there are multiple placeholder fields being used as descriptive or instructional text for the same (or related) long text field, use _text1, _text2, etc in the alias.
- Enable Rich Text to bold, underline, or add other formatting to the title and add the instruction/description on a new line.
- Do not copy/paste from an outside source; the font and font size will not match the default text.
- The placeholder field should be placed before (above) the input (long text) field.
Placeholders as the Text of a Long Question for a Select One or Select Multiple Field
Placeholders can also be used to provide a description of or instruction for completing a select one or select multiple field on the form.
- It is not recommended to use the select one or select multiple field's Title for long questions, as only the first 112 characters of the title is displayed, including spaces, to the end user. (The entire sentence/question will display when hovering over the field).
- Instead, use a Placeholder with the Rich Text setting enabled to construct the question.
- It is recommend to use size 14 font.
- Create a select one or select multiple field for the select options.
What the end user will see on the form:
Placeholders as Links
The Rich Text editor in the placeholder field can be used to create links to screens in Focus.
- The Placeholder field Title can be a shortened version of what displays to the end user.
- Add _link to the end of the alias (e.g. mtss_cover_tests_all_link)
- Enable the Rich Text setting for the placeholder field.
- Set font size to 14 and enter what the end user should see. Include "link opens in a new tab" after the link name.
- Highlight the link text and click the Link icon.
- In the Link Info tab in the pop-up window, set the Protocol to Other.
- In the URL field, enter or paste the URL.
- In the Target tab, set the Target to New Window (_blank) and click OK. Save the field.
1. In the Options section of the window, enter the Maximum Length of the field. The default maximum length is 255 characters. The length cannot be set to 0 or users will not be able to enter any text into the field.
2. To display suggestions when a user enters text into the field, enter a query in the Suggestions Query section of the screen.
The highlighted area provides instructions and an example query.
1. In the Options section of the window, select Rich Text to provide a rich text editor for the field.
2. Enter the Maximum Length of the field. The length cannot be set to 0 or users will not be able to enter any text into the field.
1. In the Options section of the window, select Show School Year to add the School Year column to the logging field.
2. Select Show Created By to add the Created By column to the logging field, displaying the user who created the log record.
3. Select Show Created At to add the Created At column to the logging field, displaying the date and time the log record was created.
4. Select Showed Updated By to add the Updated By column to the logging field, displaying the user who last updated the log record.
5. Select Show Updated At to add the Updated At column to the logging field, display the date and time the log record was last updated.
When the Show School Year option is enabled, the Profiles (View School Year) and Profiles (Edit School Year) pull-downs are displayed, where the appropriate profiles should be selected to view and edit this column. When the Show Created By, Show Created At, Show Updated By, or Show Updated At option is enabled, additional pull-downs display to set the appropriate profiles to view the column.
6. In the Columns section of the window, replace the New Column text with the column name.
7. In the column that will be the primary sort, select Ascending or Descending in the Primary Sort pull-down.
8. In the column that will be the secondary sort, select Ascending or Descending in the Secondary Sort pull-down.
Log entries can be sorted in ascending or descending order using one column as the primary sort (entries will be sorted by this column first) and one column as the secondary sort (entries will be sorted by this column second). Only one column can be set as the Primary Sort and only one column can be set as the Secondary Sort.
9. Select the Fixed Left check box to freeze the field in place when the user scrolls over to the right.
10. Set the Min Width (px) and/or Max Width (px) for the column in pixels, if desired.
For best results, if you want to display longer text in a specific column, adjust only that column while keeping others at default or setting them to 0. The system prevents extreme values from disrupting visibility across all columns. If an entered value would cause content to be cut off, the system will automatically adjust to the required minimum size. The maximum number of pixels that may be entered as the Min Width or Max Width is 500.
11. Select the field Type: checkbox, computed, date, email address, long text, number, phone number, select multiple, select one, text, or time.
12. Click the Edit Field icon to set up or edit the field options, including profiles who can create, view, and edit the specific column.
The "Profiles (Default Create Column)," "Profiles (Default View Column)," and "Profiles (Default Edit Column)" permissions set on the Edit Field screen for the logging field flow down to the "Profiles (Create Access)," "Profiles (View Access)," and "Profiles (Edit Access)" fields for each individual column of the logging field. The settings can be updated as needed for each column.
13. To delete a column, click the red X.
14. To add a column, click the green +.
15. To rearrange the order of the columns, click the left and right arrows.
Hover the mouse over the column name to view the log_field ID.
1. Select Rich Text in the Options to support HTML in the computed field's generated output.
2. Enter the query for the computed field in the provided area.
The highlighted area provides instructions and an example query.
3. Either define the Search Options or enter a Filtering Options Query.
By supplying the select options or defining a filtering options query, users will be able to search on the computed field the same way other fields are searched on.
Search Options:
a. In the blank row, enter a Code and Label (what will display for the user) for the first option.
b. Enter a Sort Order for the option. This will display the options in the defined order.
c. If desired, enter the Min School Year and Max School Year, which are used to make these options only active within the range of school years.
d. Press Enter to add the option.
The added row turns yellow. A new, blank row will display where you can add the next option.
e. Select the Inactive check box next to an option to inactivate it. Inactive options will not display for selection when the user opens the pull-down.
f. To delete an option, click the red minus sign to the left of the option and in the confirmation message, click OK.
Filtering Options Query:
Enter a query that defines the options in the pull-down.
The highlighted area provides instructions and an example query.
1. Select Rich Text in the Options to support HTML in the computed table's generated output.
2. Enter a query for the computed table.
1. In the SSS menu, click Custom Screen Setup.
2. Click the Fields tab.
3. Locate the field in the list and click Edit Field.
4. Make the desired changes and click Save.
1. In the SSS menu, click Custom Screen Setup.
2. Click the Fields tab.
3. Locate the field in the list and click the red minus sign to the left of the field.
4. In the confirmation message, click OK.
The field is grayed out.
5. Click Save to complete deletion.
Once a custom screen has been built, it is possible to “share” the fields to other custom screens. It is also possible build a new screen where all or most of the fields will be used as a second page by sharing the fields, including Placeholder fields (e.g. fields on the 504 Student Accommodation Plan custom screen can be “shared” to create the Additional 504 General Accommodations Plan custom screen).
The alias for the shared fields will be the same. If Linked Fields will be used for any shared fields, but users need to be able to make different selections, then sharing fields IS NOT AN OPTION; all fields will need to be created separately for the new screen.
1. In the Categories tab, create the new custom screen. See Adding a Category for step-by-step guidance.
2. In the Categories tab next to the existing custom screen from which you will share fields, click Edit Fields.
3. Locate the first field that needs to be shared and click Edit Field.
4. Select the “new” custom screen from the Select Categories pull-down.
5. Select the Sort Order for the field on the new custom screen.
6. Click Save.
7. Repeat this process for additional fields that need to be shared.
When viewing a shared field, you will see the custom screens listed in the Category column.
At times, it may be necessary to temporarily disable the cache so that updates to custom screen fields can be viewed immediately.
- Right click anywhere on the screen in Focus.
- Click Inspect.
- Click the Network tab and select Disable cache.