The Fields screen is used to set up the custom fields that are utilized throughout Focus, including Student Info, User Info, School Info, District Info, discipline referrals, and discipline incidents. Additionally, fields for Courses & Sections / Master Schedule Report, Student Schedule, Course Catalog, Student Info > Enrollment, Final Grades, GPA, & Class Rank / Post Final Grades, and SSS are now configurable on the Fields screen.
Upon updating to 12.0.128, the Student Fields, User Fields, School Fields, District Fields, Referral Fields, and Incident Fields screens are removed, as all field setup is now completed in the Fields screen. All permissions and sub-permissions are migrated to the Fields screen.
A migration will also bring existing state reporting fields and any locally defined fields from menu_include.php into the Fields screen. This migration does not modify or move data in the underlying tables. Instead, it registers each applicable field (along with its type and configuration) into the custom_fields model, allowing those fields to be managed directly through the user interface going forward.
For newly supported source classes, the primary technical change from legacy behavior is that Select One and Select Multiple custom fields store the field's configured code value rather than the select option ID in the corresponding table column. This supports state reporting and advanced configuration scenarios while preserving backward compatibility.
When the system preferences "Use Individual Schedule Field Permissions," "Use Individual Course Field Permissions," "Use Individual Section Field Permissions," and "Use Individual Final Grades Field Permissions" are enabled, profile permissions for these field types can be configured on the Fields screen.
Ensure the profiles who need access to the Fields screen have the appropriate profile permissions enabled in Users > Profiles > Setup.
The newly supported source field types are treated as State fields within the interface. On applicable screens, these fields appear under options such as “Display {State Name} Fields” or “{State Name} Fields.” For districts without State Reporting installed, these same options are typically labeled as "Gradelevel."
| Source | User Interface | Database Table Name | CUSTOM_FIELDS.SOURCE_CLASS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Catalog Fields | Course Catalog | master_courses | CourseCatalog |
| Course Fields | Courses & Sections, Master Schedule Report | courses | Course |
| Report Card Grade Fields | Student Final Grades, Post Final Grades | student_report_card_grades | StudentReportCardGrades |
| Schedule Fields | Student Schedule | schedule | Schedule |
| Section Fields | Courses & Sections, Master Schedule Report | course_periods | CoursePeriod |
| Student Enrollment Fields | Student Info > Enrollment | student_enrollment | StudentEnrollment |
| Subject Fields | Courses & Sections | course_subjects | CourseSubject |
The Source Class determines the type of fields you are configuring, such as Student Fields, User Fields, Referral Fields, etc.
1. In the Setup menu, click Fields.
2. Select the Source Class in the pull-down.
The screen is refreshed and displays the Categories tab for the selected source class.
3. To change the source class you are viewing, select the desired option in the pull-down.
Categories are used to house its assigned fields. In Student Info, User Info, School Info, and District Info, each of the categories display as a separate tab on the screen. Clicking that tab displays the fields assigned to the category.
For Referral Fields, the Referral category houses the fields included on the referral form. Additional categories can be added if different schools will have different versions of the referral form.
For Discipline Incident fields, the Incident category houses the fields included on the discipline incident form. Additional categories can be added if different schools will have different versions of the discipline incident form.
For SSS fields, the category is a custom screen used in an SSS event. 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.
For Course Catalog Fields, Subject Fields, Course Fields, Section Fields, Schedule Fields, Report Card Grade Fields, and Student Enrollment Fields, there is only one default category. Categories cannot be added, edited, or deleted for these source classes.
1. After selecting the source class, the Categories tab is displayed. To add a new category, enter the information in the blank row.
- Title - Enter the title for the category.
- Schools - Select the schools that will have access to the category. One or multiple can be selected. If blank, all schools will have access.
- Profiles (only for User Fields) - Select the Profiles that this category will be added for in User Info. One or multiple profiles can be selected. For example, if the profile "Teacher" is selected, then this category will ONLY show in User Info when viewing users with the "Teacher" profile.
- Default View Profiles, 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. Please see Adding a Field for more information. If an existing field is moved to a category with the Default View Profiles and Default Edit Profiles set, the view and edit permissions for the field will not be automatically updated.
If the category already has fields assigned, selecting Default View Profiles and Default Edit Profiles on the category will only affect new fields assigned to the category after the profiles are set, not fields that have previously been assigned to the category.
- Form (for Student Fields and User Fields) - If the category will be used as a form in Focus, select the Form check box. When a category is designated as a form, this allows users to store multiple, unique instances of information in that tab. For example, you may have an IHP (Individualized Health Plans) category in Student Fields designated as a form. Within this tab in the student's record, users can create and store multiple IHP records for the student.
Once a category is designated as a form, it should not be deselected. Data entered in a form record is stored in the student form records table, not students.
- Sort Order - Use the minus and plus icons to select the sort order.
- For Student Fields and User Fields, the sort order determines the order the categories will appear in More Search Options when searching for a student/user.
- For School Fields and District Fields, the sort order determines the order the categories will appear when selecting school fields or district fields to include on letterhead, letters/emails, and reports.
The list of categories always displays in alphabetical order when viewing a record in Student Info, User Info, School Info, and District Info.
2. To add an icon or a custom short name that will display in the category list in Student Info, User Info, School Info, or District Info, click Add Icon next to the category.
a. In the pop-up window, select the color to use.
b. To display a custom short name instead of an icon, select the Short Name radio button. Enter a custom short name, or leave the text box blank to use a system generated short name. Focus will use the first character of each word in the category title as a short name.
c. To display an icon, select the Icons radio button, and click the icon to use.
d. Click Save.
The selected icon or short name will display in the Icon column next to the category.
If you do not select an icon or enter a custom short name, Focus will by default use the first character of each word in the category title as a short name.
Example of short name in School Info:
Example of icon in School Info:
3. Click Save to add the new category.
For Course Catalog Fields, Subject Fields, Course Fields, Section Fields, Schedule Fields, Report Card Grade Fields, and Student Enrollment Fields, there is only one default category. Categories cannot be added, edited, or deleted for these source classes.
1. After selecting the source class, the Categories tab is displayed. Locate the category in the list and make the desired changes.
Once a category is designated as a Form, the Form check box should not be deselected. Data entered in a form record is stored in the student form records table or user form records table.
2. Click Save.
The Legacy ID column may be populated with a value if the category existed prior to version 8.
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. After selecting the source class, the Categories tab is displayed. Locate the category in the list and click delete (red minus sign) to the left of the Title.
2. In the confirmation message, click OK.
3. Click Save.
The category is deleted.
1. After selecting the source class, the Categories tab is displayed. 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. The Legacy ID column may display a value if the field existed prior to version 8. The Alias is grayed out and uneditable for System fields (fields provided by Focus). The Alias can be edited for Local fields (fields created by the district).
2. To view the full list of fields, click the View all fields link at the top of the screen.
1. After selecting the source class, click the Fields tab.
2. In the blank row at the top of the screen, enter the information for the new field.
- Title - Enter a Title for the field
- Type - Select the field type.
An asterisk next to the field type indicates that the field type is only available for Info-UI source class types (District Fields, School Fields, Student Fields, User Fields, Referral Fields, Incident Fields, and SSS Fields).
Computed fields are currently not available for Course Fields, Section Fields, and Student Enrollment fields.
| Field Type | Description | Database Type |
|---|---|---|
| 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, and special characters. | TEXT |
| Long Text | While text fields work well for short entries, long text is best suited to note-like entries, such as discipline notes, teacher comments, and nurses' remarks on student visits. | TEXT |
| Checkbox | Use check boxes to record information where a single option is going to be selected, as in identifying a student's home state, the reasons for a visit to the school nurse, or whether a student has a doctor's note. This data type stores a "Y" or null and cannot be changed to a different data type once created. | CHAR [1] |
| 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. | NUMERIC |
| Date | Date fields might be used for enrollment dates, dates of birth, and home language survey dates. Users can type in the date or select the date from the calendar. The date format stored is yyyy-mm-dd. | TIMESTAMP WITHOUT TIMEZONE |
| Time | Time fields allow users to enter a time, such as the time the student enters and leaves the health clinic. Users can only enter time in the hh:mm format. | VARCHAR [255] |
| 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. | BIGINT |
| 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. | TEXT |
| 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. | |
| File Upload* | The File field type allows users to upload a file into Focus, such as an immunization record or 504 referral form. Focus integrates with most commonly used formats, including Word, Excel, and PDF documents, as well as .rtf and .csv file formats. Once uploaded into Focus, users can click the file to download and view it. | |
| 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. | TEXT |
| Placeholder* | Placeholder fields are used to separate sections on a page. A placeholder can function as a heading, can include a URL, or can include formatted text. | |
| 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. | TEXT |
| 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. | TEXT |
- JSON - This option is only available for certain field types and source classes. Select this option to store custom field data as structured JSON instead of creating individual database columns. This option is especially valuable for districts approaching column limits due to extensive use of local fields.
3. Click Save.
On Local fields, the Alias can be changed for ease of identification and use when querying the field. Changing the alias does not rename the physical column.
You can substitute a local field in Focus Third‑Party Systems (API) by prefixing the alias with api_. Example: To use a local field instead of the system Local ID, set the alias to api_local_id.
4. Click Edit Field next to the new field.
The Edit Field pop-up window is displayed. The setup for the field depends on the source class and field type. See the sections below for more information.
5. After setting the field options, click Save at the bottom of the window.
If you already know the category 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. In the Select Categories pull-down, select Course Catalog.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category.
3. Select Required if a value in this field is required.
The Required option is not available for computed fields.
1. In the Select Categories pull-down, select Course.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category.
3. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Courses. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new course.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the course has a value already selected in the record.
5. Select Required if a value in this field is required.
The Required option is not available for computed fields.
6. 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.
7. 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.
When the system preference "Use Individual Course Field Permissions" is enabled in Setup > System Preferences > Default School Preferences > Scheduling tab, the "Profiles (View Access)" and "Profiles (Edit Access)" pull-downs are available on the field. If this preference is not enabled, these pull-downs are not available.
1. Use the Select Categories pull-down to select the categories this field will appear in. One or multiple categories can be selected.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category. If multiple categories were selected in the Select Categories field, a Sort Order pull-down will display for each category.
3. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Discipline Incidents. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new discipline incident.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the incident has a value already selected in the record.
5. In the Options section on the right side of the screen, select New Discipline Incident to display this field on the Add a Discipline Incident screen.
When New Discipline Incident is selected, the New Discipline Incident Sort Order pull-down is displayed. Select where to place the field in the list of existing fields on the Add a Discipline Incident screen.
For more information about how sort order works for custom fields, see Sort Order for Fields.
6. Select Required if this field will be required on the incident form.
The Required option is not available for computed fields, computed tables, file upload, and placeholder fields.
7. Select Restricted to hide this field in inactive student records.
8. 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.
9. Enter a Help URL if desired.
This will display a link icon next to the field title in the incident form. Clicking the link icon will open the URL in a new tab.
10. Enter a Description if desired.
When the user hovers the mouse over the question mark icon on the field in on the incident form, the description will display.
11. Enter any Notes, if desired.
12. 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.
13. 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. Permissions for user fields can also be customized in Users > Profiles.
The Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only viewing records the user has created. For example, if the Teacher profile is selected from the Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down for this logging field, teachers will only have view access to log records created by themselves. Teachers will not be able to view log records by any other users.
Similarly, the Profiles (Restricted Edit) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only edit log records the user created.
1. Use the Select Categories pull-down to select the categories this field will appear on. One or multiple categories can be selected.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category. If multiple categories were selected in the Select Categories field, a Sort Order pull-down will display for each category.
For more information about how sort order works for custom fields, see Sort Order for Fields.
3. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Districts. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new district.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the district has a value already selected in the record.
5. Select Required to make the field required.
If the field is required, it must have a default value.
The Required option is not available for computed fields, computed tables, file upload, and placeholder fields.
6. 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.
7. Enter a Help URL if desired.
This will display a link icon next to the field title in the district's record. Clicking the link icon will open the URL in a new tab.
8. Enter a Description if desired.
When the user hovers the mouse over the question mark icon on the field in District Info, the description will display.
9. Enter any Notes, if desired.
10. 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.
11. 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. Permissions for user fields can also be customized in Users > Profiles.
The Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only viewing records the user has created. For example, if the Teacher profile is selected from the Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down for this logging field, teachers will only have view access to log records created by themselves. Teachers will not be able to view log records by any other users.
Similarly, the Profiles (Restricted Edit) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only edit log records the user created.
1. Use the Select Categories pull-down to select the categories this field will appear in. One or multiple categories can be selected.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category. If multiple categories were selected in the Select Categories field, a Sort Order pull-down will display for each category.
3. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Referrals. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new referral.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the referral has a value already selected in the record.
5. In the Options section on the right side of the screen, select New Referral to display this field on the Add Referral screen for administrators.
When New Referral is selected, the New Referral Sort Order pull-down is displayed. Select where to place the field in the list of existing fields on the Add Referral screen.
For more information about how sort order works for custom fields, see Sort Order for Fields.
6. Select New Referral - Teacher to display this field on the Add Referral screen for teachers.
Selecting New Referral - Teacher will automatically select the New Referral option, if not already selected.
7. Select Required if this field will be required on the referral form.
The Required option is not available for computed fields, computed tables, file upload, and placeholder fields.
8. Select Restricted to hide this field in inactive student records.
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.
9. 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.
10. Enter a Help URL if desired.
This will display a link icon next to the field title in the referral. Clicking the link icon will open the URL in a new tab.
11. Enter a Description if desired.
When the user hovers the mouse over the question mark icon on the field in on the referral, the description will display.
12. Enter any Notes, if desired.
13. 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.
14. 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. Permissions for user fields can also be customized in Users > Profiles.
The Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only viewing records the user has created. For example, if the Teacher profile is selected from the Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down for this logging field, teachers will only have view access to log records created by themselves. Teachers will not be able to view log records by any other users.
Similarly, the Profiles (Restricted Edit) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only edit log records the user created.
1. In the Select Categories pull-down, select Report Card Grade.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category.
3. Select Required if entering a value for this field is required.
The Required option is not available for computed fields.
4. 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.
5. 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.
When the system preference "Use Individual Final Grades Field Permissions" is enabled in Setup > System Preferences > Default School Preferences > Grading tab, the "Profiles (View Access)" and "Profiles (Edit Access)" pull-downs are available on the field. If this preference is not enabled, these pull-downs are not available.
6. Select Show on Post Final Grades to include this field on the Post Final Grades screen for teachers, in addition to the Final Grades, GPA, & Class Rank screen for administrators.
7. Select Terms to restrict the availability of this field to specific marking periods.
8. Select School Levels to restrict the availability of this field to specific school levels. For example, when H-High is selected, this field will be available for high schools to use.
9. Select Available Courses to restrict the availability of this field to specific courses on Post Final Grades and Final Grades, GPA, & Class Rank. The courses available for selection are pulled from the Course Catalog.
1. In the Select Categories pull-down, select Schedule.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category.
3. Select Required if a value in this field is required.
The Required option is not available for computed fields.
4. 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.
5. 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.
When the system preference "Use Individual Schedule Field Permissions" is enabled in Setup > System Preferences > Default School Preferences > Scheduling tab, the "Profiles (View Access)" and "Profiles (Edit Access)" pull-downs are available on the field. If this preference is not enabled, these pull-downs are not available.
1. Use the Select Categories pull-down to select the categories this field will appear on. One or multiple categories can be selected.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category. If multiple categories were selected in the Select Categories field, a Sort Order pull-down will display for each category.
3. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Schools. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new school.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the school has a value already selected in the record.
5. In the Options section on the right side of the screen, select New School to display this field on the Add a School screen.
When New School is selected, New School is automatically selected in the Select Categories pull-down, and the New School Sort Order pull-down is displayed. Select where to place the field in the list of existing fields on the Add a School screen.
For more information about how sort order works for custom fields, see Sort Order for Fields
6. Select Required to make the field required.
If the field is required, it must have either a default value, display when adding a new school, or both.
The Required option is not available for computed fields, computed tables, file upload, and placeholder fields.
7. 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.
8. Enter a Help URL if desired.
This will display a link icon next to the field title in the student's record. Clicking the link icon will open the URL in a new tab.
9. Enter a Description if desired.
When the user hovers the mouse over the question mark icon on the field in the School Info, the description will display.
10. Enter any Notes, if desired.
11. 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.
12. 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. Permissions for user fields can also be customized in Users > Profiles.
The Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only viewing records the user has created. For example, if the Teacher profile is selected from the Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down for this logging field, teachers will only have view access to log records created by themselves. Teachers will not be able to view log records by any other users.
Similarly, the Profiles (Restricted Edit) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only edit log records the user created.
1. In the Select Categories pull-down, select Section.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category.
3. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Sections. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new section.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the section has a value already selected in the record.
5. Select Required if a value in this field is required.
The Required option is not available for computed fields.
6. 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.
7. 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.
When the system preference "Use Individual Section Field Permissions" is enabled in Setup > System Preferences > Default School Preferences > Scheduling tab, the "Profiles (View Access)" and "Profiles (Edit Access)" pull-downs are available on the field. If this preference is not enabled, these pull-downs are not available.
See Custom Screen Setup for more information on setting up SSS fields for custom screens.
1. In the Select Categories pull-down, select the categories (custom screens) this field will appear on. One or multiple categories can be selected.
2. In the 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 or at the end of the category.
3. Select Required if a value in this field is required.
The Required option is not available for computed fields, computed tables, file upload, and placeholder fields.
4. Select Restricted to hide this field on inactive students.
Only users who have the profile permission "View Inactive Student Restricted Information" enabled in Users > Profiles can view this field on an inactive student.
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 screen. 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, the description will display.
8. Enter any Notes, if desired.
9. 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.
10. 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.
1. In the Select Categories pull-down, select Student Enrollment.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category.
3. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Student Enrollments. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new enrollment record.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the enrollment has a value already selected in the record.
5. Select Required if a value in this field is required.
The Required option is not available for computed fields.
6. 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.
7. 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.
1. If this field will be included in a category that has been designated as a form, select Form Categories.
The form categories are now available for selection in the Select Categories pull-down.
2. Use the Select Categories pull-down to select the categories this field will appear on. One or multiple categories can be selected.
When Form Categories is selected, you will only be able to select one form category.
3. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category. If multiple categories were selected in the Select Categories field, a Sort Order pull-down will display for each category.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Students. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new student.
5. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the student has a value already selected in their record.
6. In the Options section on the right side of the screen, select New Student to include this field on the Add a Student screen.
When New Student is selected, the New Student Sort Order pull-down is displayed. Select where to place the field in the list of existing fields on the Add a Student screen. To reference which fields are included on the Add a Student screen and to check their sort order, enter the following query in runquery:
select * from custom_fields where new_record is not null and source_class = 'SISStudent'
The number in the New_Record column indicates the field sort order. Click on the column header to sort the fields by sort order.
If the system preference "Hide fields from Add a Student from users that don't have edit permission" is enabled in Setup > System Preferences > Enrollment tab, then any fields the user does not have permission to edit will be hidden on the Add a Student screen.
For more information about how sort order works for custom fields, see Sort Order for Fields.
7. Select Required to make the field required.
If the field is required, it must have either a default value, display when adding a new student, or both. The field will only be required for profiles with edit permissions to the field.
This option is not available for computed fields, computed tables, file upload, and placeholder fields.
8. Select Visible on Add a Student Search to have this field display in the search results when searching for a student on the Add a Student screen. Custom fields with "Visible on Add a Student Search" selected display after system fields.
The "Visible on Add a Student Search" option is not available for logging fields, computed fields, computed tables, file upload fields, and placeholder fields.
When this option is enabled for text fields, the field will be included at the top of the Add a Student screen in the entry section, as well as at the bottom in the exact and partial match search results. When this option is enabled for other field types, the field will only display in the exact and partial match search results at the bottom of the Add a Student screen.
The "New Student" option does not need to be selected in order to enable "Visible on Add a Student Search."
9. Select Visible on Discipline Referral to have this field be visible through the student documentation link on student discipline referrals.
This option is not available for file upload fields.
10. Select Visible on Student Grades to have this field be visible on the Detailed Report in Grades > Final Grades, GPA, & Class Rank, Test History, and on the Graduation Requirements Report in the header of the individual student view and as a column when viewing the report for multiple students.
This option is not available for logging fields.
When "Visible on Student Grades" is enabled, define the Cohort Min Year and Cohort Max Year if you would like to restrict the display of the field based on the student's "Year Entered Ninth Grade."
11. Select Visible on Student Summary to display the field on the Student Summary screen in the Demographics section.
12. Select Restricted to hide this field in inactive student records.
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.
13. 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.
14. Enter a Help URL if desired.
This will display a link icon next to the field title in the student's record. Clicking the link icon will open the URL in a new tab.
15. Enter a Description if desired.
When the user hovers the mouse over the question mark icon on the field in the student's record, the description will display.
16. Enter any Notes, if desired.
17. 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.
18. 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. Permissions for student fields can also be customized in Users > Profiles.
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. For example, if the Teacher profile is selected from the Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down for the Letter Log field, teachers will only have view access to Letter Log records created by themselves. Teachers will not be able to view Letter Logs records by any other users.
Similarly, the Profiles (Restricted Edit) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only edit log records the user created.
1. In the Select Categories pull-down, select Subject.
2. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category.
3. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Subjects. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new subject.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the subject has a value already selected in the record.
5. Select Required if a value in this field is required.
The Required option is not available for computed fields.
1. If this field will be included in a category that has been designated as a form, select Form Categories.
The form categories are now available for selection in the Select Categories pull-down.
2. Use the Select Categories pull-down to select the categories this field will appear on. One or multiple categories can be selected.
When Form Categories is selected, you will only be able to select one form category.
3. In the Sort Order pull-down, select where the new field should appear within the category. You can select to place it before an existing field or at the end of the category. If multiple categories were selected in the Select Categories field, a Sort Order pull-down will display for each category.
4. If applicable, enter or select the default for the Value for New Users. When defined, the value will default into the field when adding a new user.
5. If applicable, enter or select the default for the State Reporting Fallback Value. When defined, the value will be included in extracts for state reporting unless the user has a value already selected in their record.
6. In the Options section on the right side of the screen, select New User to display this field on the Add a User screen.
When New User is selected, the New User Sort Order pull-down is displayed. Select where to place the field in the list of existing fields on the Add a User screen.
For more information about how sort order works for custom fields, see Sort Order for Fields.
7. Select Required to make the field required.
If the field is required, it must have either a default value, display when adding a new user, or both. The field will only be required for profiles with edit permissions to the field.
The Required option is not available for computed fields, computed tables, file upload, and placeholder fields.
8. Select Visible on Add a User Search to have this field display in the search results when searching for a user on the Add a User screen. Custom fields with "Visible on Add a User Search" selected display after system fields.
The "Visible on Add a User Search" option is not available for logging fields, computed fields, computed tables, file upload fields, and placeholder fields.
When this option is enabled for text fields, the field will be included at the top of the Add a User screen in the entry section, as well as at the bottom in the exact and partial match search results. When this option is enabled for other field types, the field will only display in the exact and partial match search results at the bottom of the Add a User screen.
The "New User" option does not need to be selected in order to enable "Visible on Add a User Search."
9. Select Restricted to hide this field in inactive user records.
10. 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.
11. Enter a Help URL if desired.
This will display a link icon next to the field title in the user's record. Clicking the link icon will open the URL in a new tab.
12. Enter a Description if desired.
When the user hovers the mouse over the question mark icon on the field in the user's record, the description will display.
13. Enter any Notes, if desired.
14. 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.
15. 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. Permissions for user fields can also be customized in Users > Profiles.
The Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only viewing records the user has created. For example, if the Teacher profile is selected from the Profiles (Restricted View) pull-down for this logging field, teachers will only have view access to log records created by themselves. Teachers will not be able to view log records by any other users.
Similarly, the Profiles (Restricted Edit) pull-down allows you to restrict profiles to only edit log records the user created.
Certain field types have additional setup. Some field types are only available for specific source classes.
1. In the Options, select Exempt from Translation to prevent the field from being translated in multilingual environments, such as the Parent, Student, or Teacher Portal, and in translated communications.
2. (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.
(Select Multiple fields only) In the Options, select Display as Checkboxes to display the options as a group of checkboxes rather than as a select box.
3. In the Select Options section of the window, define the select options manually, import the select options, or enter a Select Options Query.
Manually Enter 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.
Select Options Query:
Enter a query that defines the options in the pull-down.
The highlighted area provides instructions and an example query.
In order to search on the select options defined by the query, they must also be added in the Select Options section of the screen.
For file upload fields, you can optionally provide the URL to a blank form for users to access. When the user completes the form, they can upload the form into the file upload field.
For districts using the Document Management add-on module, select the Academic Record Category to include these files in the Uploaded Files screen for students/users.
The Academic Record Category options (Category A and Category B) are defined by the Florida Department of Education ruling 1b-24.003 Ref-10357 GS7 on records retention.
All file types can be uploaded to File Upload fields, and are viewable in Uploaded Files. However, only jpg, png, gif, pdf, and txt file types are supported by Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and can be searched and redacted in Uploaded Files.
When Category B is selected for the Academic Record Category, the Retention Years field becomes available on the Edit Field screen. Enter the number of years the files should be retained. The scheduled job "Purge Old Files" will delete files after the number of retention years have passed.
To prevent a student's files from being purged by the "Purge Old Files" scheduled job, the system field "Document Hold" can be used. The "Document Hold" field can be added to a student category, and given the appropriate view and edit profile permissions. When the "Document Hold" check box is selected for a student, the student's files will not be purged when the job runs.
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 include a URL if desired. When the user clicks the placeholder title, the URL will open.
Districts that want to download and view student documents from IEP Writer in Focus, and have entered the IEP Security Token and IEP SMS Token in Setup > System Preferences > District Preferences, will set up student placeholder fields in order to view the student documents in Student Info. For the URL, the district will enter:
BASE URL/utilities/download_iep.php?document={document code}&student_id={student_id}
Replace {document code} with the appropriate document code:
IEP - Individualized Education Plan
ER - Evaluation Report
RR - Reevaluation Report
GIEP - Gifted Individualized Education Plan
GWRI - Gifted Written Report (Initial)
GWRR - Gifted Written Report (Reevaluation)
IEP504 - 504 Service Plan
S504ER - 504 Evaluation Report
PBSP - Positive Behavior Support Plan
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.
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.
The "Show School Year" option is automatically enabled on the Industry Certifications logging field.
When entering a new logging field record, the default year selected will be based on the year selected in the header. This pertains to the built-in system year option available to end-users during the logging field configuration.
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, file upload, long text, 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. In addition to the listed substitutions that can be used in the query (highlighted in blue), {referral_id} can also be used in the query. When printing a letter from the Referrals screen, the current referral ID is referenced.
3. Either manually enter the Search Options, import 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. If these options are not set up, then users will not be able to use More Search Options on the computed field as they can with other select field types.
Manually Enter 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.
Import the Search 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 pop-up window, the File includes a header row check box is automatically selected. Deselect the check box if the file does not include a header row.
c. If not already mapped, 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.
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.
The highlighted area provides instructions and an example query. In addition to the listed substitutions that can be used in the query (highlighted in blue), {referral_id} can also be used in the query. When printing a letter from the Referrals screen, the current referral ID is referenced.
1. After selecting the source class, click the Fields tab.
2. Locate the field in the list and click Edit Field.
3. Make the desired changes and click Save.
Only Local fields (fields created by the district) can be deleted. System fields cannot be deleted.
If you attempt to delete a field that is referenced in the options query for another field, a message will display indicating the field cannot be deleted.
1. After selecting the source class, click the Fields tab.
2. Locate the field in the list and click delete (red minus sign).
3. In the confirmation message, click OK.
4. Click Save.
The field is deleted.
