Entity Field Types

Choose the right field types to collect the most accurate data on your records

Consultation Manager allows you to customise your records with a broad range of field types. These can be set up during your onboarding, with fields added or updated later as your needs may change. If you are not sure of the best field type to use, speak with your Implementation Manager or Customer Success Manager for advice.

 

Mandatory Fields

Any field can be made mandatory. The field will be shown with the text 'Field is Required' in red. While this field is incomplete, a record cannot be saved. If you want to make a field such as 'Stakeholder Email' mandatory, it is suggested to have an agreed workflow in the situation that a user does not have this information (e.g. always write Unknown or Not Given'. This will improve searching and reporting accuracy.

 

Field Type Example Fields Description

Text

Short text data

First Name, Last Name, Organisation, Property Number, Property Reference, Event Location, Email, Phone Number
  • Up to 1,024 characters
  • Standard text only, no formatting options
  • Can be used for alphanumeric fields such as Property/Lot number (e.g. 123-A, 123-B)
  • In addition to Generic Text, can be set to Email or Phone Number, which can link to the system's Communications features.

LongText

Long text data

Stakeholder: Notes,

Event: Summary,

Stakeholder Comments, Team Response

  • Up to 2,147,483,647 characters
  • Can include Rich Text (BoldItalicsUnderline, Headings, Fonts etc.)
  • Best for capturing large amounts of text, where formatting can improve readability (e.g. email trails, articles, highlighting important text).

Number

Numeric character

Value, Population
  • Numeric characters only
    • Cannot include currency symbols, spaces, decimals, negative numbers, or values beginning with '0'.
    • E.g. a phone number could be entered as 61411222333, but not 0411 222 333.
      • For phone numbers, it is suggested to use a standard Text field
  • Best used when you want to restrict user's ability to enter non-numeric values. 

Boolean

Checkbox

Aboriginal/Torres Straight Islander, Crown Land, Sensitive Record
  • A checkbox that identifies if a field is 'True' or 'False'.
  • A similar outcome can be achieved by using a Single-select Classification Tag (e.g. a dropdown with options Yes/No)

DateTime

Date and Time

Start Date, End Date, Deadline
  • Can be set to auto-populate with current date/time
  • Can be amended for any past date/time.
  • Useful for including records in time-based searches and reporting (e.g. show all Events that occurred last month/quarter/year). 

Classification

Single-select tag

Event Type, Event Sentiment
  • Used when only one option should be selected from a dropdown list.
  • E.G. Sentiment will be Negative or Neutral or Positive. It cannot be more than one.
  • See more info on Classifications

Classification Group

Multi-select tag

Stakeholder Groups, Distribution Lists, Issues
  • Used when one or multiple options could be selected from a dropdown list.
  • E.G. A stakeholder may be a local business owner and a landowner and a councillor.
  • See more info on Classifications

Attachment

File

Land Access Agreement (Property), Environmental Study Report (Event)
  • Use this field when you want to attach a document directly to a record.
  • Note: You cannot create relationships to documents saved in these fields.
  • If you want to relate several records to a single document, it is advised to create a new Document record.

Aggregate

Address data

Address
  • Will create a separate text box for each of:
    • Address
    • Suburb
    • State
    • Postcode
    • Country
  • Each field can be searched individually.
  • Each field can be made mandatory (e.g. you could make 'State' mandatory, while 'Address' and 'Suburb' are not mandatory)
  • Can be set to auto-geocode, converting address into geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude), to be used in Maps function.

Coordinate

Longitude and Latitude

Location
  • Can be used when the location does not have a defined address
  • E.G. Properties with one address but multiple Lots over a large area.

TimeZone

Time Zone

Local Time Zone
  • Can be used to identify a stakeholder or organisation based in a different time zone to the client. 
  • E.G. Record a stakeholders local time zone in Western Australia, up to 3 hours behind New South Wales. Avoid contacting stakeholder at inappropriate times.