Resources

The following datatypes are available for custom fields:

Varbinary

This datatype allows for two way encryption. The value is edited in the Platform as a text value, but stored as a hashed binary value.

dp_Email

This custom datatype validates the input as an email address.

dp_Counter

This custom datatype stores a number that is changed in increments (that is, editing the field with a value of 5 adds 5 to the existing field value). A Counter field is often used to manage inventory counts. Mass assigning a Counter field will increment the value of the field by the value assigned (not overwrite). Changes to Counter fields are logged in the Audit Log.

dp_TimeZone

This custom datatype allows users to select from a list of standard time zones.

dp_Locale

This custom datatype allows users to select from a list of standard locales.

dp_Separator

This custom datatype displays a separator in the Platform. Used to organize other fields.

dp_TableName

This custom datatype allows users to select from a list of tables (and database views) in the DBO schema.

The following datatypes are unsupported and, if added to the database, will not appear in the user interface:

• Geometry
• Geography
• Hierarchyid
• Datetimeoffset
• Timestamp
• Variant
• XML

Reorder or Resize Fields

When you add custom fields, you can add them most easily to the very end of the table. If you place them in the middle or reorder other fields, SSMS may display the following warning: Saving changes is not permitted. The change you have made requires the following table to be dropped and re-created. You have either made changes to a table that can't be recreated or enabled the option prevent saving changes that require the table to be re-created.

The reason for this error is that the changes require dropping and recreating the table and relationships to other tables. SSMS can do this all automatically, but the default settings prevent this operation. To enable this, deselect the following box in Tools > Options. To prevent these sweeping changes in other cases, you may want to re-select the box when you are done.

Read-Only Fields

You can create read-only fields by adding an underscore (_) to the beginning of the field name. Any read-only field by definition must allow blanks or have a default value defined. You can create hidden fields using two underscores before the field name (__). These fields are available to processes and advanced views.

Field Help (tooltips)

Field Help is based on the description which you can set in the column's extended properties.