About Property Types
This section describes the various types of properties, attributes, and constraints.
Types of Properties
You can create the following types of properties:
| Property Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Text | A free format string or an enumerated value. |
| Number | Any number, or a number restricted by a range. Decimal values can have a precision of six digits. |
| Date | The date in MM/DD/YYYY format. |
| User | A list of users in the corresponding teams. |
| URL | A valid URL. |
| A valid email address or an empty string. | |
| Notes | A free format string. |
| Team | A team selection property. |
| Related Object Property | A read-only property of a related object. A related object property displays the value of a related object property. This property can be created for objects having a One-to-One, One-to-Many, or Many-to-One relationship. |
Property Attributes
A property attribute is a unique characteristic of the object for which it is created. For example, the Social Security Number field of the Contact object can have a specific date as its unique attribute.
Properties can have one or more of the following attributes specified for them:
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Has a default value | This attribute enables you to specify default values only for Date and URL type of properties. The Date type of property must always be in the mm/dd/yyyy format. You must specify a valid default date in this format. The URL type of property does not have a default format. You can specify an appropriate URL. This value is displayed in Desktop Client. |
| Invisible Property |
This is a property that is not displayed in Desktop Client. Invisible properties can also be created as protected properties. These properties are hidden from users, but are visible in the Advanced Search dialog box, and also displayed in the Rules wizard during rules creation. When a rule based on an invisible property is triggered, the property name and value are displayed in the event that is recorded in the object’s history. Invisible properties help avoid any accidental modification of critical data. |
| Computed Property | This attribute enables you to create computed properties for Number and User type of properties. For example, you can create the Aggregate property, where aggregate is the sum total of all Test Scores of a Lead. |
| Update default value for all existing Objects | This attribute is available when you specify a default value for Date and URL type of properties. |
| Link to a column in the Database | This attribute enables you to link the new property with a corresponding property in main database. |
|
Link to a Property |
This attribute enables you to link the new property to an existing property in the same object. You can use this attribute to create multiple instances of a property in different tabs of the same object, and assign different levels of access to the properties in each tab depending on the teams accessing the tabs. For example, in a custom object called Recruitment, you want to include a property called Amount Approved, which is editable by the Financial Aid team, but read-only for the Recruitment team. Here, you can create the Financial Aid tab accessible by the Financial Aid team, and create the Amount Approved editable property in it. You can then create the Financial Aid Approved read-only property in the Finance Details tab, which is accessible by the Recruitment team. You must create this property with a Link to a CRM Property attribute, and link it to the Amount Approved property. Now, the value updated in the Amount Approved property is automatically updated and reflected in the Financial Aid Approved property. |
| Include Time | This attribute enables you to display the time component in a custom Date type of property. When a new object item that comprises the Include Time attribute is created, and the Date type of property is selected, then the current time is displayed adjacent to the Date. You can specify custom values in the time component of the property. |
Note
• You cannot select the Include Time attribute for system-defined, and predefined Date type of properties.
• When you modify a custom Date type of property by selecting the Include Time attribute, the value 00:00 is displayed in the Table View and the Item View for the time component of existing object items.
Property Constraints
A property can have one or more of the following constraints:
| Constraints | Description |
|---|---|
| Read Only | These properties cannot be edited in Desktop Client. |
| Protected | Encrypts and saves values of such properties in the Main database. |
| Dependent | Enables you to add dependent values to a parent property. |
| Mandatory | Ensure that a user specifies a value for this property. |
| Conditional Mandatory | Ensure that a user specifies a value for the property based on the value of its parent property, before saving the object item. |
| Unique | Allows you to create a single unique property, or a combination of more than one unique properties. |
Note
Only Read-Only, Protected, and Dependent properties can be created with enumerated values by specifying restricted values.