Fields are the Radar system’s fundamental components. They store specific information, such as numbers, text, or images, help connect various entities in the workspace, and are the basis of projects, views, and status reports.
Fields are divided into two categories determined by their overall purpose. And where the lists of fields are available, such as under Field Configuration and in Templates, you will find them distributed between these categories on correspondingly named tabs:
Project fields constitute a project and help relay its essential details, such as scope, budget, objectives, requirements, participants, milestone schedule, and others;
Status report fields form the structure of status reports and are used for periodic updates on how a project is progressing and whether or not it is on target regarding the budget, schedule, and scope.
Types of fields
There are many field types offered in the system – each intended for a specific kind of data. The type dictates whether and what sort of properties and attributes are available for the field, the format of values that it accepts, as well as how the field appears on forms.
As such, depending on the field type, the user can be presented with an empty field, which can be filled in directly by typing, or a predefined number of choices that are configured when the field is set up.
Single line of text
Allows the user to enter a string of any alphanumeric characters. The maximum length for the string is 500 characters.
Multiple lines of text
Enables the user to enter a text value of up to 5000 characters. The field offers several rich text formatting options: bulleted and numbered lists, italic, bold and underlined text, and different levels of headings.
Number
Enables the user to enter an integer or decimal value.
Optional attributes: The field can be configured to accept values with up to six decimals.
Percent
Enables the user to enter an integer or decimal value in the range from 0 to 100, which is then automatically appended with the percent sign.
Optional attributes: The field can be configured to accept values with up to six decimals.
Currency
Enables the user to enter an integer or decimal value, to which the selected currency code is then automatically appended. The maximum value is 2 000 000 000.
Optional attributes: The field can be set to display the code of either Euro, British Pound, or US Dollar. The field can be configured to accept values with up to six decimals.
Status indicator
Displays a set of four predefined color options (green, yellow, red, and gray) from which the user can select one as a value to communicate the status of a project, task, milestone, etc.
The field is only available as a status report field.
Optional attributes: The default status colors and the number of options cannot be changed.
To make the indicators convey more meaning, you can replace default option names with your own. The maximum length of each option name is 120 characters. Once set, it will appear next to or above the color indicator in project lists, filters, reports, and forms.
Single select list
Displays a set of predefined options from which the user can select one.
The field can store a maximum of 200 options.
Each option must have a name, which can be up to 120 characters long.
Optional attributes: Each option can have an icon, shape, or image assigned to it.
Multi-select list
Displays a set of predefined options, where multiple options can be selected at once.
The field can store a maximum of 200 options.
Each option must have a name, which can contain up to 120 characters.
Optional attributes: Each option can have an icon, shape, or image assigned to it.
Process step
Displays a set of predefined options representing time periods, workflow stages, or project life cycle phases. The field enables the user to select one option in order to indicate where a project is in terms of progress.
The field can have up to 20 options.
Every option must have a name and be assigned a percentage value expressed by a whole number between 5 and 95. The total percentage of enabled options must add up to exactly 100%.
Optional attributes: Each step can be assigned a color and code or abbreviation of up to 5 characters long.
If selected, a color will be used in views to fill the Radar ring that represents the step. Codes can be set to replace longer option names in ring labels.
Boolean
Enables the user to enter one of two predefined values, expressing either the affirmative or the negative.
Optional attributes: The field has two display modes: as a drop-down list with spelled out Yes and No options and as a checkbox, in which case a checked box equals Yes and an empty box equals No.
The field can be displayed either way when used in projects, status reports, and on forms. In the project list, the field will always show a spelled out value.
Date and time
Enables the user to type in or pick a date and time value in a standard format.
Date
Enables the user to type in or pick a date value in a standard format.
Table
Enables the user to fill a range of cells along a row with values.
Each column of a table is a separate field that only accepts values that match its type and attribute settings.
Types of fields to use as table columns:
– Single line of text
– Multiple lines of text
– Number
– Percent
– Currency
– Status indicator
– Single select list
– Multi-select list
– Boolean
– Date and time
– Date
A table can have a maximum of 25 columns. The number of rows can neither be predefined nor limited.
Each field added to the table must have a name of up to 120 characters long, which serves as a column header.
Optional attributes: All but Boolean fields used in the table can be made mandatory in order to require a column’s cells to be filled in each row.
Single user
Displays a list of all users in the workspace from which one can be selected as a value.
Multiple users
Displays a list of all users in the workspace from which any number of users can be selected as field values.
Single group
Allows selecting one group of users as a value.
Multiple groups
Allows selecting several groups of users as field values.
Image
Allows the user to insert a PNG, GIF, JPG, or JPEG image. The maximum upload size is 15 MB.
System fields
System fields are a set of default project and status report fields that are defined by Radar and used to enable a range of its core features.
The two project fields required and created by the system are the Single line of text and Number, reserved for a project’s title and an automatically generated ID, respectively. System status report fields include the Single line of text and one Traffic light indicator, named Title and Overall status.
Unlike all other fields created by users, system fields cannot be disabled, deleted, set to non-mandatory, or modified in any way other than changing their name.