You can create a home for your custom fields on the person record by adding them to custom tabs.

Custom tabs are managed in Database → Tabs. Tab content is managed in Forms.

Custom tabs let you tailor the person record to your needs. A record can have multiple custom tabs, and through permissions, you can show different tabs to specific users. By default, custom tabs follow the standard Materials tab in alphanumerical order.

Custom tabs can add value by:

• Enabling users to enter information directly on records

• Displaying information directly on a record rather than through a separate dashboard

• Using custom fields for entering and displaying custom information

• Providing messages automatically across staff populations

Follow these steps to create and most effectively group, order, and display custom fields on a custom tab.

Custom tabs for Student Success

The standard tabs included on the person record include the Dashboard, Timeline, Profile, and Materials.  In order to display additional information on a person record, custom tabs will need to be created.  Depending on the desired display of information, multiple options are available to display data.

Entities

Entities provide an easy-to-read display for objects that have a "one-to-many relationship" in Slate.  One example is displaying a student's multiple scholarships on one tab.

Standard form data display

Because a custom tab is built via a form, the default display will show the fields in a stacked or table format, just as it does on a standard form.

Custom tabs for Advancement

Custom tabs can be created for constituent and dataset records.

Custom tabs can display the data you want to appear, and the content in a tab can be used to enter data directly in custom fields on constituent or dataset records.

By default, custom tabs appear in alphanumeric order to the right of the standard Materials tab. Permissions on custom tabs determine visibility for only specific users.

Best practices for custom tabs

Following these tips will give you the best custom tab experience:

Less is more

To keep things clean and easy to navigate, only add fields to custom tab that you'll use or update often. Limiting the number of custom tabs makes it easier to find what you need without getting overwhelmed. Keeping these concise and easy to view will also help with editing data.

Use conditional logic filters with merge fields, not form fields

When you add a conditional logic filters on a custom tab form field that’s not visible to the internal user, you risk overwriting the data in these fields with null values.

Avoid overwriting data by using conditional logic on merge fields on custom tabs; merge fields can only ever display, but not write, data.

Displaying dates on custom tabs: date versus calendar

By default, form fields with a type of Date store data using a yyyyMMdd format. For example, 20220225.

Form fields with a type of Calendar store data using a yyyy-MM-dd format. For example, 2022-02-25.

To populate the selectors when interacting with these type of fields on a custom tab, Slate requires storing the underlying data in the associated format.

Be consistent about which form field type you use on these tabs. Ensure that the date values are being imported or collected in the associated format for that type.

Alternatively, display dates on your custom tab with merge fields on forms.

Use merge fields for read-only information

If you need to show read-only data on custom tabs, use merge fields.

Merge fields let you display data that should not—and cannot—be edited. Using merge fields instead of selecting Read Only on a field ensures it cannot change or be overwritten.

Default value form fields

Generally, default values populate when a form loads. This default value will be saved when the form is submitted unless the value is changed.

If a value is previously stored in a particular field for which a default value is set, submitting the form with the default value will either update or append the previously stored value. The very nature of a default value is such that it will always suggest a particular value for a field on a form.

Because of this functionality, do not use default values on custom tab forms. The primary purpose of these types of forms is to display the values stored in a particular field.

Step 1: Creating fields

Make a list of the custom fields needed on your custom tabs. For example, for a Details tab, you might include:

• Academic Interests

• Entry Term

• Extracurricular Interests

• Language 1

• Language 2

• Music Interests

Next, decide the order of the fields, and which fields should be grouped together. For the same Details tab:

• Interests Group

  • Academic Interests

  • Entry Term

  • Extracurricular Interests

  • Music Interests

• Languages Group

  • Language 1

  • Language 2

Step 2: Creating the custom tab form

The first step to creating a custom tab for either person or application records is to create a form. To build the form, perform the following steps:

1. Select Forms on the top navigation bar.

2. Select New Form. Provide the proper form configurations, including:

   • Page Title: Give the form a straightforward name, such as "Details Custom Tab."

   • Folder: Create a "Custom Tabs" folder to keep forms organized.

   • Status: Set the status to Confirmed/Active.

3. Select Save. With the form created, select Edit Form.

4. Select Edit Properties.

5. Change the scope. The default scope of a form is Person.

   • For a custom tab form that will appear on person records, change this scope to Person Page.

   • For an applications custom tab, change the scope to Application Page.

   • For a dataset custom tab, change the scope to Dataset Page, and then select the correct dataset from the Dataset list.

6. Remove all of the standard Slate fields included on the form by default (such as name and address fields).

7. Add custom fields to the form. Custom tab forms must only contain fields that are mapped to custom fields.

To further enhance the look of a custom tab form, group fields together in sections by adding header rows.

Select compatible field types from the Form Builder palette for mapped custom fields. For example, a custom field using prompts should be added using a form tool that supports prompts (such as a Select List).

Step 3: Creating the custom tab

Now that a Person Page, Application Page, or Dataset Page form has been created, link this form to a tab by performing the following steps:

1. Select Database on the top navigation bar and select Tabs.

2. Select Insert.

3. Enter the following configurations in the dialog box:

   • Status: Keep this setting set to Active for the tab to appear on records.

   • Name: Give the tab a name that will appear on the tab when viewing records.

   • Scope: If this tab is being added to person records, keep the scope set to Person. If the tab should appear on application records, set the scope to Application if the tab should appear on dataset records, select Dataset.

   • Form: The form menu will contain all forms with the corresponding scope (such as Person Page-scoped forms for a person-scoped tab). Select the desired form.

   • Order: Custom tabs are, by default, ordered alphabetically. To override the alphabetical order, enter an order value for the custom tab.

   • Read Permission (Optional): Set a read permission for the tab by selecting a permission from the list. This will cause the tab to show only for users with the selected permission.

   • Write Permission (Optional): Set a write permission for the tab by selecting a permission from the list. This will allow only users with this permission to edit data on this tab when viewing a record.

   • Show for Records in Population (Optional): Select the population here if the tab should only appear for records in a specific population (this setting does not apply to dataset tabs).

   • Notes (Optional): Include internal notes regarding the tab, if desired.

4. Select Save.

The custom tab will now appear on records.

Administrative experience

Custom Person Dataset Tabs

After configuration, person and dataset-scoped custom tabs will appear on the record to the right of the standard tabs. To add, remove, or reorder custom fields, edit the custom tab form.

Custom Application Tabs

Custom application tabs links appear on a record's application tab on the right-side pane.