Creating and Editing Index Types

Index Types are the building blocks of Indexes themselves. The benefits of creating and maintaining a list of Index Types are that they protect the database (thereby, your Documents) by restricting the kind of information entered; and, they can be carefully customized to fit the needs of your organization's processes.

TIPS

Data Type vs Index Type: Index Types are based on Data Types (i.e., the Data Type is used by the Index Type). You may have several Index Types based on the same Data Type, but an Index Type can only have one Data Type.
To access the Index Typesscreen: from the main header, go to Captureu MANAGEMENT u Index Types.

EXAMPLE

You may want to have an Index Type of "address"; generally, an address can be a combination of letters and numbers. So the Data Type for this is "Text." This would also be the Data Type for an Index Type of "name" or "comment", etc.
If you are working with any sort of dollar amounts, you'll need Index Types such as "currency", based on a Data Type of "Decimal."
Numeric Data Types can be used for values representing phone numbers or social security numbers, etc.

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Index Type Properties

There are several attribute settings you must/can set when setting up or editing an Index Type.

EXAMPLE

The properties for an Index Type named "Zip Code" might be the following: Name= Zip Code (5), Data Type = Text, Length = 5, and Mask = #####. These properties would result in a Zip Code input that apepars something like "90650".
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The properties for an Index Type named "Weight", might be the following: Name = Weight, Data Type = Decimal, Length = 4, and Format = 2. These properties would result in a Weight input that appears as a number with 4 places to the left and 2 places to the right of the decimal.
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Property	Use it to...
Name	enter a unique name for the Index Type so that it can be easily identified when used for creating an Index or UDL. EXAMPLE The name can be relatively simple and even include a qualifier (like the length of the field next to the name): "Address", "First Name (25)", "Currency", etc.
Data Type	select the appropriate data type (refer to the table below to find the appropriate Data Type for an Index).
Length	define the total number of characters to be allowed when a value is entered into an Index field.
Mask	define any special required structure or format you want used for this field when creating an Index Type of "Text". EXAMPLES Let's say you are setting up an Index Type for social security numbers; you'd want that structure to be ###-##-####. If you are setting up an Index Type for a zip code, you'd want that structure to be #### or #####-####, depending upon whether or not you want a 5 or 9 digit zip code entered.
Format	set the format that informs the system how many digits to the right of the decimal you want allowed when an Index Type of "Decimal" is used. EXAMPLES If you want to allow 2 digits to the right of the decimal, enter the number 2. If you don't want any digits after the decimal, enter 0. This would result in a number

Available Data Types

Data Type	Use it to...	Associated Properties	Parameters
Boolean	use the Index as a "True" (yes) or "False" (no) value. This can also be used for an "Unspecified" or " Null" value condition. EXAMPLE IsForm would allow you to select True (yes, it's a form) or False (no, it's not a form).	Name Only	N/A
DateTime	set Index Type values that require a date and/or time component.	Name Only(Mask and Format are defaulted)	Default Mask: ##/##/#### Default Format: mm/dd/yyyy
Decimals	set an Index Type where the values must be defined by a numeric value (either fixed or floating).	Name, Length, and Format	Length: Max # of digits Format: # of digits to the right of the decimal.
Numeric	use Index Type where numeric values must be defined as an integer.	Name and Length	N/A
Text	set values that can be (uppercase or lowercase) letter, digits, special characters (e.g., $, @, *, etc.), or a combination.	Name, Length, and Mask	N/A

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Edit an Index Type

WARNING!!!

When you edit an Index Type, remember that there may be one or more Applications currently in their ‘Implemented’ state which have Indexes that utilize the named Index Type you are about to update. Therefore, be aware of the effects editing an Index Type might have.

IMPORTANT!

In addition, changes to your edited Index Type only take effect in an Application once it has been de-implemented and then re-implemented. Likewise, for a currently de-implemented Application using the edited Index Type, changes are only applied once the Application is implemented.

On the Index Types screen:

1) Click Edit next to the Index Type you want to change to make the related property fields available for editing.

2) Make the changes, as needed.

When changes are completed:

3) Click Update to save the changes.

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Delete an Index Type

It is never recommended that anything from the system be deleted. Generally, the only reason you would have for deleting an existing named Index Type is change its length (which cannot be done via Editing); once deleted, you can then re-create it - defining the new length, using its original name (to prevent any interruption of Indexes that are based on the Index Type).

If you must delete an Index Type, be sure to read the warnings as noted below.

WARNING!!!

Once an Index Type has been deleted, it cannot be recovered.
Remember that if the Index Type you want to delete has been used to create an Index field used in an implemented Application, you need to define and assign appropriate replacements in each instance before you make any deletions.
After completing the deletion and replacement of the named Index Type, be sure to re-implement any Applications using the Index Type in order to apply the change to that Application.

On the Index Types screen:

1) Click Delete next to the Index Type you want to delete to display a confirmation prompt.

On the Confirmation Prompt:

2) Click to delete the Index Type from the list.