Attributes
Attributes are a way to customise what data is captured throughout
multiple parts of the database. They are then used as filters and
columns on reports and can appear on MS Word®documents and Email templates created from Synergy.
Tips:
- If
the attribute is setup to be mandatory, run a report to locate where
the attribute is not assigned using: Attribute IS NULL or NOT SET to get
the results.
- The Attribute field length is 250 characters long.
Create
attributes
Complete the following steps to create an attribute
-
Click New 
.
-
Type a description.
-
Select
the type of attribute i.e. Project, Sub
project, Contact, Personnel, Staff
or Contract.
-
Select the data type:
List and Drop down > the bottom half of the screen will open up
to allow the individual attribute list items to be added one by one.
Text, currency, number do not require
any further data to be setup.
Date > an alert can be set and will appear on the Alert dashboard
on My Synergy.
-
(Optional) Check the Mandatory box. 
NEW 4.8
Mandatory attributes must be
completed before you can save the new/updated information on the 'Type'
of attribute selected.
If this box is left unchecked, the attribute will be optional for the
user to complete.
-
Save
and Close.
List or drop down?
List indicates when being attached, you are able to select one or
many from the attribute list. Drop down indicates
you are able to select one only from the list.
Mandatory Attributes
Mark an attribute as mandatory to ensure that all users populate this data when creating projects, contracts, staff records, contacts and personnel records. It can be helpful to setup mandatory attributes when you need to ensure that important information is always available on certain reports or Synergy documents. NEW 4.8
Create a new mandatory attribute
- Click New.
- Type the attribute description.
- Select the attribute type.
- Select the data type.
- Make sure that you check the mandatory attribute box.
- Click Save.
- If you have selected List, or Drop Down List, or Number as the 'data type' complete the table or decimal places field that is shown after saving.
- Click Save and Close.
Change an existing attribute to be mandatory
- Before you update the attribute to be mandatory, a report must be run to check if the attribute is NOT populated on any existing records in Synergy. It is highly recommended that all these existing records be updated prior to making an existing attribute mandatory.
- Run the report by following the steps to create the 'Check for Missing Attributes' report.
- Update all records where the attribute is blank (NULL).
- Re-run the report to check that you didn't miss any records.
- Once all records do not have any blank values for the attribute, open Default Data > Attributes List.
- Double click the attribute in the list.
- Check the 'Mandatory' box.
- Save and Close.
- The next time a user creates a new record they will have to enter data into this attribute field before they can save the record.
The user will be prompted to enter the attribute data before they can make any changes to these records, if you do not run the report and correct the existing data. The mandatory attribute check will occur when saving changes for any data (on any tab) of these records. If the user viewing/updating the record does not know what the correct data is to choose for this attribute, then this could be an issue, as they will need to undo any work they have changed.
Project
attributes
Use these at Project
> Attributes
Any Project can have data such
as name, number, scope, address, external Project
Team and Sub Projects
recorded against it - though you may have a requirement to store
more information than just this. We do this by creating attributes.
Examples
|
Project Type/building type
|
List
|
select one or many from a list
|
Villa/townhouse; AND/OR
Library; AND/OR
Shopping centre
|
|
Service Type
|
Drop down
|
select one only from the list
|
Reburb;
OR
New; OR
Alts + Adds
|
|
Commencement Date
|
Date
|
a date selected from a calendar control
|
6/6/2013
|
|
Purchase order/client reference
|
Text
|
free form text and number field, 200+ characters
|
PO # 389023
|
|
Construction cost
|
Currency
|
type a value only
|
$280,000.00
|
|
Lot number
|
Number
|
type a number only
|
456
|
* date attribute alerts
are available, read below.
Other types
|
List
|
Project team, market sector
(Commercial, residential, industrial etc)
|
|
Drop down
|
Overall Project discipline, region
of the Project, soil classification
(Class S, Class M etc), rise in storey (1-2, 3-5 etc), BCA guidelines
|
|
Dates
|
Estimated completion date
|
Tips:
- Need to make sure that your users always update a certain attribute?
When creating the Attribute, check the Mandatory box. The users must then
complete the attribute field before they can save the new or updated Project.
NEW 4.8
- Attributes can only be deleted with they have not been used on any projects. If you are unable to delete the attribute, make it 'inactive' to hide it from the attributes tab for future projects.
Contact attributes
Use these at Contact >
Attributes
These are assigned against the overall contact
entity. If you require a mailing list at the personnel level, use
Personnel attributes.
Examples
|
Client rating
|
Drop down
|
Category A, B, C etc
|
|
Credit check
|
Drop down
|
Yes
|
|
Supplier status
|
Drop down
|
A - High Quality Product and Service, B - Good Product Quailty and Service, C Poor Product Quaility and Service.
|
Personnel attributes
Contact
> Contact Personnel > Attributes
Mostly we find the best application for personnel
attributes is a mailing list of some sort, as you are able to export the data to MS Excel®, then use this
as a data file for mail merge.
Examples
|
Marketing
|
List
|
Xmas card mailout;
Client function;
Xmas party
|
|
Days at work
|
List
|
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
|
Sub project attributes
Project > Project Plan > Sub project > Attributes
Sub project attributes would be used in
the case you need to track specific data pertaining to the individual
phase. This way each sub project has it's own values that can then
be reported on or exported as fields on MS Word® documents.
Examples
|
Date of inspection
|
Date
|
|
|
Start date
|
Date
|
|
|
Completion date
|
Date
|
|
|
Tasks to complete
|
List
|
a list of design tasks, points of contact etc
|
Staff
attributes
Practice > Staff > Attributes
Store additional data on each staff record
to then customise staff reports and draw out the information captured.
Examples
|
Qualification
|
List
|
MIEng, CPA, MBA
|
|
Affiliations
|
List
|
ACEA, AIA, IEA
|
|
Date of birth
|
Date
|
|
Contract attributes
Contract > Attributes
Store additional data on the Contract, and
customise reports to display the extra attribute details.
Examples
|
Site region
|
Drop down
|
CBD, Rural, Interstate etc
|
Transfer attribute to Client reference
#
In version 4.2.2 a new project field called
client reference # was created. Though some clients may have been
utilising a project attribute to store such information that would then
appear as a bookmark on the invoice. This procedure is for those
clients who had previously utilised the project attribute and now
wish to transfer this text over to the client reference # on the project.
-
Double
click the 'Text type' attribute called purchase order or client reference.
-
Selection Action from the toolbar.
-
Select Update the Project Client
Reference #.
-
Click OK. The text currently
stored within the project attribute will be transferred to the client
ref #.
-
Save
and Close.
Tip: The overwrite existing option will
allow you to overwrite any text that may have already been added to the
client reference # field on the project.
Using Contact attributes
for syncing with MYOB
Complete the following steps
- Click
New
- Provide
a name and select the Type Contact.
- Save.
- Then
on the lower half of the screen add the description and assign the account
code.
Attach
Contact Attributes
- Open a Contact.
- Select the Attributes
tab.
- Select the group and then a value.
- The value contains
an Account Code setup in the Default Data area.
Tip: Need to make sure that your users always update a certain Contact attribute
to use with the Connect interface? When creating the Attribute, check
the Mandatory box. The users must then complete the attribute field before
they can save the new Contact. NEW 4.8
Date attribute alerts
Alerts
are available on all date attributes.
Modify the alert message
You
can edit the message that will be issued to Project or Contract Managers.
The field on the right hand side displays all fields
available for you to add to the alert message, as well as adding free
form text. Ensure the brackets are added as well,
e.g. <Project>.
Tip: The name of the attribute will display an alert
heading, so there may not be a need to include this (Attribute Description)
in the alert message.
Change the number of days due
Are
you wanting to notify a user before the date has reached or the fact that
the date is now overdue? The number of days is
used to help you get the message to a user in time, usually before the
date is due.
Set the Alert before and/or after
You
can create an alert for the date attribute to appear before the due date,
to notify it is impending and also an alert to appear after the date is
reached to indicate it is now overdue. Set the
Active check box for both options.
Example
|
Insurances expire
|
The insurances for Project
- 2010.084 Allison Road - will expire on xxx.
|
The insurances for project
- <Project Number> <Project Title> - will expire on <Date>
|
|
|
|
More
than X days message alert
|
|
Completion date
|
The completion date for
2010.084 Allison Road started 2 day(s) ago
|
The <Attribute Description>
for <Project Number> started <Days> day(s) ago
|
Click
here to learn how to view the Alert plugin
on the My Synergy dashboard. If you're not sure
if the Attribute alert is activated, go to System settings.
Want to learn more?
Looking for more help? Try reviewing the following Default Data topics: View Topics
Or trying reviewing the following Using Attributes topics: View Topics
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2019 Total Synergy Pty Ltd
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