Understanding Common Attribute Framework

Common Attribute Framework enables you to define a common attribute and add the common attribute as a data field to a Campus Solutions page . A user can then enter a value on the page for the data field.

A common attribute is a data element and is associated with a record in the system. A common attribute has the following properties:

• Name

• Type

• Default value (for example, a common attribute field on the user interface can show a default value that a user can change)

• Format (for example, suppose a user enters a value in a common attribute zip code field. In such a case, you may want the system to automatically append a hyphen between the fifth and sixth character when saving the value to the database)

• Validation

The framework delivers the following attribute types:

• Date

• Time

• Yes/No

• Number

• Long text

• Text (maximum number of characters is 50)

• Short text (maximum number of characters is 20)

• List of values

To implement a common attribute, you must perform the following steps.

1. Use the Application Designer to:

   1. Identify the record that needs to be extended with attributes. For example, to add attributes to the General Materials page, you will choose the GENL_MATERIALS record.

   2. Create a child record with the same key fields as the identified record. Add the CAF subrecord SCC_CAF_SBR to this child record. The framework uses this child record to store attribute data.

   3. On pages where the identified record is used, add the delivered subpage (SCC_CAF_LAUNCH_SBP or SCC_CAF_SBP depending on the desired user interface experience).

2. Use the Common Attribute page to:

   1. Create attributes that you intend to associate with the identified record. For example, if you want to add Passport Number and Primary Institution fields to the General Materials page, create two attributes: Passport Number and Primary Institution.

   2. Define the attribute type and format.

3. Use the Record Context page to associate the attributes to the record. Continuing with the above example, use this page to add the two attributes to the GENL_MATERIALS record so that the two fields appear on the General Materials page.

In the following sections of this documentation, we use this example of adding attributes to the General Materials page to illustrate the implementation.