Configure the Dependent Field Properties

You can define dependent fields in the nonunified time entry experience. You do this in the optional second step of the guided processes for creating time entry layout components.

If you've the unified experience, you create dependent fields as single-attribute time card fields. Then you add the fields to the appropriate time layouts in the appropriate order for filters and processing. For example, the State field needs to come before the County field. This way the County drop-down list has only the counties for the selected state and not all counties for all 50 states.

Dependent time card fields that you created before the unified experience was enabled continue to work in unified layouts that include the corresponding independent layout component.

You can create and configure dependent fields in the nonunified experience using either of these methods:

• Create all your dependent fields and then select each field in turn to add the data sources and filters.
• Create a dependent field, add the data sources and filters, and then repeat for the remaining dependent fields.

Note: To add dependent fields to a single-attribute payroll field, duplicate and edit the delivered Payroll Time Type field. Don't directly edit the delivered field to avoid possible issues with future upgrades.

Before you start

Before you add dependent fields to multiattribute fields and web clock buttons, configure the entire attribute definition table on the Field Definition page. You do this because the attribute values that you select in that table make up the Independent Attribute Value drop-down list.

Here's what to do

1. On the Dependent Field Definition page, click the Create button.
2. On the Create Dependent Time Card Field dialog box, complete the general properties:

   1. In the Name field, enter a unique short name, possibly using agreed on abbreviations, such as PTT for payroll time type. Also, you can select a dependent time attribute from either the general or detailed level. For example, at the general level you can select Rate Amount. At the detailed level, you can select Rate Amount for US Regular or Shift Premium. To help with accurate layout configurations, we recommend that you include an appropriate suffix, such as D or G, for example, RateG or DeptOTD.

      This name appears in the Name drop-down list on the Edit Layout dialog box, Time Card Matrix page. That drop-down list shows only the first 15 characters.

   2. In the Description field, document the purpose of the dependent field. Here are some examples:

      • Override rate amount to provide as the payroll input value
      • Override rate amount to provide as the payroll input value for the US Regular time attribute
      • Department for the reported time
      • Department for the worked overtime
      • County for the reported time, provided as the payroll input value
      • County code for the reported time, provide for the US Hourly costing segment
   3. Select the dependent time attribute for the specified independent time attribute, such as Overtime_City for location or Department for payroll costing.

   4. Configure the availability of the dependent time attribute:

      1. Select the availability of the dependent time attribute. See the Availability Options for Dependent Time Card Fields topic for key considerations about these options.
      2. If you select For specific independent time attribute values, add the specific values.
   5. Click OK.
3. Select the filtered data source and unfiltered data source for the specified time attribute. Typically, the most appropriate source is the first value in the drop-down list.
4. Add any filters for the filtered data source. Many filtered data sources for dependent absence management, payroll, and project costing attributes don't have filters.