Dynamic Defaulting for Custom Segments
In some cases, you may want to apply a custom segment to two record types that have a relationship. In these cases, you may want the segment on one record to populate automatically with the value of the segment on the other. To configure this behavior, you must specify dynamic default logic for the segment.
With this approach, at a high level, you create a relationship between the following:
-
One or more target record types – The group of record types, or single record type, whose instances receive the dynamically loaded default value.
-
A field on the target record type – This field is used to identify the particular record instance that provides the default value. This record is the source record instance.
For more details, see the following sections:
Source List Choices
When you configure dynamic defaulting, you use the Source List field.
Each choice in the Source List shows two terms. The first term represents the label of a field. The second term represents a record type.
|
C |
Description |
|---|---|
|
This term represents the name of a field on the target record types. The selection that you make in this field always represents another record. For example, some transaction types have a field called Sales Rep. When a value for that field is saved on a transaction, that value identifies a specific employee record. |
|
This term represents the record type of the source record instance. To follow the example from the preceding row, a field labeled Sales Rep identifies a record of type Employee. |
Choose a Target
The Application & Sourcing subtab includes several child subtabs. Each of these subtabs represents a category of record type.
When you display some of these subtabs, you will see only one Source List field. The choice you make in this field affects all of the record types selected on that subtab. When you go to certain other subtabs, you can select a alternate Source List option for those record types.
On two of the subtabs, you can specify a Source List choice for each record type listed. This option is possible for the types listed on two subtabs: Other Record Types and Custom Record Types.
Prerequisites for Creation of a Dynamic Default
Sometimes you may save a Source List choice, but a dynamic default is not always generated for the applicable record types. For a default to be generated, the following statements must be true:
-
The source record instance must have a value saved in the segment field – If the segment field on the source record instance has not been populated with a value, no dynamic default is created. For example, suppose you have configured the segment on sales transactions to populate with the segment value saved on the corresponding customer record. If the corresponding customer record does not have a value saved in the segment field, no dynamic default is created. To avoid this situation, make the segment required, as described in Making a Custom Segment Mandatory.
-
The Source List field must exist on the entry form for the target record type – On the subtabs where one Source List is used for many record types, not all record types have all of the fields listed. If you select an option in the Source List field, and one of the record types does not have that field, no default is ever created for instances of that record. For example, on the Transactions subtab, the Source List includes an option labeled Sales Rep (Employee). If you select that option, then dynamic defaults are created for transactions that have a Sales Rep field. For example, instances of the Cash Sale record type could receive the dynamic default value. However, for transactions such as Journal Entry, which does not have a Sales Rep field, no dynamic default can be created.
-
A value for the Source List field must be selected on the instance of the target record type – Sometimes not every field on a record has a value saved. If an instance of the target record type is saved with no value selected for the field identified by the Source List, no default is created. For example, suppose you have configured account records to populate with a default value. In the Source List for the Account record type, you may have selected Restrict to Location (Location). If an instance of the account record does not have a value selected in the Restrict to Location field, no dynamic default can be created for that record.