Tutorial: Creating fields by referencing objects

Create fields to reuse the information that is captured by objects, such as the names of locations or the names of SaaS applications, in other objects.  

Let's say that when you add or edit an asset record you want to specify the location of the object. Instead of adding a location field and typing the location of each asset, you can add a field to the All Assets page that references the location object so that users can select the name of the location from a dropdown list when they add or edit asset records.

Referencing other objects when you add fields to objects has the following advantages:

• Data consistency. 
• Data reuse. No need to enter the same values again. Reuse the information that you already captured.
• Time to value. No need for data entry because the data that you need was already captured.

Scenario

In this scenario, you want to add the employee's department to their People record.

To do this, you complete the following actions:

• Create an object that contains a list of the departments in your organization.
• Add a field to your People object that references the departments' object.

Creating the object

1. Click Configuration > Object.
2. Click Create new object .
3. Type Departments as the name of the object.
4. Type the description.
5. Click Save.

Result

You created an object so that you can create a list of the departments in your organization.

If you use a custom object that was created by another user, you must grant read and write privileges to your role for the object that was created.

Granting role permissions

Adding the records

Repeat this procedure until you have added a record for each department in your organization.

1. Click Data model.
2. From the Objects list, select the departments' object.
3. Click Add .
4. Type the name of the department.
5. Click Create.

Adding a field that references the object 

1. From the Objects list on the Data model page, select People.
2. Click Add .
3. Type Departments as the name of the field.
4. As the data type, select the departments' object.
5. Make your changes.
6. Click Create.

Tip
Reduce the noise and performance workload! Only select Add Updates to History for auditing purposes or for triggering workflows. This will eliminate the unnecessary processing of data and have a positive impact on the performance of your Oomnitza instance.

Result

When a record is added or edited on the People page, the department that the employee belongs to can be selected.