The User-Defined Tab and User-Defined Fields

The user-defined fields allow you to create and assign your own entries to individuals or families. In the example here, some of the user-defined titles have been renamed. You can change the name of any of the custom fields by double-clicking inside the selection box below the title you want to rename. This also allows you to add default entries to each user-defined field that can quickly be selected from the selection box for that field.

Each field also has a calendar button if you need to quickly insert a date as a field entry. Each field allows you to select a value from the list, enter a date using the calendar button, or type your own entry manually. Liturgical churches will find this feature helpful in keeping track of rites or sacraments. You can have 10 user-defined fields for each individual, and six fields that are shared between every member of the selected individual’s family.

When the User-Defined tab is selected, the User-Defined reports button appears on the toolbar. This gives you access to several report styles based on the user-defined fields:

The custom reports feature allows you to quickly create a report to display the custom field information you've entered. You can also create and print a variety of reports based on the user-defined fields by clicking the user-defined report button on the toolbar (this button is visible only when the User-Defined tab is selected).

The General Information tab automatically displays the first five individual user-defined fields and the first three family user-defined fields. You can change the order of the user-defined fields (and therefore which fields appear on the General Information tab) by using the up and down arrows in each section (on the User-Defined tab) to move the selected field up or down in the list.

Hint: The User-Defined fields can also link to PDF files on your computer. This is useful if you want to "attach" a file (like a permission form or background check) to a person or family. Simply type the full path to the location of the PDF file inside one of the User-Defined fields. When you click the Calendar button next to that field, it will prompt you to open that PDF file automatically. Note that you'll have to set the path to your PDF reader program in the Utilities menu's Settings window.