Add Assignment Page

Data field assignments are a mechanism for auto-populating Admin-defined data taken from project details and exposing them into the process. The ability to do so eliminates the need to locate information that already exists elsewhere within e-Builder. Data assignments can be very simple, such as automatically inserting the current date and time into a process data field or the square footage for a budget approval process, to more complex information that may include formulas, such as the sum of the current contract value on a commitment and the change amount.

Setting up these data fields is optional, but they can reduce the time it takes users to fill-out data fields and provide necessary information they need without having to search through the system, such as the original commitment value in a change order process.

Fields and Buttons

The fields and buttons located on the Add Assignment page are:

  • Assign to Field: Click this drop-down arrow to select the data field you want to assign expressions to. Note that the Assign to field can contain varying selections depending on fields configured. Typically, at a minimum it will contain three sections: Data Fields, Project Fields, Project Custom Fields and if configured, Process Custom Fields, Budget, Budget Change, Commitment, Commitment Change, and Actual Cost Custom Fields as well.
  • Select Field: The selections in this drop-down arrow will also vary depending on the fields configured. Moreover, if the workflow is for a cost-related process, it will contain many more fields, specific to cost.
  • Insert: There are two Insert buttons located on this page. The first, from left to right allows you to add the selections from the Assign to Field and Select Field into the Assignment Expression box.
  • The second allows you to insert the selected function into the Assignment Expression box.
  • Operators: Operators are used to build formulas between data fields.

Functions are predefined expressions that allow you to input data to complete assignment expressions. The options in this drop-down arrow appear by default. Below is an explanation of each:

  • Now() - Returns the current date and time:
    1. Select this function.
    2. Click Insert.
    3. Select a field from the Assign to Field drop-down arrow.
    4. Click Save.
  • Today() - Returns the current date:
    1. Select this function.
    2. Click Insert.
    3. Select a field from the Assign to Field drop-down arrow.
    4. Click Save.
  • MinDate (value1, value2) Minimum date (applies to date fields only): Returns the smaller of two specified date values. Value1 is the first of the two numeric values to compare. Value2 is the second of the two numeric values to compare.
  • MaxDate (value1, value2) Maximum date (applies to date fields only): Returns the larger of two specified numeric values. Value1 is the first of the two numeric values to compare. Value2 is the second of the two numeric values to compare.
  • IIF String (Condition, true string, false string): If and only if (applies to text fields only):

    Evaluates the given condition and returns the text for true string if the evaluation succeeds or the text for false string if the evaluation fails.

    • Condition: Boolean expression used to determine which text to return.
    • True String: If condition evaluates success then this text value is returned.
    • False string: If condition evaluates failure then this text value is returned.
    Instructions:
    1. Select this function.
    2. Click Insert.
    3. Place your cursor before the first comma, enter the condition by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow, and then click Insert.
    4. Place your cursor before the second comma, enter the "if true" value by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow and clicking insert or manually type the text in quotes.
    5. Place your cursor after the second comma, enter the "if false" value by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow or manually typing the text with surrounding quotation marks.
    6. Select a field to assign the formula to from the Assign to Field drop-down menu.
    7. Click Save.
  • IIF Number (Condition, true string, false string): If and only if (applies to number fields only):

    Evaluates the given condition and returns the number in true number if the evaluation succeeds or the number in falsenumber if the evaluation fails.

    • Condition: Boolean expression used to determine which number to return.
    • True String: If condition evaluates success then this number value is returned.
    • False string: If condition evaluates failure then this number value is returned.
    Instructions
    1. Select this function.
    2. Click Insert.
    3. Place your cursor before the first comma, enter the condition by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow, and then click Insert. (i.e. Contract Sum)
    4. Place your cursor before the second comma, enter the "‘if true" number by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow and clicking insert or manually type the text in quotes.
    5. Place your cursor after the second comma, enter the "if false" number by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow or manually typing the number with surrounding quotation marks.
    6. Select a field to assign the formula to from the Assign to Field drop-down menu.
    7. Click Save.
  • IIFDate(Condition, true string, false string): If and only if (applies to date fields only):

    Evaluates the given condition and returns the date in true date if the evaluation succeeds or the date in false date if the evaluation fails.

    • Condition: Boolean expression used to determine which date to return.
    • True String: If condition evaluates success then this date value is returned.
    • False string: If condition evaluates failure then this date value is returned.
    Instructions:
    1. Select this function.
    2. Click Insert.
    3. Place your cursor before the first comma, enter the condition by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow, and then click Insert. (i.e. Contract Sum)
    4. Place your cursor before the second comma, enter the ‘if true date by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow and clicking insert or manually type the date in quotes.
    5. Place your cursor after the second comma, enter the ‘if false date by selecting a data field from the Select Field drop-down arrow or manually type the date in quotes.
    6. Select a field to assign the formula to from the Assign to Field drop-down menu.
    7. Click Save.
  • IsInList (list, value) Mulit-Pick List - This function allows you to include "and" and "or" for more complex conditions that include options from the multi-pick list.
    Instructions:
    1. Select this function.
    2. Click Insert.
    3. Place your cursor before the comma and select a multi-pick list from the Select Field drop-down arrow.
    4. Click Insert.
    5. Place your cursor after the comma and enter the value in quotes.
    6. Select a field from the Assign to Field drop-down arrow.
    7. Click Save.
  • IsNullDate(date)- Allows you to determine whether or not a value exists for this date field. If it does, then it will be factored into the formula.
  • IsNullString(value) - Allows you to determine whether or not a value exists for this string field. If it does, then it will be factored into the formula.
  • RemoveWhiteSpace(value) - Returns the given value with extra spaces removed. This function removes both leading and trailing spaces from the text as well as converting blocks of multiple spaces within the text into a single space character. (e.g. the text becomes the text'). Value is the text to remove extra spaces from.
  • Trim (value) - Removes white space from text.
  • Find (similar to VB Instr) - Finds a string within a string & returns the character number where the search string is found.
  • Left (source value, length number): Use to find a specified number of characters from the left (beginning) of a string.
  • Mid (source value, start position number, length number): Returns the middle x characters of a string, starting at position y within the string
  • Right (source value, length number): Returns a specified number of characters from the right (end) of a string.
  • Substitute (source value, search value, substitution value, instance number): Changes characters within a String.
  • Replace(source value, start position number, length): Used to replace characters within a text.
  • Rev (source value) - Returns a reversed string. For example, REV("Luke") returns "ekuL".
  • Len (source value) - Returns the length of the inputted variable.
  • MinNumber(value1, value2) Minimum number: Returns the smaller of two specified numeric values. Value1 is the first of the two numeric values to compare. Value2 is the second of the two numeric values to compare.
  • MaxNumber(value1, value2)– Maximum number: Returns the larger of two specified numeric values. Value1 is the first of the two numeric values to compare. Value2 is the second of the two numeric values to compare.
  • Assignment Expression: This box contains the expressions of the data field assignment as they are selected and inserted by the user. This is where finalized expressions go before saving the data assignment. If there is an error with the expression, you will receive an error message and will not be able to save the expression until corrections are made.
  • Save: Click this button to save the data assignment. If the expression is invalid, an error message displays for you to make necessary corrections.
  • Cancel: Click this button to cancel the operation and close this dialog box.

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