Mapping and GIS Solutions Community

How are Terraflex rules and mandatory fields supposed to work? We have a data capture form we uses annually - this functionality appears to have changed year over year. As part of environmental scientific research we are measuring trees. Where a tree is dead, we have a rule which then bypasses the other measurements, such as height. Last year this worked fine - on save the record was created without issue. Using the same form this year, it throws an exception where the fields have to be completed prior to saving, presumably because they are mandatory. Since we are using hundreds of volunteers to do these measurements, the usability and input rules are important in order to collect the data accurately and quickly. Is there a way to suppress the error message which forces the user to fill in data that isn't needed, yet still have the fields mandatory for the 99% of trees that are alive?

Thanks

Charles

How are Terraflex rules and mandatory fields supposed to work? We have a data capture form we uses annually - this functionality appears to have changed year over year. As part of environmental scientific research we are measuring trees. Where a tree is dead, we have a rule which then bypasses the other measurements, such as height. Last year this worked fine - on save the record was created without issue. Using the same form this year, it throws an exception where the fields have to be completed prior to saving, presumably because they are mandatory. Since we are using hundreds of volunteers to do these measurements, the usability and input rules are important in order to collect the data accurately and quickly. Is there a way to suppress the error message which forces the user to fill in data that isn't needed, yet still have the fields mandatory for the 99% of trees that are alive?

Thanks

Charles

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Charles Nicholls
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I would start here: https://help.trimblegeospatial.com/TerraFlex/template-rules.htm. Also, I will be doing a remote training in November on Advanced TerraFlex workflows including rules (conditional attributing). I can send reg information once the link has been published. Regarding mandatory fields, it may be best to have your field personnel know what's mandatory rather than forcing it through TerraFlex. I have never been a fan of mandatory fields because it can cause issues periodically and I'd rather trust the field operator and hold them accountable.

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Zach Edwards

Original Message:
Sent: 09-25-2024 05:42
From: Charles Nicholls
Subject: Terraflex mandatory fields & rules

How are Terraflex rules and mandatory fields supposed to work? We have a data capture form we uses annually - this functionality appears to have changed year over year. As part of environmental scientific research we are measuring trees. Where a tree is dead, we have a rule which then bypasses the other measurements, such as height. Last year this worked fine - on save the record was created without issue. Using the same form this year, it throws an exception where the fields have to be completed prior to saving, presumably because they are mandatory. Since we are using hundreds of volunteers to do these measurements, the usability and input rules are important in order to collect the data accurately and quickly. Is there a way to suppress the error message which forces the user to fill in data that isn't needed, yet still have the fields mandatory for the 99% of trees that are alive?

Thanks

Charles

------------------------------
Charles Nicholls
------------------------------

Thanks Zach

Unfortunately that link goes to a 404 error page. Can you ping me a working link?

best

Charles

I would start here: https://help.trimblegeospatial.com/TerraFlex/template-rules.htm. Also, I will be doing a remote training in November on Advanced TerraFlex workflows including rules (conditional attributing). I can send reg information once the link has been published. Regarding mandatory fields, it may be best to have your field personnel know what's mandatory rather than forcing it through TerraFlex. I have never been a fan of mandatory fields because it can cause issues periodically and I'd rather trust the field operator and hold them accountable.

------------------------------
Zach Edwards

Original Message:
Sent: 09-25-2024 05:42
From: Charles Nicholls
Subject: Terraflex mandatory fields & rules

How are Terraflex rules and mandatory fields supposed to work? We have a data capture form we uses annually - this functionality appears to have changed year over year. As part of environmental scientific research we are measuring trees. Where a tree is dead, we have a rule which then bypasses the other measurements, such as height. Last year this worked fine - on save the record was created without issue. Using the same form this year, it throws an exception where the fields have to be completed prior to saving, presumably because they are mandatory. Since we are using hundreds of volunteers to do these measurements, the usability and input rules are important in order to collect the data accurately and quickly. Is there a way to suppress the error message which forces the user to fill in data that isn't needed, yet still have the fields mandatory for the 99% of trees that are alive?

Thanks

Charles

------------------------------
Charles Nicholls
------------------------------

Thanks Zach

Unfortunately that link goes to a 404 error page. Can you ping me a working link?

best

Charles

I would start here: https://help.trimblegeospatial.com/TerraFlex/template-rules.htm. Also, I will be doing a remote training in November on Advanced TerraFlex workflows including rules (conditional attributing). I can send reg information once the link has been published. Regarding mandatory fields, it may be best to have your field personnel know what's mandatory rather than forcing it through TerraFlex. I have never been a fan of mandatory fields because it can cause issues periodically and I'd rather trust the field operator and hold them accountable.

------------------------------
Zach Edwards

Original Message:
Sent: 09-25-2024 05:42
From: Charles Nicholls
Subject: Terraflex mandatory fields & rules

How are Terraflex rules and mandatory fields supposed to work? We have a data capture form we uses annually - this functionality appears to have changed year over year. As part of environmental scientific research we are measuring trees. Where a tree is dead, we have a rule which then bypasses the other measurements, such as height. Last year this worked fine - on save the record was created without issue. Using the same form this year, it throws an exception where the fields have to be completed prior to saving, presumably because they are mandatory. Since we are using hundreds of volunteers to do these measurements, the usability and input rules are important in order to collect the data accurately and quickly. Is there a way to suppress the error message which forces the user to fill in data that isn't needed, yet still have the fields mandatory for the 99% of trees that are alive?

Thanks

Charles

------------------------------
Charles Nicholls
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