Fields
Fields define the columns of a table: each field has a name and a type that determines what kind of data it holds, from simple text and numbers to relationships, formulas, and files. Add single fields or several at once, configure their settings, and manage them from the application builder.
Managing fields requires an application where your role has admin or limited admin access, and a table to add fields to. If you don't have one yet, start with the Tables guide.
Where fields live
Fields are managed per table. Open a table's Settings and look under the Structure panel, then click Fields to see the field list. From here you can view every field on the table, edit existing fields, add new ones, and delete or duplicate fields.
The field list shows each field's name and type. You can also reveal hidden columns for Reportable, Searchable, and Relationship using the grid's show/hide columns option, and copy a field's ID to the clipboard from the ID column.
Adding a field
There are two ways to add fields:
Add a single field
Click Add Field in the top-right of the fields list. Start by entering a Field Name and selecting a Field Type: as soon as you pick a type, the form expands with that type's settings. Configure what you need, then click Save.
Every field type has a Field Type dropdown of its own, so you can change a field's type later if needed; High Systems handles the data migration for you.
Add multiple fields
Click Add Fields (next to Add Field) to open a quick-add dialog. It starts with five blank rows, each with a field name and a type dropdown, which is handy for sketching out a table's structure quickly. Only the name and type can be set here; you can fine-tune each field's settings afterwards by editing it. Click Add Fields when you're done.
Field types
High Systems offers 21 field types:
| Type | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Text | Short single-line text |
| Rich Text | Formatted, styled text |
| Text Multi-Line | Longer paragraphs and notes |
| Text Multi-Choice | One or more choices from a list |
| Number | Numeric values, with display options for currency, percent, rating, and more |
| Date | A calendar date |
| Date/Time | A date and time |
| Time of Day | A time |
| Duration | A length of time |
| Checkbox | A true/false value |
| Email Address | An email address |
| Phone Number | A phone number |
| URL | A web link |
| File | An uploaded file or signature |
| User | A reference to a user of the instance |
| User Multi-Choice | One or more users |
| GPS | A geographic location |
| Formula | A calculated value (SQL or JavaScript) |
| Lookup | A value pulled from a related table's record |
| Summary | An aggregate (count, sum, average, etc.) across a related table |
| Report | A report embedded within a record |
For details on how each type behaves, see the field types reference.
Field settings
Along with the name and type, each field has settings that control how it behaves and appears. The most common ones, available on nearly every type:
- Required: the field must have a value before a record can be saved.
- Unique: no two records can share the same value.
- Default Value: the value pre-filled when adding a new record.
- Reportable: the field can be used in report aggregations.
- Searchable: the field is included when searching the table.
- Help Text: guidance shown to users when entering data.
Many types have their own additional settings. For example:
- Text can display as plain text, a secret, or a barcode.
- Number can display as a number, percent, currency, rating, or progress bar.
- Text Multi-Choice lets you define choices and control whether users can add new ones or select multiple.
- Date, Date/Time, and Time of Day can default to now and choose a display format.
- Formula supports SQL or JavaScript, with a selectable return type.
- Lookup and Summary let you pull data from related tables.
Most field types also have a Foreign Key section, which turns the field into a relationship to another table. This is useful when you want a field to reference records from a different table in a form or grid.
Built-in fields
Every table automatically comes with five built-in fields that track record metadata:
| Field | What it tracks |
|---|---|
| Record ID | A unique identifier for each record |
| Date Created | When the record was created |
| Date Modified | When the record was last changed |
| Record Owner | The user who created the record |
| Last Modified By | The user who last changed the record |
These appear in the field list like any other field, but they cannot be deleted; High Systems protects them because every record depends on them. They're also shown automatically at the bottom of record forms.
Editing a field
Click the pencil icon next to a field in the field list to open its editor. From here you can change its name, tweak its settings, or change its type entirely. Click Save to apply your changes.
Changing a field's type migrates the existing data in that column. While High Systems handles the conversion, it's a good idea to make sure existing data will convert cleanly before switching types on a field that already has records.
You can also duplicate a field from the field list using the duplicate icon. The copy is named "Copy of" followed by the original name, which is handy for creating several similar fields.
Deleting a field
To delete a field, use the delete icon in the field list, or the red Delete button on the field's edit page. Both ask you to confirm: the edit page requires you to type delete field before the deletion can proceed.
Deleting a field permanently removes every value stored in that column. This cannot be undone. If other fields depend on it (for example a formula, lookup, or summary that references it), the deletion will be blocked until those dependencies are removed.
Fields in the records grid
Fields appear as columns in the table's record grid (the reports on the table dashboard). A few things to know:
- To add or edit fields, use the field list in Table Settings; the grid is for viewing and editing records, not the schema.
- Hover over a column header and open its menu to sort, group, reorder, or pin the column. If your role has settings access, you'll also see an Edit Field shortcut that takes you straight to that field's editor.
- Column order and visibility in the grid are per-view preferences and reset when the page reloads. To change which columns appear by default, edit the report's columns in Settings → Reports, or the table's Default Columns in Settings → Properties.
What's next?
Fields feed everything else you build: reports group them, forms lay them out, and the query language searches them.
Everything in this guide can also be done through the High Systems REST API. See the Fields endpoint reference for details.