Fields

Fields are field definitions that define the data structure for tasks. Fields can be created and assigned at different levels, and tasks inherit fields from the hierarchy above them to form their complete data structure.

Overview

Fields define what information can be collected and stored in tasks. When you create a field, you’re defining a reusable data structure that can be used across different tasks. The fields assigned to a task determine what the “form” looks like for that task—what information needs to be collected, what’s required, and how it’s validated.

Organization-Level Fields

Organization-level fields are standard fields that can be used in any space within the organization. These fields are created by organization admins and serve as organizational standards.

Purpose

The purpose of organization-level fields is to set standards that can be used across all spaces. For example, an organization might create a “Student ID” field with custom validation logic. This ensures consistency and data quality across the entire organization.

Data Protection

To minimize the risk of data mishandling, the organization may require that any space wishing to create tasks that collect a particular piece of data must use the organization-level field definition. This ensures:

• Consistent validation rules across all spaces
• Standardized data formats
• Reduced risk of data errors or inconsistencies
• Centralized control over critical data fields

Space-Level Fields

Space admins can create their own fields at the space level for intra-department data submission. These fields are specific to that space and can be used for data that doesn’t need to be standardized across the organization.

Space-level fields allow teams to:

• Collect department-specific information
• Customize data collection for their unique needs
• Maintain flexibility while still using organization standards where required

Field Assignment Levels

Fields can be assigned at different levels in the hierarchy. When a field is assigned at a level, it applies to all tasks at that level and below. A task inherits all fields assigned at the levels above it in the hierarchy.

Space-Level Assignment

If a field is assigned at the space level, then all tasks in that space, regardless of which list they belong to, will have that field present.

If the field is marked as required in its definition, it will be required to be filled out by all tasks in that space before completion.

Folder-Level Assignment

A field assigned at the folder level will be present in all tasks in any list within that folder.

This is useful when you want certain fields to apply to all tasks in a workflow or all tasks related to a concept, but not necessarily to all tasks in the space.

List-Level Assignment

A field assigned at the list level will be present in all task instances in that list.

This is the most specific level of assignment, allowing you to add fields that are unique to a particular kind of task.

How Tasks Inherit Fields

The space/folder/list hierarchy is used to create what the “form” will be for any task. A task inherits all the fields that are assigned at the hierarchy levels above it:

Task Form = 
  Space-level fields +
  Folder-level fields (if task is in a folder) +
  List-level fields

For example:

• If a “Student ID” field is assigned at the space level, all tasks in that space will have it
• If a “Department Notes” field is assigned at the folder level, all tasks in lists within that folder will have it
• If a “Special Instructions” field is assigned at the list level, only tasks in that specific list will have it

A task in a list within a folder will have all three fields, while a task in a list that’s not in a folder will only have space-level and list-level fields.

Field Definitions

When creating a field definition, you can specify:

• Field name and type: What the field is called and what kind of data it stores
• Validation rules: Custom validation logic to ensure data quality
• Required status: Whether the field must be filled out before a task can be completed
• Default values: Default data that appears in the field
• Options/choices: For fields like dropdowns or checkboxes

Creating and Managing Fields

• Organization-level fields: Created by organization admins and available to all spaces
• Space-level fields: Created by space admins and available only within that space
• Field assignment: Fields are assigned to spaces, folders, or lists by the appropriate admins

This hierarchical approach to field definition and assignment provides both standardization where needed and flexibility where appropriate, ensuring data quality while allowing teams to customize their work processes.