Column Types
A column type is defined by the type of data you want to input into a column. It doesn’t just help in entering and displaying data accurately; it also defines data processing, such as configuration or calculation.
TeamDesk allows users to create the most frequently used column types (Text, Numeric, Date, etc.) as well as special column types (Formula columns, Summary columns, Lookup columns) and generates System columns.
Suppose you or your database users want to enter a Client Name, Phone number, or Date of Birth into the created database. Just select the Text type, the Phone number type, and the Date type for the columns, respectively. If you want to enter a Client Address or another data containing a long description, we recommend choosing the Text-Multi-line type for this column.
Physical Columns
| Column Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Text | This column type allows a user to enter single-line data in a simple text format limited by the width of # characters. |
| Text - Multi-line | This column type allows a user to enter multi-line data in a simple text format. The column of this type supports basic text formatting, and the number of characters is not limited. |
| Numeric | This column type allows a user to enter numbers in a simple numeric format (integer numbers by default). |
| Numeric - Currency | This column type allows a user to enter numbers in the currency format, for example, "$25.35". |
| Numeric - Percent | This column type allows a user to enter numbers in a simple numeric format that will be represented as a percentage. |
| Numeric - Rating | This column type allows a user to enter a rate value in the predefined range. |
| Date | This column type allows a user to enter a date value in the predefined format. The date in the column can be entered manually or with the help of the Calendar icon located to the right of the field. |
| Time | This column type allows a user to enter a time value in the predefined format. |
| Duration | This column type allows the user to enter a duration period up to the second, for example, "12.35 h". |
| Timestamp | This column type allows a user to specify a composite value containing time and date values together, for example: "10/24/2006 5:57 PM". Note that this composite value is stored in a timezone-independent format and displayed with regard to the current user’s timezone. |
| Checkbox | This column type is represented as a checkbox; a user should select it if the condition described in the column name is true and leave it not selected if the condition is false. |
| Phone Number | This column type allows a user to enter a telephone number. |
| E-mail Address | This column type allows a user to enter an e-mail. Note that the ‘at’ symbol (@) and a top-level domain should be obligatory present in this field. |
| User | This column type allows a user to select an entry from the list of users currently registered in a database. |
| File Attachment | This column type allows a user to attach a file stored on the computer or in the local area network to a record. |
| URL | This column type allows a user to enter a URL (a locator of a document on the Internet), for example, "http://teamdesk.net". |
| AutoNumber | This column type allows a user to enter a value that will be automatically incremented when a new entry in the table is added. |
| Barcode | It allows entering a specific code via an input field on edit form and displaying it as a QR code or barcode image on views, record preview forms, and documents. |
| Location | The Location column is designed to hold the latitude and the longitude as a single entity and optionally visualize it on a map. |
Formula-Columns
Using Formula-Columns, you may calculate or generate a combination of other columns. For example, you want to calculate the Total Price in your invoice or join the First Name column and the Last Name column in one Client Name column.
| Column Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Formula-Text | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required text value. |
| Formula-Numeric | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required numeric value. |
| Formula-Date | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required date value. |
| Formula-Time | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required time value. |
| Formula-Duration | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required duration value. |
| Formula-Timestamp | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required timestamp value. |
| Formula-Checkbox | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required checkbox value. |
| Formula-Phone Number | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required phone number value. |
| Formula-E-mail Address | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required e-mail address value. |
| Formula-User | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required user value. |
| Formula-URL | This column type allows a user to specify a formula calculating a required URL value. |
| Formula-Barcode | This column type allows a user to specify a formula that will generate a barcode or a QR code. |
| Formula-XHTML | This column type provides a way to decorate the value with tags and styles. It is a mixture of limited (X)HTML markup and TeamDesk formula language. |
| Formula-Location | Formula column options match the Location column. |
Special Columns
There may be times when you want to represent specific data or calculations of specific data from other tables. TeamDesk comprises special columns for these purposes.
| Column Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Reference Column | This column appears in a detail record and lets users select the master record that the detail is related to. |
| Lookup Column | This is a column in the detail table used to represent a specific data from the master table. |
| Summary Column | This is a column in the master table used to represent calculation of specific data from the detail table. |
| System Column | This column is generated automatically as an essential attribute of your table. |