Parameter - field descriptions

Fields are presented in the order that they are presented in a form. Click a link to see the field descriptions for the form.

Main tab

Use this tab to enter general information about the parameter, such as type, calculation indicators, or equation indicators.

Attribute

Use these fields to enter additional information for the parameter.

Calc Ind
Select the calculation indicator from the list. The choices are:
  • all calc – for regular parameters

  • test condition – for parameters used for test conditions. These parameters will be seen by tests regardless of whether they are added to a lab.

Other choices are reserved for future implementation.
Code
Select the Enumerated List that the parameter will use.
Data Type

Select the type of data that will be entered for the parameter. The choices are:

  • Long – Integers
  • Double – Integers with decimals
  • String
  • Boolean – True/False
  • Date
  • Phrase

For boolean type parameters (AND, OR, Numeric Min, Numeric Max) use Double.

Equation Code

Select an equation.

To assign an equation to the parameter, you must set the Equation Indicator to a value other than None.

Equation Ind

Indicate whether the parameter value is derived from an equation.

The choices are:
  • none - no equation is attached to the parameter

  • total value equation - parameter calculated at the formula level by an equation. Use for non-boolean parameter types that are derived from other parameter or items. The parameter is assigned to the Equation category in the lab. Equation Total parameters do not appear at item level.

  • rollup param total test - for boolean type parameters (AND, OR, Numeric Min, Numeric Max) with attached equations that are classified as rollup. You can assign an equation to check if a restricted item is included in the formula (parameter type OR) and display an alert message if true. The parameter is assigned to the Rollup category.

  • calculated parameter - for parameters calculated at the item level, then subsequently rolled up (Not for Num Info.) The parameter is assigned to the Rollup category. Users click the Calc button on the Item form to calculate the parameter. In higher level formulas, the value is rolled up from the items. Do not select Numeric Info parameter type. To return a string value from an equation to a parameter, select "calculated parameter". Set the Type to a Character info and the data type as String. Add the parameter to the lab as an information parameter.

Format Code
Specify the display format for the parameter. Use # as a numerical placeholder, and zero as a fill character.
  • ##.# applied to 52.285 displays as 52.3.
  • 0.## applied to .2610 displays as 0.26.
  • 00.0 applied to 1133.981 displays as 1134.0.
  • ##.# applied to 1133.981 displays as 1134.0.

Leave this field empty for Date data types. Date formats will default from the server’s regional setting, which can be overridden with the user’s client setting.

Indicator
Select the type of enumeration this parameter uses.
  • None
  • Enum Query
  • Enum Val List
Max

Enter the highest acceptable numeric value for this parameter.

Min

Enter the lowest acceptable numeric value for this parameter.

Missing Values

  • Rollup as null - A field with no value is rolled up as empty (null). A formula that contains an item with this parameter will have no value for the parameter. Parameters set to rollup missing values as null are temporarily set to zero during advanced adjustment.

  • Rollup as zero - A field with no value is rolled up as zero. A formula that contains an item with this parameter will roll up as zero from the item

  • Rollup as null, Combine as zero - This choice determines how ingredient parameters that have a null value are rolled up on the formula. For scenarios, see the Optiva Application Configuration Guide.

Parameter Type
Select the type of parameter from the list:
  • Character Info
  • Numeric Info
  • AND True/False
  • Cost
  • Weight %
  • Volume %
  • Equivalent Weight
  • Unit Activity
  • UOM Extend
  • UOM Conversion Factor
Style

Use this selection for parameters that have enumerated list queries or value lists.

The choices are:
  • Default
  • Lookup
  • Drop-list
  • Date
  • Multi-value drop-list
  • Multi-value lookup
Change History

This field is used in conjunction with the Change History feature. Use this field to specify how much information you wish to track in Change History for the parameter. You can track only the manual overrides to the parameter value or you can track both the manual overrides and the calculated values.

By default, only manual overrides to the parameter value are displayed in the Change History tab of the object form. For more information, see the Optiva Application Configuration Guide.

UOM Extend

Select the base unit of measure for the parameter. If the parameter is measured as a base unit of measure per other unit of measure, enter the base UOM here and the per UOM in the per UOM field.

Displaying parameter descriptions in different languages

You can configure Optiva to display parameter descriptions in different languages. For complete details, see the Optiva Application Configuration Guide.

  1. Click Description Language. This button is displayed beside the Description field only if you have the appropriate form security privileges to FRMLANGUAGEDESCRIPTION.
  2. In the Description Language dialog, select a language code and specify the parameter description that you wish to display for the corresponding language code. Click OK.
  3. Click Save.

Classification tab

You can assign set(s) to Optiva objects. The values that are available for selection are configured by your Optiva administrator.

Sets are a useful method for categorizing your objects and for filtering data when performing lookups and searches. For example, food manufacturers can have separate classifications (set codes) for Baked Goods, Fast Food, Frozen Food, and so forth.

By default, objects are only shown in the lab in which they were created. Once you assign sets to an object, those objects can be seen by users in other labs.

To hide objects from other labs, do not assign them to a set.

Alternate Units tab

Use this tab to display parameters in different units of measure. If no filter is selected, users see the parameter in the default unit of measure the way it is defined in the Main tab.

Users can view the parameter in different units of measure by selecting a filter that is pre-configured to display a different UOM.

Description
Shows a description of the unit of measure.
Equation Code From

Select the value that will be used to convert the parameter value back to the base unit of measure.

Equation Code To

Select the value that will be used to convert the parameter value from the base unit of measure to the designated alternate unit of measure.

Format Mask

Enter a unique display format for the alternate unit of measure.

L#
Shows a system-assigned line number.
Maximum

Shows the result of multiplying the Maximum value by the ratio.

Minimum

Shows the result of multiplying the Minimum value by the ratio.

Per UOM
Select a unit of measure from the list.

If the parameter is measured per unit of formula, select the formula unit of measure. For example, if the default UOM is grams per kilogram, the alternate UOM could be ounces per pound.

Ratio

Shows the conversion factor between the default unit of measure and the alternate unit of measure. This is defined in the Unit of Measure page.

If the Equation Code To and Equation Code From fields have entries, the ratio is ignored.

UOM Extend
Select a unit of measure from the list.

  • The first row can be the base unit of measure (as indicated in the Main tab).

  • For subsequent rows, select an alternate unit of measure for the parameter.

For example, if the base unit of measure is grams, ounces could be the alternate unit of measure.

Reports tab

Use this tab to view the labs, filters, and templates the parameter has been assigned to. These templates include:

  • Formula Templates
  • Item Templates
  • Specification Templates