User fields can be used for any purpose you wish. For example, you might use these fields to record the cost of a component (the price you pay to the supplier or vendor), lead time for ordering, preferred supplier, stock number, and so on. The information is particularly useful in reports and in searching the database for the most appropriate component.

User fields consist of two elements: the field title and the field value. Field titles are shared across databases (that is, all components in all the databases have the same user field titles), and field values are unique to an individual component. Typically, a manager or project leader would populate this level of the database.

  User fields must be given titles before they can be used to record values.

Complete the following steps to set up or modify user field titles:

  1. Click the Database manager button from the Standard toolbar.

    Or

    Choose Tools»Database»Database manager.

  2. Click the User field titles tab.
  3. Click the appropriate Title.
  4. Enter or change the name for the Title. This name will appear in the Component Properties dialog box for all components in all databases.