Value lists

Value lists are lists that apply to all authorities in an organisation. Each value list represents a group of standardised texts used in connection with different tasks.

An example of a value list is the request types, which may contain text strings such as:

Office reply
Report
Alert
For information.

An organisation’s participant types are also managed using value lists.

A value list can be used as the basis of data in extension fields through a configuration. The external ID of the value list items are used as the storage value in F2, which means that when a value list item is updated, it is also updated on records and cases where it is already in use. This enables users to search for records and cases using the current value of the value list item. Configurations are performed in cooperation with cBrain.

Value list administration

As a standard, value lists are created in connection with the F2 installation and maintained in the “Value list administration” dialogue.

To open the dialogue, select the “Administrator” tab and click on Value list administration in the ribbon.

Figure 1. The “Value list administration” menu item

Click on the drop-down arrow in the “Value list administration” dialogue to select one of F2’s value lists.

The figure below shows examples of value lists that are available in an F2 installation.

Figure 2. The “Value list administration” dialogue

The list varies depending on the available add-on modules.

Once a list is chosen, its values are displayed in the window. Values are created as subitems for each list.

Right-click on a value list and the following options become available:

Create item
Rename value list
Sort item
Check for inconsistent deactivation
Import value list
Export value list.

Right-click on a value list item and the following options become available:

Create item
Rename item
Deactivate item
Selectable item
Sort item
Import/Export item
Item properties.

Tick “Selectable” to make the the text (type) selectable where it appears. Untick “Selectable” to make the text visible, but not selectable.

Non-selectable texts are used as titles for value list nodes that have sub-classifications, such as file plans.

Figure 3. The context menu of a value list item

A value list item cannot be deleted, only deactivated. Deactivating a node in the item tree will also deactivate all value list items it contains.

Sorting value lists

In the “Value list administration” dialogue it is possible to sort value list items on any level alphabetically. Right-click on a list, and select Sort in the context menu. F2 then sorts the selected list alphabetically. Only the selected level will be sorted. Any sublevels will not be affected.

Figure 4. Sorting a value list

Create a new value list

Users with the “Value list administrator” privilege can create new value lists in the “Value list administration” dialogue. Open the dialogue and click on New value list.

Figure 5. Value list administration

In the “Create new value list” dialogue, enter the value list’s name and ID.

Figure 6. Create a new value list

New value lists will most likely be created in connection with the add-on modules F2 Management Dashboards, F2 Search Templates, and F2 Task Guides. For these modules the value list ID is used in connection with the customisation of F2.

Value list items

Users with the “Value list administrator” privilege can import value list items via an XML file or create them directly in F2. Each value list item is defined from certain parameters which vary depending on the type of list. Three obligatory parameters exist which are shared by all value lists:

Type
Name
External ID.

These are described in detail in the table below.

Parameter	XML code	Description
Type	TypeId	Denotes the value list to which the item belongs. Example: “Flag”.
Name	Title	The name of the value list item determined by its creator. Example: “Urgent”.
External ID	ExternalId	An ID that must be unique for each value list item. Example: “Flag_Urgent”.

Parameter

XML code

Description

Type

TypeId

Denotes the value list to which the item belongs.

Example: “Flag”.

Name

Title

The name of the value list item determined by its creator.

Example: “Urgent”.

External ID

ExternalId

An ID that must be unique for each value list item.

Example: “Flag_Urgent”.

The figure below shows an example of a value list item’s XML code, in this case the code for the “Urgent” flag.

Figure 7. Example of value list item in XML file

Importing a value list item to F2

Value list items can be imported to F2 via an XML file. Depending on the file’s content, existing value list items in F2 will be either moved or updated, and any new items will be created.

Click the Value list administration menu item on the “Administrator” tab. The “Value list administration” dialogue opens. Choose a list from the Select a type drop-down menu.

Right-click on the top node in the list and select Import from the right-click menu. On the figure below, the “Flag” value list has been chosen.

Figure 8. Context menu for the “Flag” value list

Before F2 imports the file with value list items, a message is displayed informing the user of the effects of the import.

Figure 9. Importing value list items

Click Yes to execute the import and have F2 move, create, and update the value list items based on the content of the imported file.

Files with value list items must be in XML format and contain the correct formatting. The formatting appears in F2’s existing value lists which can be exported and then accessed in a programme compatible with XML files.

Creating a value list item in F2

It is possible to create value list items in F2 by clicking Value list administration on the “Administrator” tab. The dialogue “Value list administration” opens from which a list can be selected from the Select a type drop-down menu.

The name of the selected list type and any items that already exist are then displayed. Right-click on the list’s name and select Create to open the “Create value list element” dialogue. On the figure below, the dialogue has been opened from the “Flag” value list.

Figure 10. Create a value list item from the “Flag” list

Enter a name for the new value list item. F2 automatically suggests an external ID when a name has been entered. For example, a new flag with the name “Urgent” will be assigned the external ID “Flag_Urgent”. However, the user may overwrite the suggested external ID.

A system cannot have two value list items with the same external ID. Each value list item must have a unique external ID.

In this dialogue it is also possible to add a description and an abbreviation to the value list item if necessary. In order to use the item, tick the “Active” box.

The above figure contains an additional field, “Colour”. This field is specific to the “Flag” value list. Use this to select a colour for the newly created flag. Other value lists may have fields that are specific to them also.