CA Service Management

Sad thing - I have no rights to create polls in this communty, so I'm starting discussion about most common customization - Creating new attribute in existing table.

Every time I receive a request to publish new attribute I have a question, what data type fit better for specified task.

For example, I need to add kind of type to Request Category, values are static, will not change in foreseeable future and could be defined as : TypeA, TypeB, TypeC.

I have selected 3 ways to define attribute:

1. Create integer attrbiute and show it as Dropdown where: 0 or NULL will be <Empty>, 1 - TypeA, 2 - TypeB, 3 - TypeC.
2. Create string attribute and show it as Dropdown where: NULL will be <Empty>, TypeA will be TypeA, etc.
3. Create new table with Categorie's Types and publish attribute as SREL to new table.

All described methods have same look in user interface.

Looking for the best practices and community experience, I would like to ask:

Which way you prefer?

Any comments are welcome

Hi Timur,

In my opinion, the right way to do this would be to create a "Req_Cat_Type" table and populate that with the different category types. Then add a field to the category table as an SREL to the Req_Cat_Type table.  Then you can use a dropdown on the form to display the possible values for that field.  I think in the long term, that would serve you better.

Hope this helps,

Jon I.

Hi Timur - As a Champion you should be able to create polls. I have made sure you have the ability. It's something I'll talk about at tomorrow's Office Hours. Whenever a Champion wants to do something in their community they should be able to and if they can't should just reach out to me to make sure it happens. One of the perks! Check it out and let me know if you have any questions. Regards, Chris

Hi cdtj,

My own practice will be as below:

1. Use integer whenever possible because this is the most performing option. Values are very limited (up to 5) and static with no future expand.This is the best in term of db performance and good compromise on web server resource side if you limit the number of case.

2. Use SREL when those data are more dynamics, non limited values and may require extend in the future but make sure to create necessary index in the mdb (as Schema Designer don't do automatically) to again maintain optimal performance.

3. String at last when no other choice but as you already have the 2 previous you never come to that one

Overall creating SREL is of course the more flexible solution over the time but can have a long term significant cost in terms of performance that you need to compensate with CPU/RAM that mean money at the end.

I personally prefer to use that money for some good Belgium beers but this is just a personal choice and I don't force any one to drink beers

my 2 cents,

/J

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen!

I'm using it in the same order as jmayer says, but actually didn't used string for this purposes.

I agree with Jon_Israel that defining new table is a correct way, but we already have 98 custom created tables, so I'm thinking twice before creating a new one. Also there at least 2 new forms should be created, to handle details and lists, which will be never used after attributes creation procedure.

Thank you Chris_Hackett! Now I have possibility to create new polls

PS: jmayer hoegaarden is one of my favorites and I hope that someday I'll taste original Belgian beer brewed in a correct place, not in our locals