Custom data — the basics
Custom data lets you keep your own kinds of records in SHIPM8, beyond the ones the app comes with. If you've ever wished you could keep a simple list of your things — each with the same set of details filled in — this is where you set that up.
Two words are used throughout, and they're simpler than they sound:
- An object is the kind of thing you want to keep. Think of it as a blank form or a table. For example: "Inspections", "Contracts", or "Equipment".
- A field is one piece of information on that form — one box to fill in. For an "Inspections" object, the fields might be Date, Inspector, Result, and Notes.
So you first create the object (the form), then add the fields (the boxes on it). After that, people can add entries — one filled-in form per entry.
Where to find it
Open it from Sidebar → Admin → Custom data. You need the Custom data admin permission; if you don't see it, ask your administrator.
This is the general custom-data area. The Cost Calculator has its own object definitions, which are covered in the Cost Calculator guide instead.
What you can do
- Find an object — search the existing objects.
- Create an object — set up a new kind of record.
- Field types — the kinds of boxes you can add, in plain words.
- Add a field — put a box on the form.
- Field options — required, read-only, unique, and so on.
- List fields (choices) — build a drop-down of choices.
- Linked fields — pull in information from another record.
- Manage & advanced — edit, switch on/off, import, and a note on the more technical settings.
This screen has some advanced settings aimed at administrators. You can build a perfectly good object using just the basics on these pages and safely leave the rest on their default values — we point out which parts you can skip.
A few buttons — Save, New, Add, Edit, Search — show in English even when the app is set to Dutch. This guide uses those English labels so they match your screen.