Creating and Editing Columns

 

Once you have created a list, you’re not stuck with the list of columns you start out with. You can change the properties of the existing columns or create completely new ones. Columns are always created or modified using the Columns Tab of the List Properties dialog. (You can get to the List Properties dialog when you are creating a new list by pushing the Properties button on the Create New List dialog. To open the List Properties dialog for an existing list, select the list and either choose Properties from the Edit menu or just double-click the list name).

 

You can create a new column by pushing the Add button. You’ll see the Add Column dialog, where you can enter a column name and choose a column type. If you want, you can set the columns properties at that time by pushing the Properties button. Or you can just push OK to get a column with default properties.

 

You can edit an existing column’s properties by selecting the column and pushing the Modify button, or just by double-clicking the column name. The dialog you see will depend on the type of column.

 

All columns have a name property, so the Column Properties window will always include a Name field. String and Linked columns have no other properties, so for these column types there will be no other information to edit. In addition, the predefined Checkbox, Flag, Priority and Amount columns do not allow editing any properties other than Name. Property information for other column types is described below.

 

You won't be able to edit columns that are Autodate or calculated columns. You'll only be able to edit Linked columns in item view, as in list view clicking on them activates them.

 

Category Columns

Number Columns

Date Columns

When choosing a calculation for the column, the way the Number column is interpreted depends on the Form of the Date column. If the Date column is Date Only or Date and Time, the Number column that is added or subtracted is interpreted as a number of days. If the Date column is Time Only, the Number column is interpreted as a number of minutes. Fractional days and minutes may be used. For example, 0.01 days is about 15 minutes.

 

Yes/No Columns

Three State Columns