Table of Contents
Interactive Demo
Custom Attributes Use Cases
Custom Attributes Settings Location
Setting Up Custom Attributes
Custom Attribute Form – Field Descriptions
Custom Attributes Types Description
Custom Attribute Type Descriptions
Editing Custom Attributes
Deleting Custom Attributes
Impact on the Demand Form
Demand Bulk Edit
Managing Custom Attributes Visibility
Custom Attributes in API & Data Hub
Using Custom Attributes for Reporting
Practical Use Cases for Custom Attributes in Demand Planning
Interactive Demo
Explore Foresight Connect Custom Attributes below with an interactive demo. Click Get Started to navigate seamlessly through the interface and discover a feature. You can restart the demo at any time.
Custom Attributes Use Cases
Custom attributes in the Demand Form allow organizations to define and customize data fields to fit their specific staffing and project needs. These attributes enhance demand planning by enabling better filtering, bulk actions, and seamless integration with external tools via API and Data Hub. By leveraging custom attributes, teams reduce manual effort, improve accuracy, and optimize resource allocation. The article below explains configuring and using custom attributes effectively to streamline workflows and enhance decision-making.
Custom Attributes Settings Location
To add Custom Attributes, follow these steps:
| Log in to the Administrator Role Account ➡ Go to the General Settings Tab ➡ Go to the Custom Attributes Subsection ➡ Click the Add Custom Attribute button to continue |
Setting Up Custom Attributes
After clicking "Add Custom Attribute," a form appears with the following fields:
Custom Attribute Form – Field Descriptions |
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| Field | Function | Visibility | Additional Notes |
| Attribute Name | Defines the name of the custom attribute, displayed in the Demand form. | Visible to administrators (in settings) and managers (in the Demand form). | Required for the attribute to be created. |
| Applies To | Defines the entity to which the attribute applies (default: "Demand"). | Read-only field for administrators. | Currently, only applicable to Demands but may expand in the future. |
| Attribute Type | Determines the data type for the attribute. Cannot be changed after setup. | Configured by the administrator, visible to both administrators and managers. | Options: Text, Integer, Decimal, Date, Time, Date & Time, Boolean, URL, Manager. |
| Predefined List | Enables a predefined list of values for selection. | Configured by administrators, visible to managers if enabled. | Once enabled, administrators need to define the possible values. |
| Managers are required to fill this field | Determines if this attribute is mandatory when creating or editing a Demand. | Visible only to administrators during attribute setup. | If checked, managers must fill in this field when creating a Demand. |
| Pre-filled Value | Sets a predefined value that appears when a manager fills in the Demand form. | Visible to administrators when setting up the attribute. | Supports Markdown formatting. |
| Define how updates affect existing entries | Determines how the default value is applied when an administrator updates an existing attribute. | Only visible to administrators. | Applies only when updating an existing attribute, not on first creation. Options: Propagate for empty, Do nothing, Propagate for all values. |
| Internal Notes (Admins Only) | Provides additional details about the attribute’s purpose. | Visible only to administrators in the Custom Attributes list. | Not visible to managers in the Demand form. Useful for internal documentation. |
| Who Can Access? | Determines which user roles (System Admin, Everyone, Manager, custom Security Groups) have read and write access. | Configured by administrators. | Read → Users can see the attribute. Write → Users can modify the attribute. If no Read access, the attribute is hidden. |
| Buttons | Cancel – Discards the attribute setup. Add – Saves and applies the new attribute. | Visible to administrators. | - |
Custom Attributes Types Description
Custom Attribute Type Descriptions |
|
| Type | Description |
| Text (Free Input) | Allows any string input. Used for free-text fields where users can enter names, descriptions, or other text-based data. |
| Whole Number | Allows whole numbers only (e.g., 1, 25, 100). Used for fields that require numeric values without decimals. |
| Decimal Number | Allows decimal numbers (e.g., 3.14, 99.99). Useful for cases requiring fractional values, such as cost rates. |
| Date Picker | Requires selecting a date (YYYY-MM-DD format). Used for scheduling or deadline tracking. |
| Time Picker | Requires selecting a time (HH:MM format). Useful for tracking specific hours or durations. |
| Date & Time Picker | Requires both date and time selection. Used for timestamping events, deadlines, or project milestones. |
| Toggle (Yes/No) | A toggle-style field (Yes/No, On/Off). Useful for binary choices such as "Is Active?" or "Requires Approval?". |
| Website Link | Requires a valid web address. Used for linking external resources, documentation, or reference pages. |
| Select a Manager | Dropdown list of managers within the system. Allows users to select a manager from predefined options. |
Editing Custom Attributes
|
Log in to the Administrator Role Account ➡ Go to the General Settings Tab ➡ Go to the Custom Attributes Subsection ➡ Click the Edit Custom Attribute |
Administrators can edit existing Custom Attributes by clicking the edit (pencil) icon next to the attribute. In the edit form, the "Type" field and the "List," "Many," and "Required" checkboxes are grayed out and cannot be changed. Once changes are saved, they take effect immediately in the system.
Deleting Custom Attributes
|
Log in to the Administrator Role Account ➡ Go to the General Settings Tab ➡ Go to the Custom Attributes Subsection ➡ Click the Delete Custom Attribute 0 |
To delete a Custom Attribute, click the trash icon next to it. A confirmation message appears:
- "Yes, I want to remove the custom attribute and ALL data related to it."
After confirming, the attribute and all related data are permanently deleted.
Impact on the Demand Form
Added Custom Attributes appear in the Demand form under the "Details" tab. Their visibility to managers depends on assigned permissions:
- No read access –The field is hidden.
- Read access – The manager can view the field's value.
- Read and write access – The manager can view and edit the field's value.
Demand Bulk Edit
Custom Attributes are also available in Bulk Edit mode. To modify these fields in bulk, a user must have read and write permissions for the attribute. Custom Attributes appear in the "Details" section in the Bulk Edit view.
Learn more about Bulk Edit: Managing Demand in Bulk: Bulk Edit and Bulk Create
Practical Use Cases for Custom Attributes in Demand Planning
Custom attributes in Foresight allow organizations to define tailored data fields that align with their unique staffing and project needs. Below are real-world business use cases demonstrating how companies can leverage custom attributes for optimized demand planning.
1. IT Consulting Firm – Skills-Based Resource Matching
| Custom Attribute | Primary Technology Stack (Dropdown List: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.) |
| Business Case | A large IT consultancy firm needs to quickly match available engineers with specific client project requirements based on cloud certifications and technology expertise. |
| Outcome | By adding a custom attribute for primary technology expertise, managers can filter demand requests by required skills, ensuring faster and more precise assignments. |
2. Marketing Agency – Project Deadline Tracking
| Custom Attribute | Client Campaign Launch Date (Date Picker) |
| Business Case | A digital marketing agency manages multiple campaigns with tight deadlines and needs a clear timeline for resource allocation. |
| Outcome | Adding a "Campaign Launch Date" attribute to demand forms allows the agency to prioritize projects that require urgent staffing, ensuring that creative teams meet client expectations on time. |
3. Construction & Engineering – Compliance and Certification Management
| Custom Attribute | OSHA Safety Certification (Yes/No Toggle) |
| Business Case | A construction company must ensure that assigned workers meet safety certification requirements before being scheduled for a project. |
| Outcome | By integrating a custom "OSHA Certification" field in the demand form, managers can filter out non-compliant staff and assign only certified employees to high-risk construction sites. |
4. Financial Services – Budget Allocation for Consulting Hours
| Custom Attribute | Client Budget Approval Status (Dropdown: Pending, Approved, Rejected) |
| Business Case |
A financial advisory firm needs to track client-approved budgets before assigning consultants to projects. |
| Outcome | The "Budget Approval Status" field enables managers to quickly identify which engagements have confirmed budgets, preventing consultants from working on unapproved projects. |
5. Healthcare & Life Sciences – Shift Planning for Specialists
| Custom Attribute | Physician Specialty (Dropdown: Cardiology, Orthopedics, Neurology, etc.) |
| Business Case |
A hospital using Foresight for workforce management requires specialist doctors to be allocated efficiently to shifts based on patient needs. |
| Outcome | By adding a "Physician Specialty" custom attribute, schedulers can filter demand for specific departments (e.g., Cardiology) and assign available doctors with the correct expertise, reducing administrative workload. |
6. Legal Firms – Case Complexity for Attorney Assignments
| Custom Attribute | Case Complexity Level (Integer: 1-5 Scale) |
| Business Case |
A legal services firm needs to ensure that senior attorneys handle complex cases, while junior associates manage simpler ones. |
| Outcome | Assigning a complexity score to each legal demand ensures cases are evenly distributed, optimizing workload and improving client outcomes. |
7. Software Development – Remote Work Eligibility
| Custom Attribute | Remote Work Allowed? (Yes/No Toggle) |
| Business Case |
A software development company needs to track which projects can be staffed with remote engineers. |
| Outcome | Managers can filter demand forms by the "Remote Work Allowed" attribute, ensuring that only eligible staffers are assigned to remote-friendly projects. |
8. Manufacturing – Urgent Staffing for Supply Chain Disruptions
| Custom Attribute | Urgency Level (Dropdown: Low, Medium, High) |
| Business Case |
A manufacturing company experiences supply chain issues and needs to reallocate workers to critical production lines. |
| Outcome | By setting an "Urgency Level" attribute in demand forms, managers can prioritize high-urgency shifts and ensure that production delays are minimized. |
9. Media & Entertainment – Equipment Reservation Tracking
| Custom Attribute | Required Equipment (Text Field: Cameras, Lighting, Editing Software, etc.) |
| Business Case |
A media production house needs to ensure that film crews have access to the right equipment when scheduling projects. |
| Outcome | Adding a "Required Equipment" attribute to demand forms helps production managers allocate resources efficiently, avoiding scheduling conflicts. |
10. Staffing Agencies – Candidate Background Check Status
| Custom Attribute | Background Check Completed? (Yes/No Toggle) |
| Business Case | A staffing agency must ensure that temporary workers have completed background checks before being assigned to clients. |
| Outcome | With a custom attribute for background check status, recruiters can easily track compliance and assign only cleared candidates to job openings. |