Empower Custom Fields

[MO Chemist]

I was wondering if it is possible to create a custom field in Empower that will allow it to be searched throughout the database. I am looking to add a column identification custom field that I can search for over the whole database and not just 1 project at a time. If anyone has any experience with this it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in Advance,

[benW]

Hi MO Chemist,
I am assuming that you would like to search from within Empower, and search in multiple projects to find this custom field - is this correct?

(but not create a custom field that can be searched by connecting directly to the database?)

There is certain functionality you may be able to use, so please add as much detail of how you want to use this and we can see how we can help.
Thanks and best regards,
Ben

[gstaepels]

Hello MO Chemist,

I have created custom fields (text fields) in Empower and included them in the views of the channels or results tables. If you enter =# in the custom field column then every time you open that view, a window pops up in which you can enter your criteria.
I hope this helps.

[MO Chemist]

I am looking for a way to streamline the way we log our column usage. I would create a field that the analyst would enter the column serial number in the sample set before the run. Then I would like to be able to search throughout the database to see how many injections have been run through the column. Our columns are used for many different clients/in different project folders. I understand how to search throughout the same project folder to see the amount of injections in that folder. I would like to know if it is possible to do a database search and be able to search through all the different project folders at once to see every time that particular column has been injected on.

Thanks again

[benW]

Hi Mo Chemist,
Yes this is possible.

This can be done by creating a Sample Set type custom field with data type as Text or Integer (probably text?). The entry will be keyboard. You should check the box "data entry required" to ensure that this sample set field is always populated (the user will not forget as otherwise it is not very clear).

Then to search these fields, open a global project. To do this, you will need the View Multiple Projects privilege and create view filters privilege. Then select multiple projects from the table of configuration manager and open. In Empower 2 you will then need to open any other projects from other parents using the activate other projects button in the project main window.

Then click on the Sample Sets tab and create a Just in time (JIT) view filter. This done by clicking on the Edit button in the view filter tool bar.
To create a JIT filter, add the custom field to the upper window, and in that column type "=#". Save this filter. When you now go to the sample set table in this global project, it will prompt for the column number you wish to find, type this in the box and click ok. The table will show all the Sample Sets that have used this column...

You can select all these sample sets, rightclick and use the "View as" injections to see all the injections for these sample sets that have used this column!

Viola.

Does this help or answer the question?

Cheers,
Ben

[MO Chemist]

Thanks Ben.
This looks great and should do exactly what we wanted.

[benW]

I am very pleased to help, and do update with any questions if there is anything that is unclear when doing this in practise.
Cheers,
Ben