To create custom tabs

Note: In order to create custom tabs, the user must have authorization level 8 for Customers or log on as MANAGER.

  1. Make sure all users exit iMIS before creating or modifying a tab.
  2. Back up your data before creating or modifying a tab.
  3. Make sure the field or tab does not have the same name as any table/field in iMIS or any SQL reserved word.
  4. Log on to the iMIS desktop as MANAGER.
  5. From Customers, select Set up module > General.
  6. In the Set up general options window, select Additional Windows.
  7. In the Customer Setup - Additional Windows window, select Custom Tabs.
  8. Click <New custom tab> in the Custom tab name drop down list.

    9. If a custom tab already exists, click the Custom tab name drop down list, choose <New custom tab>, and then enter the name for the tab.

  9. In the Custom Tab Designer window, specify the following options:
    • Custom tab name field — Enter the text to use as the tab label. You can use spaces and underscores (_), but do not use punctuation (',"), special characters, or SQL reserved words.

      • Warning!  

      If you use unsupported characters in the tab name, the next time you start iMIS, the Customers module may be inaccessible.

    • Number of columns field - Enter the number of columns to use for displaying the fields.
  10. Add fields to the custom tab:
    • Fields from Tables - For each field you want to add from an existing table, select the source table from the Available tables list, select the field name in the Available fields list, then click Add.
    • Fields from SQL Formulas - For each field you want to create from a SQL formula, select Create SQL field, specify a Prompt value and a valid SQL formula, then click Add SQL.

    You can create SQL fields to display values calculated from values in any of the available tables. For example, the custom tab could display a contact's age (calculated from the birth date) or the tab could include extra information for a contact whose income is in a specified range.

  11. (optional) To customize the prompt (text) that appears next to the active field (the field selected in the Current fields list), edit the text in the Prompt field. The Current fields list shows the Prompt setting for each field in parentheses after the field name.
  12. (optional) To make the active field appear at the beginning of a row, select the New row check box.
  13. (optional) To prevent users from editing the contents of the active field, select the Read only check box.
  14. (optional) To assign keyword access to the tab so that only authorized users have viewing or editing rights, use the Access keywords field. Set up access keywords just as you would for any user-defined window (as described in iMIS Customer Management).
  15. Optional: To reorder or remove fields, use the Up, Down, and Remove buttons.
  16. When you finish specifying tab settings, select Save, then Close. (Close the Customer Setup Additional Windows window also.)
  17. To set the new tab to appear at the next iMIS startup, right-click in the top of the History or Detail pane of the Manage customers window and select Edit Tab Preferences. In the Customer Portfolio Tab Preferences window, add the new tab to the Visible Detail tabs list. You can use the Top, Up, Down, and Bottom buttons to order the tabs. Select Save, then close the window.

    18. After you create the table or field, a message notifies you to restart iMIS for your changes to take effect.

  18. Restart iMIS and check for the custom tab you created.

The next time a user starts iMIS, the newly created or edited custom tab appears in the Details pane of the Manage customers window, provided the following conditions are met:

  • The tab is included in the Visible Detail tabs list in the Customer Portfolio Tab Preferences window (as described in the previous step).
  • The system administrator has added the custom tab to the default Tab Preferences profile, and the user does not have a customized personal Tab Preferences profile.
  • If access keywords are assigned to hide the tab from unauthorized users, the system administrator has to assign the needed keywords to the user.