Conditional Inputs

Use Conditional Inputs with a Cost Item Assembly to hide specific input variables from users employing the Cost Item Assembly until certain conditions are met. This makes it easier for the user to work with large lists of inputs by asking the user to answer only the questions that are relevant at that time.

A Conditional Input uses a formula expression to determine when the input is displayed or hidden. When a user employs a Cost Item Assembly and begins entering information, conditional expressions are evaluated and if any particular expression result becomes True, then its conditional input is shown in the Cost Item Assemblies list of inputs. If the conditional expression result is False, the input remains hidden from the user's view.

Step by Step — Adding Conditional Input Expressions

  1. From the Backstage View, select Open in the left pane.
  2. Select the job you want to open, then click OK.
  3. Select the Setup tab.
  4. Under the Assemblies section, select Cost Item Assemblies.
  5. On the Cost Item Assembly Register, select the Cost Item Assembly Record you want to edit.
  6. Select the Inputs data box.
  7. Scroll over to the Visibility Condition field and enter the conditional input expression in the of the Inputs data box.

    8. Conditional input expressions can either include variables that reference other input values, or ask simple Yes/No questions. When the user provides answers to inputs, the answers are then used to determine if the user is asked to provide more answers for additional inputs.

  8. Double check the Default Visibility check is not selected. The Default Valuecolumn is used to set the conditional expressions result to False. Therefore, the Default Visibility check box is not selected, which means the input is hidden when the Cost Item Assembly is employed.

When you employ the Cost Item Assembly, the conditional input is hidden. As you enter information, such as a dimension or response to a question, and the value entered changes the expression result to True, the conditional input shows.