The Data tab

The Data tab lists the case type’s fields: the data every case of the type carries. Steps read and write fields, decisions and rules test them, and forms are made from them.

The Data tab of Mortgage pre-approval: each field with its label, type, Required, Personal data, Read by and Written by.

The field list

Column	What it shows
Field	The field’s name, as conditions and templates use it.
Label	What people see.
Type	The field’s type in words, such as Text, Decimal, Choice of 3 or Files for a list of files.
Required	Yes when every case must start with a value.
Personal data	Yes when the field is marked as personal data.
Read by	Where it is read: steps by name, and decisions, rules, waits, conditions, the title and the summary.
Written by	Where it is written: steps by name, rules, and the Start form.

Keel works out Read by and Written by from the case type as you edit it. A field nothing reads or writes yet shows None. While Keel works, the columns stay empty; if it cannot work them out, a warning says why.

The Data tab of a new case type, Loan request: three fields, none read by a step yet.

Add or change a field

Editors and owners press Add field; anyone can press a row to open a field.

The Add field dialog: Name applicant, Label Applicant, Type Text, Required on.

Setting	What it is
Name	Lower-case letters, digits and _, starting with a letter, such as loan_amount. It cannot be changed once the field exists, and some words, such as now, in or int, are taken.
Label	What people see, such as Loan amount.
Type	Text, Whole number, Decimal, Yes or no, Date, Date and time, Choice, File, List or Object.
Unit	For a whole number or a decimal. “A currency’s code, such as EUR, shows as money. Other text follows the value.”
Choices	For a choice: each with a Value and a Label. Add choice adds one.
Items	For a list: the Item type, and what that type takes. A list of files holds several documents.
Fields	For an object: its own fields, each with a Name, a type and Required.
Required	A case must start with a value: the start form always asks for it.
Personal data	Marks the field as holding personal data.

Press Save. Viewers see the same dialog with Close.

The Add field dialog for a decimal: Type Decimal, Unit EUR, with the unit's help line under it.

Remove a field

Open the field and press Remove field. Keel Builder asks first, Remove label?: “No step requires it any more. Steps and forms that name it, and the case’s title and summary, will need changing.” Press Remove. Run a dry run afterwards to find them.

Files and documents

A File field holds one file and a list of File items holds several. In the business app, a step that writes a file field lets the person add the file from its form, and the case’s files panel lists every file of the case. Office documents open there in the web editor. See Files and documents.