Infor M3 #3 -- How to add new columns to a list panel without M3 modifications

How to add new columns to a list panel without M3 modifications

Sometimes we need more information on list panels to identify the line better. If we want to add any other columns to the list panel we may need to do a MAK modification by adding those fields in View definition's BS and so we may need to modify the source code.

Isn't it a lengthy process to add an extra column to a list? And again we have to maintain MAK fixes for the same. To avoid this we have a facility in Infor M3 to add new columns to list panels with out programming, from Infor Smart Office or H5 Client we can add new columns to the list panel. Isn't it interesting? Before going into the process let's understand what is a view and from where system fetches those columns/fields.

The advantage of this is zero programming, no fixes to be maintained as everything is possible with just configurations.

View :

• View is the layout what we see in Infor Smart Office or H5 client
• We can check them from program CRS020
• Views are related to sorting orders, relation between sorting order and views are one to many. i.e., one sorting order can have multiple views

Fields : 

• Fields are the columns what we see in a view, these fields are linked to a view from the field group
• Each display program has individual field group, we can check field groups from program CRS108
• In CRS108 we can't add any new fields as create option is disabled
• Here we can reset the field group to standard by selecting F14 from Actions menu, system would go the respective field utility and fetches the fields from the source code

Let's see how we can add fields into field group, we don't have a facility to create from CRS108 though.

CMS005 (List and Printer programs. Configure) is the program which is used to add new fields into a field group.

CMS005 is used for two types of programs as listed below.

1. List programs
2. Print programs

List programs

• List programs are the master programs which contains panel B to display the necessary details as per the sorting order and view
• Some of the list programs are static in nature i.e., columns are created from view definition
• For this kind of programs we need to do a modification either in MAK or using scripts to add new columns to list
• Some of the list programs are dynamic in nature i.e., columns are created from CRS020. Which can be configurable from Smart office or H5 client

Print programs

• Print programs are responsible for printing a spool file based on the inputs (Selection criteria) from an interactive program
• In CMS005, we use Print programs for story teller, here we can add or remove the fields to be printed on a document or report 
• In this program fields are in XML format, and the XML is configurable to add or remove fields
• In detail we will check this configurable XML output and storyteller in other post

Let's take a scenario where user wants to check what's the delay in purchase order (PPS200/B).

Let's segregate the whole process into two steps.

Step 1 : Open CMS005 and add the extra fields to Field group

• Select sorting order as Used by program and Select as List programs then write down the program name and hit enter to filter the data

• In this scenario we are going to use only three related options i.e., Related tables, Virtual fields and Field group

Related tables

• Related tables are the tables which we use to fetch the related data by making a connection between master table and related table
• Add all related tables which we want in report by selecting Related option 11
• Write down table name and use create option, here we can configure the table properties like giving table fields a prefix (in case you want use the same table for different purposes), sequence by which tables have to be loaded (if there is any dependency on the other table’s data), fields selection (you can choose only the fields which you want from the particular table or you can choose all) which would be used in field group
• You can add multiple related tables

Virtual fields

• Virtual fields are generally used for numeric calculations, date conversions, currency conversions, fetch details from CSYTAB, merge data of multiple fields and logical formula
• Virtual field name should start with & and the field name must be 5 characters in size
• Add virtual fields by selecting Related option 12

• Add a field for order date to be converted into day number and transaction date from MITTRA in the same way
• Add a field to calculate the differences between the Order date and transaction dates to find out the delay

• You can configure the virtual field properties in next panel like what kind of field it is, what are the inputs and what is the expected output

Field group

• All fields from master table, fields which you have added from related tables and virtual fields would be available for use. In case you want to add more then go to related tables and virtual fields to add new fields

• You can check field group using Related option 21

Step 2 : Change the view

Views can be changed in multiple ways, let's see how we can change it directly from CRS020.

• Open CRS020, enter the program name as PPS200 as we want to add a column to it
• Select the sorting option on which you want to add a column

• Select the views displayed for sorting order and use option 2 to change the view

• Add new field added in CMS005 by using prompt (F4), and hit enter to apply the modifications

• Once you are back to the program's panel B i.e., PPS200, you would be able to see the newly added column's along with data if the selected sorting option and view is appropriate (changed in the above process) 

• If you want more fields from master then it is always possible with out adding anything in CMS005, you just need to click on the pencil icon and add the fields which you want to be displayed in list
• You can see all fields which were added from related tables and virtual fields, so you can directly add or remove them from here it self, you can search with a keyword to find the column
• Once you are done with adding new columns, click on save to make it available

• Final output would look like

Isn't it so simple to add columns to list panel/programs!

Note : Only 30 columns or 250 positions are allowed in a list panel




That's it, come back here and tell us about the before-and-after. I bet you'll have something to say!

Please let me know your thoughts in comment section below!

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In our next post let us see about Infor M3 Personalizations to make UI look rich and to ease the work of user.

Thanks for reading!

--Saiteja Saadi