Plan Fields - Guided Workflow - Create and Edit Plan Fields

This article provides an end-to-end overview of how to configure Plan Fields in OnePlan. It explains the typical workflow, key decision points, and where to find detailed instructions for each step.

What you will understand
After reading this article, you will understand how to access the Plan Fields configuration interface, create new fields, configure field settings, and manage existing fields.

Audience

This article is intended for:

• OnePlan administrators responsible for configuring plan metadata
• System administrators setting up OnePlan for the first time
• Admins who want to understand the full workflow before taking action

This article provides guidance, not step-by-step instructions.

Step 1: Access the Plan Fields Configuration Interface

Plan Fields are configured directly from the Plan Details form editor. This means you access field configuration from within a specific plan, not from a global admin page.

To access Plan Fields configuration:

1. Open any plan in OnePlan
2. Go to the Plan Details view
3. Open the Form Editor
4. Navigate to Plan Fields

This interface gives you access to all Plan Field configuration options, including creating, editing, and deleting fields.

→ Learn more: Access the Plan Fields Configuration Interface

Step 2: Plan Your Field Structure

Before creating fields, consider:

• What information do you need to capture? Think about the data points that are essential for tracking, reporting, and decision-making.
• Which plan types need this field? Some fields apply to all plans, while others are specific to certain plan types (e.g., "Sprint Goal" for Agile projects only).
• Is this field required or optional? Required fields ensure consistency, but too many can slow down plan creation.
• Should users be able to edit this field? Some fields (like calculated values or system-generated data) should be read-only.
• Do you need calculations or aggregates? Fields can perform calculations or roll up data from child plans.

This planning stage helps you create a clean, efficient field structure that supports your organization's planning processes.

Step 3: Create New Plan Fields

Creating a Plan Field involves:

• Selecting the appropriate field type (text, date, number, currency, choice, user, lookup, etc.)
• Configuring field settings (required, read-only, default value, character limits, etc.)
• Defining plan type availability (all plans or specific plan types)
• (Optional) Setting up calculations or aggregates for advanced scenarios

OnePlan supports many field types, each with specific configuration options. Common field types include:

• Text: Single or multi-line plain text with optional character limits
• Date: Date picker
• Number: Numeric values with configurable decimal places and optional percentage display
• Currency: Monetary values with multi-currency support
• Choice: Dropdown with predefined options
• Multi Choice: Multiple selection from predefined options
• User: People picker tied to user accounts
• Lookup: Create relationships to other plans
• Multi Lookup: Create relationships to multiple plans
• Rich Text: Formatted text with styling options
• YesNo: Checkbox for true/false values
• Hyperlink: URL links
• Image: Display images from public URLs

→ Learn more: Create a New Plan Field

Step 4: Configure Advanced Options (Optional)

For more sophisticated scenarios, you can configure:

Field Calculations

Plan Fields can perform calculations based on other fields or child plan data. This is useful for metrics like:

• Total budget across multiple line items
• Percentage of tasks completed
• Average team velocity

→ Learn more: Manage Field Calculations

Field Formats

Apply visual styling (colors, icons, bold text) based on field values to draw attention to risks, thresholds, or status changes.

→ Learn more: Plan Fields - Configure Field Formats

Enable AI

Enable AI to suggest field values or generate content.

→ Learn more: Plan Fields - Enable AI for Fields

Step 5: Manage Existing Fields

As your organization evolves, you may need to update or remove Plan Fields.

Editing Fields

You can update most field settings after creation, including:

• Field name and description
• Required and read-only settings
• Plan type availability
• Calculation formulas
• Field-specific options (choices, character limits, decimal places, etc.)

Note:
Field type cannot be changed after creation.

Deleting Fields

Deleting a field permanently removes it and all data entered in that field across all plans.

⚠️ Warning:
Field deletion cannot be undone. Ensure you have backups or are certain the data is no longer needed before deleting.

→ Learn more: Plan Fields - Edit or Delete Plan Fields

Common Variations or Scenarios

Setting Up Fields for a New Plan Type

When creating a new plan type, you'll likely need specialized fields. Start by identifying what makes this plan type unique, then create fields that capture that specific information.

Standardizing Fields Across Multiple Plan Types

For fields that apply to all or most plans (like "Status," "Owner," or "Priority"), configure them without plan type restrictions to ensure consistency.

Creating Calculated Summary Fields

For portfolio or program plans, use aggregated fields to roll up data from child plans. This provides automatic reporting without manual updates.

Managing Lookup Relationships

Lookup fields connect plans to each other, creating relationships like "Projects associated with this Initiative" or "Dependencies for this Task." These require careful planning to ensure the relationships match your organizational structure.

→ Learn more: How do I configure lookup fields?