Plan Fields - Configure Field Formats

This article explains how to configure field formats for Plan Fields in OnePlan using the Plan Fields configuration interface on the OnePlan front end.

Field formats allow administrators to control how Plan Field values are visually displayed on the Plan Details form and related views by applying formatting such as text color, background color, and tooltips.

What you will accomplish
By the end of this article, you will be able to enable and configure field formatting for appropriate Plan Fields and understand when to use front‑end formats versus back‑end format rules.

Requirements

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• A OnePlan account with Administrator permissions
• Access to the Plan Fields configuration interface
  See Plan Fields – Access Plan Fields Configuration
• Advanced Settings enabled
• A Plan Field created or in progress
  See:
  • Plan Fields – Create a New Plan Field
  • Plan Fields – Edit or Delete Plan Fields

Background

Plan Fields support configurable formatting that controls how field values are displayed to users on the Plan Details form and related front‑end views.

Formatting configured in the Plan Fields configuration interface:

• Applies to Plan Fields only
• Is managed on the OnePlan front end
• Is configured using the Formats tab in the Plan Field editor
• Controls visual presentation (colors and tooltips)
• Does not modify the underlying field data

Formats are commonly used to visually highlight key indicators such as approval states, health, or readiness directly within the Plan Details experience.

Front‑End Formats vs. Back‑End Format Rules

OnePlan also supports back‑end format rules, which allow administrators to define conditional color formatting for:

• Plan‑level fields
• Work (task)‑level fields

Note
Back‑end format rules for plan‑level and task‑level fields are covered in a separate article:
How do I manage format coloring settings

Instructions

Enable Formats for a Plan Field

1. Access the Plan Fields configuration interface.
   See Plan Fields – Access Plan Fields Configuration.
2. Either:
   • For a new field: Create the field and complete the General tab, then proceed to step 3.
     See Plan Fields – Create a New Plan Field.
   • For an existing field: Locate the field, open the kebab menu, and select Edit, then proceed to step 3.
     See Plan Fields – Edit or Delete Plan Fields.
3. Select the Formats tab in the Plan Field configuration form.

Here you will see any existing format rules. From here you can create a new format rule, or edit or delete an existing format rule.

Create a New Format Rule

To create a new Format Rule, click New Format (+). The Add Format form opens.

General Format Settings

Configure how the field should be visually formatted:

• Field
  Auto-populates with the field you are currently editing.
• Color
  Use the color picker to set the text color.
• Background Color
  Use the color picker to set the background color.
• Tooltip
  Optional text displayed when users hover over the formatted value.

Define Format Conditions

Add one or more conditions that determine when the formatting applies.

To add a condition, click New Format Condition (+).

For each condition:

1. Select a field
   
2. Choose an operator
3. Specify the field value to trigger the formatting
   

‼️Important
You must create a separate format configuration for each value or scenario you want to visually distinguish.

Save the Configuration

Click Add to apply the format settings.

Formatting takes effect immediately wherever the field appears.

How Formatted Fields Appear to Users

When formatting is enabled, users see the visual indicators directly on the Plan Details form and related front‑end views.

User experience:

• Field values display with configured colors
• Tooltips appear on hover (if configured)
• Values remain fully editable (formats do not enforce logic or validation)

Formatting is purely visual and does not restrict user input.

Best Practices and Considerations

• Use formatting sparingly to avoid visual overload
• Apply consistent color meanings across fields
• Create one format configuration per value or scenario
• Test formatting on sample plans before broad adoption
• Use back‑end format rules for task‑level or portfolio‑wide visuals

Edit or Disable Formatting

To modify or disable formatting:

1. Access the Plan Fields configuration interface.
2. Locate the field and select Edit.
3. Open the Formats tab.
4. Click Edit next to the format you want to update.
5. Update or disable the format settings.
6. Save.

See Plan Fields – Edit or Delete Plan Fields for additional guidance.