Changing Underlying Equations for Virtual Fields

Brian Element

Forums

Hi,

IDEA would be incomplete without virtual fields and its corresponding underlying equations/conditions/parameters and criteria.
 
No matter the level of expertise you hold in IDEA, it's always a humbling experience to get your equation right and complete the very first time in the Equation Editor.
 
Let's say you've created a valid equation within the Equation Editor and generated the virtual field. You soon realize that the values reflected in the virtual field are not right and that the equation needs a bit of tweaking.
 
How do we tweak the equation for existing virtual fields?
 
Thankfully CaseWare has provides us with a number of ways to achieve this -
 
1. Double click on the virtual field of your choice in the active database. This opens up the Field Manipulation. Scroll down to the row containing the field of your choice. You will see the recorded equation in the parameter cell. Just click on the equation and edit the same in the Equation Editor.
 
2. Navigate to Data in the menu toolbar. Click on Modify and change the parameter for the field of your choice FROM TO.
 
Always remember virtual fields are dynamic in nature and its content will change based on a change in the underlying equation.
 
Final parting point - the equation is also displayed in the History i.e. Audit Trail.
 
Another compelling reason to use IDEA as it maintains a corroborative trail which is uneditable.
 
Kind Regards
 
Jairam

Brian Element Mon, 06/08/2015 - 07:40

Thanks Jairam for these great tips.

Also you need to remember that when you make any changes to a virtual field and you have created an index, results, stratification, etc based on the virtual field that you will have to redo them as IDEA doesn't automatically update these results based on the changed virtual field.

Thanks

Brian