Tabs and Universal Fields in Objects

Tabs and Universal Fields enable flexible extension of object structures in Finito.
They allow organizations to add custom information sections, create new data entry forms, and adapt asset records to any operational need without development effort.

This modular approach makes object structures fully customizable and scalable.


1. Creating New Tabs for Objects

New tabs are created via:

Search → Tab → New

Each tab consists of:

Name

The title of the tab that will be displayed in the object.

Description

An internal description or documentation of the purpose of the tab.


Categories

Defines where the tab should appear:

  • Object (most common)

  • Shiftbooks

  • Work items

  • Or other modules depending on customer setup

Selecting Object ensures the tab appears within object views.

Universalfields

This section defines which custom fields (Universal Fields) belong to this tab.

Actions available:

  • Add new Universal Fields

  • Remove fields

  • Reorder fields (Up / Down buttons)

Once saved, the tab can be assigned to an Object Type.
Only tabs assigned to the Object Type will appear in objects of that type.



2. Creating Universal Fields

Universal Fields are the building blocks of custom tabs.
They define individual data fields such as text, numbers, dropdowns, yes/no fields, search dialogs, and more.

To create one:

Search → Universalfield → New

A Universal Field contains the following settings:

Basic Properties

Key

  • A unique identifier.

  • Must be system-wide unique.

  • Not shown to the user.

Description

  • The label displayed to the user inside the tab.

  • Required field.


Field Behavior Settings

Mandatory

If set to Yes:

  • The field must be filled out before saving the object.

  • Useful for critical information.

Copy in next shift

Relevant only for shiftbooks (ignored for objects).
Copies the field value into the next shift entry.

Read Only

The field becomes non-editable for users.

Disable Caption

Hides the description label and only shows the input field.

Layout

Defines how wide the field should be displayed:

  • 100%

  • 50%

  • 33%

  • etc.

This helps build clean multi-column forms.



3. Datatype (Field Type)

The datatype defines how the field behaves and what input is allowed.

Selecting a datatype opens additional configuration options depending on the field type.

Common datatypes include:

DatatypePurpose
alphanumericFree text
numericNumbers, quantities, measurements
checkboxBoolean true/false
yes/noTwo-choice boolean
comboboxDropdown selection
radio buttonsSelection of multiple predefined options
date time pickerDate or date/time values
linkHyperlinks
text areaMulti-line text
PickerSelect objects from a search dialog
Searchdialog with searchobjectSelect objects with filtering
Placeholder fieldsDisplay-only fields for layout


Each datatype may include additional settings such as:

  • tolerances (for numerical fields)

  • min/max values

  • object linking

  • rows/columns for text areas

4. Additional Tabs in Universal Fields

Universal Fields contain multiple configuration tabs beyond the basic data field setup:

Data Source

Used to fetch values from external systems via connectors.

Examples:

  • AVEVA PI (process historian)

  • AspenTech IP.21

  • DCS values

  • ERP reference data

This allows real-time or periodic value synchronization.

Assigned Shiftbook Tabs

Only relevant for shiftbooks.
Defines in which shiftbook tabs the Universal Field is displayed.

Assigned Workitem Tabs

Only relevant for tasks.

If activated, the Universal Field becomes available inside a specific Work Item tab, allowing:

  • Additional task metadata

  • Specialized instructions

  • Custom audit fields

This creates extremely flexible workflows.

Configuration Item Tab

Defines which object tab the field belongs to.

This is mandatory for Objects.

Assigned Shiftbooks

Only for shiftbooks — can be ignored for object configuration.

Assigned Areas

Optional and rarely needed.
Used when a Universal Field should only appear for specific equipment in a shiftbook area.

Can be ignored for Object Types.

5. Required Fields for Object-Level Universal Fields

For Universal Fields used in Objects, the minimum required settings are:

  • Key

  • Description

  • Datatype

  • (Assigning the Universal Field to a Tab → which is then assigned to an Object Type)

Everything else is optional and depends on process requirements.

6. Workflow Summary for Adding Custom Tabs and Fields to Objects

Step 1 — Create Universal Fields

Search → Universalfield → New
Configure key, description, datatype, and optional settings.

Step 2 — Create a Tab

Search → Tab → New
Add Universal Fields to the tab and order them.

Step 3 — Assign Tab to Object Type

Open Object Type → Tab
Add the new tab so it appears in objects.

Step 4 — Use Fields in Objects

Create or edit an object and fill the custom fields in the new tab.


7. Use Cases

Custom tabs and Universal Fields are perfect for:

  • Equipment master data

  • Maintenance-critical parameters

  • Calibration values

  • Warranty information

  • Installation details

  • Safety and compliance metadata

  • Regulatory documentation

  • Customer-specific asset info

  • IT/OT hybrid asset structures

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