You can inactivate lookup table items so that users are prevented from selecting them from the corresponding fields in the user interface. Inactivating items allows you to prevent the use of unwanted values yet maintain existing data in records that include inactive items.
Important: Before inactivating lookup table items, read Points To Remember.
Points To Remember
Consider the following points before inactivating lookup table items:
•If an inactive value is assigned to a field via templates, rules, or the XML layer, an exception will be thrown to prevent the creation or update of the record. For example, if a template specifies an item as the default value of a field to be set on Create, but the item is inactivated, the record cannot be created.
•You cannot inactivate lookup table items used by required custom fields or custom fields that set a default value. If you attempt to do so, you will receive an error.
•Inactivated items are visible to end users in records if they were previously added to a record. Depending on the circumstances, they may be displayed in gray. If accessibility settings are enabled, (inactive) is appended to inactive item names and they are not displayed in gray.
•Users can specify inactivated items as search criteria and report qualifiers. Inactivated items appear in gray or (inactive) is appended to the item names.
•Existing records with inactive items retain the inactive values. Users can edit records with previously selected inactivated items and click save.
•If a user changes the value of a field that specified an inactive item and then clicks save, they cannot revert to the prior inactive value unless a TeamConnect solution developer temporarily activates the item.
•If you ever need to convert your TeamConnect data, you must first activate all inactive categories and lookup table items. Once the data conversion is completed, you can restore the inactive items manually.
•When you inactivate lookup table items, their status is recorded in the Active column of the lookup table screen.
If an item has parent or child items, you cannot readily determine their active status without navigating to each level in the hierarchy. Therefore, you should record the status of all inactive items so that this information is readily available if you ever need to convert your TeamConnect data. Otherwise, you will have to manually search for any inactive items.
