Administrator Guide 2017
Concepts - Lists

Lists in magic5

Lists are a general purpose way of creating and maintaining choices for use in drop-down boxes, multiple choice questions etc. Lists obviously have many advantages over simple text entry:
  • they enforce consistency of data entry
  • they allow faster completion of forms
  • they lend themselves to importing and exporting of data from other systems
  • they lend themselves to the automation of rules when processing forms
Commonly used lists are:
  • parts/stock items
  • quantities
  • job codes
  • job status
  • simple Yes/No or Pass/Fail type choices
  • specialized lists such as wards for a hospital, available drawings for a building, types of installation, outcome codes for an audit, or fleet vehicles
List sizes range from 1 to many thousands.
A list consists of a list name and a number of list entries. Often the list entries are simply the text required (eg. “Yes”, “Re-visit required”, “7”, “Large flange”). However, list entries can also have an associated numeric value (eg. the price of a part or a score/weighting for calculating a total).
Lists can be linked together in a “cascade”. For example, a set of lists could be created to allow the user to choose a vehicle make. Selection of the make would then give an additional prompt for vehicle model, with the models being restricted to the make selected. There could be an additional selection to give a list of vehicle derivatives, with options being the various flavours of model chosen. For more information see Concepts - Cascading Lists

List entries

List entries are often a simple text such as “Yes”, “Re-visit required”, “7”, “Large flange”.  However, list entries can also have attributes such as the price of a part or a score/weighting for calculating a total.
By default, list entries will be shown in alphabetical order, but the default order can be overridden by administrators using the Rearrange Items link to the right of the list entries screen.

Attributes for List entries

Part number used for stock, ordering and invoicing
Service info used for stock, ordering and invoicing
Sales code used for stock, ordering and invoicing
Stock code used for stock, ordering and invoicing
Buy in cost used for stock, ordering and invoicing
Charge out cost used for stock, ordering and invoicing
On hand used for stock management
Stock list type used for stock management
Stocklist sub-type used for stock management
Make item identification
Model item identification
Serial number item identification
Hoist make item identification
Hoist model item identification
Hoist serial number item identification
Procedure risk calculation
Risk Rating - probability risk calculation
Risk Rating - severity risk calculation
Risk Rating - risk risk calculation
Residual Risk - probability risk calculation
Residual Risk - severity risk calculation
Residual Risk - risk risk calculation
Control Measures risk calculation
Hazard 1 risk calculation
Hazard 2 risk calculation
Associated image or document often used to display crosses & ticks, smiley/frowny faces, thumbs up or down
Text of e-mail useful for automated e-mails
Value to use a generic attribute that can be used for calculating weighted totals
VAT rate (%) used for invoicing
VAT code used for invoicing
Code assembly and class (advanced) industry specific
Expanded text primarily for creating text snippets that can be attached to various text entry areas to speed up entry of standard phrases.
Number of header lines to ignore is used for importing job data from a spreadsheet (see how-to guide)
Spreadsheet columns unique names is used for importing job data from a spreadsheet (see how-to guide)
Primary key specifications is used for importing job data from a spreadsheet (see how-to guide)
Import unallocated jobs is used for importing job data from a spreadsheet (see how-to guide)
User key specifications is used for importing job data from a spreadsheet (see how-to guide)
Date key specifications is used for importing job data from a spreadsheet (see how-to guide)
Metres per pixel is used to calibrate the scale of a drawing for calculating measurements in drawing locations
Colour enables the colour palette attribute for use with, for example, Item Type - Drawing location tool pen colour options
Template file name enables uploading a Word document for outputting a report in Word/PDF format
Text on button creates a list-entry prompt for button text to accompany the Word template entered above
Additional settings creates a list-entry prompt for additional parameters in Word document output (eg. Word version, PDF format, etc)
See Also