Currency fields

Currency fields are different from other fields in that they store multiple values when the data is saved. A currency field stores the following data:

• A user-entered decimal value — Decimal values are displayed according to the user's locale. For example, on German systems, thousands are separated by periods.
   If users do not include a decimal point, the system automatically adds it when the field data is saved. The system also adds zeros after the decimal point based on the precision setting in the field's properties.
   If a user enters the value in a specific currency and saves the entry, that currency is displayed to whomever views the entry.
• A currency code, such as EUR (Euro) or USD (US dollar) — The codes are usually consistent with ISO 4217. You can override the codes with localized labels (see Localizing currency codes).
   A currency code can be entered into the field in any of the following ways:
  • Default value — At runtime, a user can enter the code into the field or select the code from the menu attached to the field.
  • User preferences — Users can specify a preferred initial currency type in the AR System User Preference form (Locale tab). When a user opens a new request, the code for the user-preferred currency appears in the currency field unless the code's currency type is not one of the field's allowable currencies (see Allowable and functional currencies). This user preference overrides the Initial Currency Type field property, but the Default Value field property overrides both the user preference and the Initial Currency Type.
  • Initial currency type — Developers can specify an initial currency code in a currency field's Initial Currency Type or Default Value properties. The default value overrides the initial currency type.
  • Primary allowable currency — If users do not specify a code, the system adds the code of the primary allowable currency when the request is saved. See Adding a currency field to a form.
• One or more functional currency values — Generated when users save the data that they entered in the currency field. See Allowable and functional currencies.

• Date on which the functional currency values were generated — After entering data into a currency field and saving the request, users can view the field's functional currency values by clicking the expand button next to the currency field, as shown in the following figure.

 Viewing functional currencies


In table fields, when users sort on a column that represents a currency field, records are grouped by currency type and then sorted within each group. This allows meaningful comparisons among currencies of the same type.

To learn how to add currency fields to forms, see Creating currency fields.

For more information about currency fields, see the following sections: