To create custom fields in the Vitals Desktop database (for either valves or activities), follow these steps as outlined in the Vitals Reference Manual:

 

Steps to Create Custom Fields in Vitals Desktop

  1. Open Vitals Desktop on your PC.
  2. Click on Settings in the left-hand menu.
  3. Select Database Setup.
  4. Click on Customize Data Fields.
  5. In the Customize Data Fields window:
    • Use the Select Table dropdown to choose either:
      • Valves (to add a field to valve records), or
      • Activities (to add a field to activity records).
    • Click New Field to create a new custom field.
  6. In the New Field dialog:
    • Enter a Field Name (used internally in the database).
    • Choose a Data Type (e.g., Text, Integer, Date).
    • Set the Size (maximum length for text fields).
    • Optionally, define Choices (e.g., Open;Closed;Unknown) for dropdown selection.
  7. Click OK to save the new field.
  8. Back in the Customize Data Fields screen, you can:
    • Use Edit Caption to change how the field appears in the UI.
    • Use Edit Choices to update dropdown options.
    • Use the Up/Down arrows to reorder how fields appear in the interface.
  9. Click Close when done.

 

 Example

To add a custom field for valve material:

  • Field Name: Material
  • Caption: Valve Material
  • Choices: Ductile Iron;Cast Iron;PVC;Steel

This will show up as a dropdown in the valve record entry screen.