Element Configuration: Property Types and Their Uses (ITONICS Professional)

This article will introduce you to the different types of properties you can add to your elements, what they will look like, and when to use them.

Below are the property types ITONICS provides. Read below to understand the usage of each one of them!

Dropdown Steps Hierarchical Dropdown Rating Numerical Rating Date Number Hyperlinks Rich Text User Attachments

Dropdown

You can create a dropdown property type if you want the user to select one or multiple options from a list. Use a dropdown when you have a predefined list of items in mind. A dropdown also prevents users from adding invalid options.

This is how a Dropdown property type looks like on your element detail page. Based on your selection while creating the property type, the workspace members can select single/multiple values from the dropdown on the element detail page.

Steps to create the Property type:

1. Give your property type a name. (1)
2. If you want to allow the selection of multiple values, check the Multiple Values checkbox. Note that this cannot be changed for the respective property at a later stage (would require the creation of a new property). (2)
3. You can set the property type as required information for elements. This information then needs to be added before the element can be created. To do so, check the Required checkbox. Note that a Required property cannot be introduced after an element type was configured initially, as elements of that respective type may already exist, which would violate the Required constraint. (3)
4. Under Label, provide the options one by one to create the list. Click on Add New Option to enter more options. (4)
5. Once you are happy with the way it looks, hit Save.

Steps

Steps can be compared to radio buttons. They are very similar in function to the single-value dropdown, just in different packaging. Steps can be used when you want the user to select one option out of many. You can also provide a color for each of the values. 

The below snapshot shows how the steps property type looks like on the element detail page. You can select/deselect the value.

Steps to create:

1. Give your property type a name. (1)
2. You can set the property type as required information for elements. This information needs to be added before the element can be created. To do so, check the Required checkbox. Note that a Required property cannot be introduced after an element type was configured initially, as elements of that respective type may already exist, which would violate the Required constraint. (2)
3. Add as many options as you like and select some nice colors for each of them. (3)
4. Once done, click on Save.

Hierarchical Dropdown

This property type is a type of dropdown that enables you to define a nested or hierarchical structure of options that follow a parent-child logic. You can group/segment your data as per your needs and place them under separate sections. E.g., you can create a more refined industry segmentation based on main and secondary industries.

This is how it looks like on an element detail page. As you can see, the ones in bold are the main segments and below them, you have multiple sub-segments. 

Steps to create:

1. Give your property type a name. (1)
2. Here again, you can allow multiple value selection by checking the Allow Multiple Values checkbox. Note that this cannot be changed for the respective property at a later stage (would require the creation of a new property). (2)
3. You can set the property type as required information for elements. To do so, check the Required checkbox. Note that a Required property cannot be introduced after an element type was configured initially, as elements of that respective type may already exist, which would violate the “Required” constraint. (3)
4. Create main segments and under them write the sub-segment specifics. You can create as many segments as you like. (4)
5. Once done, click on Save.

Rating

You can evaluate your elements using properties of type Rating. Evaluating elements such as trends and technologies collaboratively can help you anticipate future changes in your industry and whether they are relevant to your business.

This is how the Rating property type looks like on your element detail page. The below example allows users to evaluate a company’s relevance for your own business. Here, the criterion was rated medium.

Steps to create: 

1. Give a name to your property type. (1)
2. Write a short description of the rating criteria. (2)
3. You can invert the order in which the rating options are displayed. (3)
4. Provide labels and descriptions for each one of them, e.g., High. (4)
5. Once done, click on Save.

Numerical Rating

For a Numerical Rating, instead of specifying the labels for different options, you simply enter a range of numbers that should be choosable. You could use Numerical Rating to rate your elements using existing vendor software that provides reviews and ratings of software and tools available in the market, for example. Or you can create your rating criteria which you want to be rated in numerical form.

This is how it looks on the element detail page:

In the below scenario, we want to know the importance of Example Inc element as a competitor in numerical form. To do so, create a numerical rating property type.

Steps to create:

1. Give a name to your property type. (1)
2. Write a short description of the rating criteria and type. (2)
3. Enter a valid min and max value for your ratings. (3)
4. You can also invert the rating by checking Invert Order of Options. (4)
5. Once done, save the property type.

Date

This is simply a property when you want a Date property type, e.g., we want to indicate the date of the Kick Off Call with another company. You can also use this property type when there is a need to enter the start date or end date of a particular activity.

This is how it will in the interface once the date selection is made.

1. Give a name to your property type. (1)
2. You can set the property type as required information for elements. This information needs to be added before the element can be created. To do so, check the Required checkbox. Note that a Required property cannot be introduced after an element type was configured initially, as elements of that respective type may already exist, which would violate the Required constraint. (2)
3. Once done, save the property type.

Number

As the name suggests, use the Number property type if you want to input any sort of number, e.g., if you want to have a field indicating the ratio for Sales winning/losing another Company for a potential collaboration, you can use a Number property type.

This is how it will look on the element detail page.

Steps to create: 

1. Give a name to your property type. (1)
2. Enter a value in Unit Label. The Unit Label shows the unit of the number (Euro, $, FTE).  (2)
3. Provide min and max values to ensure users are entering valid values. (3)
4. You can set the property type as required information for elements. To do so, check the Set as Required checkbox. Note that a Required property cannot be introduced after an element type was configured initially, as elements of that respective type may already exist, which would violate the Required constraint. (4)
5. Once done, click on Save.

Hyperlinks

Use the Hyperlinks property type to group important references together. Simply name the property type and save it.

This is how it looks on the element detail page. You can add multiple relevant links under the group.

Steps to create:

1. Simply name the property type. (1)
2. You can set the property type as required information for elements. This information needs to be added before the element can be created. To do so, check the Required checkbox. Note that a Required property cannot be introduced after an element type was configured initially, as elements of that respective type may already exist, which would violate the Required constraint. (2)
3. Once finished, save the property!

Rich Text

This is simply a text property type. You can use this property when you need a field on the element detail page that requires long texts. In the below example, we want to write about the acquisition strategies of our Example Inc. element.

This is how it looks on the element detail page.

Steps to create:

1. Simply name the property type and save it! (1)

User

You can use this property to assign users to particular elements from your workspace. You can assign multiple users if you wish to.

This is how it looks on the element detail page:

In the below case, if you want to assign owners to elements in your workspace, you can use this property type. You can also choose and allow adding multiple users.

1. Give a name to your property type. (1)
2. If you want to allow the selection of multiple values, check the Multiple Values checkbox. Note that this cannot be changed for the respective property at a later stage (would require the creation of a new property). (2)
3. You can set the property type as required information for elements. This information needs to be added before the element can be created. To do so, check the Required checkbox. Note that a Required property cannot be introduced after an element type was configured initially, as elements of that respective type may already exist, which would violate the Required constraint. (3)
4. Once finished, save your property!

Attachments

You can add a widget to upload attachments using the Attachments property type, e.g., to allow users to add relevant case studies as PDFs to the company element.

This is how it looks on the element detail page:

Steps to create: 

1. Simply name the property type and save it! (1)