Using Schema Config

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Schema Configuration Tool Guide

“Schema” (or “Interface Schema”) refers to the data tables and fields that capture the semantics and relationships of your biological collections data. The Schema Configuration module in Specify 7 lets you tailor these tables and fields—changing captions, hiding unused items, adding descriptions, enforcing required fields, and defining field formats—so that Specify works precisely the way your discipline needs it.

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1. Accessing the Schema Configuration

1. Click your Username in the Specify navigation bar to open User Tools.
   

   

2. Under Customization, select Schema Config.
   

   

3. Choose your Schema language (English is the default).
   

   

4. Pick the base table you wish to modify (e.g., CollectionObject).
   

   

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2. Schema Configuration Interface

Once open, the Schema Config window presents two toolbar buttons:

• Change Base Table lets you switch to another table.
• Save commits your edits and lets you pick a new table.

Below the toolbar, you’ll see two main sections: Table Information and Fields & Relationships.

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2.1 Table Information

This panel shows metadata about the selected table:

Field	Description	Example
Caption	The display name of the table, shown on forms and searches.	Collection Object
Description	A brief summary of the table’s purpose.	A specimen, a lot, a sound recording, a tissue, etc.
Table Format	How the table appears in single‐line displays. Most tables use one field (e.g., Catalog Number), but you can combine fields (e.g., Last Name, First Name).	CollectionObject
Table Aggregation	When a one‐to‐many relationship exists, aggregation defines how multiple records appear on one line in reports or results.	CollectionObject
Uniqueness Rules	Configure fields to enforce unique values at the collection level, preventing duplicates.	Make text1 unique across the collection.
Hide Table	If TRUE, the entire table is hidden from the general Specify interface (though still available in the Schema Config).	TRUE or FALSE

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2.2 Fields & Relationships

Here you see every field in your chosen table, plus any relationship fields linking to other tables. You can toggle hiding and sort by visibility:

Click any field to edit its details in the Field Details panel:

Field	Description	Example
Field	The database name (no spaces; camelCase).	catalogNumber
Caption	The user‐friendly label shown on forms.	Cat #
Description	A help text or usage note, viewable by double‐clicking the caption.	Catalog Number
Length	Maximum character length (for text fields).	32
Type	Data type (String, Integer, BigDecimal, Double, Timestamp, Text, Boolean) or relationship (One‐to‐many, etc.).	String – or – One‐to‐many(Table)
Hide Field	If TRUE, this field is hidden in the general interface.	TRUE or FALSE
Required	If TRUE, value must be entered before saving or uploading via WorkBench.	TRUE or FALSE

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3. Field Formatters

The Field Format section controls input validation and display:

Option	Description
None	Uses the default formatter for the type (e.g., plain text for strings).
Formatted	Applies a built‐in or user‐defined formatter that validates input against a pattern (dates, phone numbers, custom codes).
Web Link	Renders a clickable hyperlink. (After configuring here, you must also add it to forms via XML—see Web Links.)
Pick List	Restricts input to a controlled vocabulary. Specify ships with many system pick lists; you can also define your own (see section below).

Learn more about formatters and aggregations in Editing Table Formats and Aggregations.

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4. Web Links

You can create or edit web links—URLs that appear in your forms—via App Resources. Once defined, assign them here and embed them in your form XML.

For details, see Editing Web Links in Specify 7.

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5. Pick Lists

A Pick List limits field values to a predefined set of choices. Specify comes with many system pick lists (e.g., Agent Title includes Dr., Ms., Curator, etc.). You can also create User‐Defined Pick Lists:

Key points:

• The schema refers to pick lists by name (e.g., “TypeStatus”).
• Each collection has its own pick list instance scoped to its data.
  • That means that a pick list with the same name can have different values depending on the collection you are logged into.

To add items to a pick list, click the (plus) icon next to its name. See Add an Item to a Picklist.

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With these tools, you can fully tailor the interface schema to your discipline’s workflows—making data entry intuitive, enforcing data quality rules, and presenting only the fields that matter. Happy configuring!